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cannot make out where it exists or among whom； according to you； the same
persons may sometimes have it； and sometimes not。
ALCIBIADES： But； indeed； Socrates； I do not know what I am saying； and I
have long been； unconsciously to myself； in a most disgraceful state。
SOCRATES： Nevertheless； cheer up； at fifty； if you had discovered your
deficiency； you would have been too old； and the time for taking care of
yourself would have passed away； but yours is just the age at which the
discovery should be made。
ALCIBIADES： And what should he do； Socrates； who would make the discovery？
SOCRATES： Answer questions； Alcibiades； and that is a process which； by
the grace of God； if I may put any faith in my oracle； will be very
improving to both of us。
ALCIBIADES： If I can be improved by answering； I will answer。
SOCRATES： And first of all； that we may not peradventure be deceived by
appearances； fancying； perhaps； that we are taking care of ourselves when
we are not； what is the meaning of a man taking care of himself？ and when
does he take care？ Does he take care of himself when he takes care of what
belongs to him？
ALCIBIADES： I should think so。
SOCRATES： When does a man take care of his feet？ Does he not take care of
them when he takes care of that which belongs to his feet？
ALCIBIADES： I do not understand。
SOCRATES： Let me take the hand as an illustration； does not a ring belong
to the finger； and to the finger only？
ALCIBIADES： Yes。
SOCRATES： And the shoe in like manner to the foot？
ALCIBIADES： Yes。
SOCRATES： And when we take care of our shoes； do we not take care of our
feet？
ALCIBIADES： I do not comprehend； Socrates。
SOCRATES： But you would admit； Alcibiades； that to take proper care of a
thing is a correct expression？
ALCIBIADES： Yes。
SOCRATES： And taking proper care means improving？
ALCIBIADES： Yes。
SOCRATES： And what is the art which improves our shoes？
ALCIBIADES： Shoemaking。
SOCRATES： Then by shoemaking we take care of our shoes？
ALCIBIADES： Yes。
SOCRATES： And do we by shoemaking take care of our feet； or by some other
art which improves the feet？
ALCIBIADES： By some other art。
SOCRATES： And the same art improves the feet which improves the rest of
the body？
ALCIBIADES： Very true。
SOCRATES： Which is gymnastic？
ALCIBIADES： Certainly。
SOCRATES： Then by gymnastic we take care of our feet； and by shoemaking of
that which belongs to our feet？
ALCIBIADES： Very true。
SOCRATES： And by gymnastic we take care of our hands； and by the art of
graving rings of that which belongs to our hands？
ALCIBIADES： Yes。
SOCRATES： And by gymnastic we take care of the body； and by the art of
weaving and the other arts we take care of the things of the body？
ALCIBIADES： Clearly。
SOCRATES： Then the art which takes care of each thing is different from
that which takes care of the belongings of each thing？
ALCIBIADES： True。
SOCRATES： Then in taking care of what belongs to you； you do not take care
of yourself？
ALCIBIADES： Certainly not。
SOCRATES： For the art which takes care of our belongings appears not to be
the same as that which takes care of ourselves？
ALCIBIADES： Clearly not。
SOCRATES： And now let me ask you what is the art with which we take care
of ourselves？
ALCIBIADES： I cannot say。
SOCRATES： At any rate； thus much has been admitted； that the art is not
one which makes any of our possessions； but which makes ourselves better？
ALCIBIADES： True。
SOCRATES： But should we ever have known what art makes a shoe better； if
we did not know a shoe？
ALCIBIADES： Impossible。
SOCRATES： Nor should we know what art makes a ring better； if we did not
know a ring？
ALCIBIADES： That is true。
SOCRATES： And can we ever know what art makes a man better； if we do not
know what we are ourselves？
ALCIBIADES： Impossible。
SOCRATES： And is self…knowledge such an easy thing； and was he to be
lightly esteemed who inscribed the text on the temple at Delphi？ Or is
self…knowledge a difficult thing； which few are able to attain？
ALCIBIADES： At times I fancy； Socrates； that anybody can know himself； at
other times the task appears to be very difficult。
SOCRATES： But whether easy or difficult； Alcibiades； still there is no
other way； knowing what we are； we shall know how to take care of
ourselves； and if we are ignorant we shall not know。
ALCIBIADES： That is true。
SOCRATES： Well； then； let us see in what way the self…existent can be
discovered by us； that will give us a chance of discovering our own
existence； which otherwise we can never know。
ALCIBIADES： You say truly。
SOCRATES： Come； now； I beseech you； tell me with whom you are conversing？
with whom but with me？
ALCIBIADES： Yes。
SOCRATES： As I am； with you？
ALCIBIADES： Yes。
SOCRATES： That is to say； I； Socrates； am talking？
ALCIBIADES： Yes。
SOCRATES： And Alcibiades is my hearer？
ALCIBIADES： Yes。
SOCRATES： And I in talking use words？
ALCIBIADES： Certainly。
SOCRATES： And talking and using words have； I suppose； the same meaning？
ALCIBIADES： To be sure。
SOCRATES： And the user is not the same as the thing which he uses？
ALCIBIADES： What do you mean？
SOCRATES： I will explain； the shoemaker； for example； uses a square tool；
and a circular tool； and other tools for cutting？
ALCIBIADES： Yes。
SOCRATES： But the tool is not the same as the cutter and user of the tool？
ALCIBIADES： Of course not。
SOCRATES： And in the same way the instrument of the harper is to be
distinguished from the harper himself？
ALCIBIADES： It is。
SOCRATES： Now the question which I asked was whether you conceive the user
to be always different from that which he uses？
ALCIBIADES： I do。
SOCRATES： Then what shall we say of the shoemaker？ Does he cut with his
tools only or with his hands？
ALCIBIADES： With his hands as well。
SOCRATES： He uses his hands too？
ALCIBIADES： Yes。
SOCRATES： And does he use his eyes in cutting leather？
ALCIBIADES： He does。
SOCRATES： And we admit that the user is not the same with the things which
he uses？
ALCIBIADES： Yes。
SOCRATES： Then the shoemaker and the harper are to be distinguished from
the hands and feet which they use？
ALCIBIADES： Clearly。
SOCRATES： And does not a man use the whole body？
ALCIBIADES： Certainly。
SOCRATES： And that which uses is different from that which is used？
ALCIBIADES： True。
SOCRATES： Then a man is not the same as his own body？
ALCIBIADES： That is the inference。
SOCRATES： What is he； then？
ALCIBIADES： I cannot say。
SOCRATES： Nay； you can say that he is the user of the body。
ALCIBIADES： Yes。
SOCRATES： And the user of the body is the soul？
ALCIBIADES： Yes； the soul。
SOCRATES： And the soul rules？
ALCIBIADES： Yes。
SOCRATES： Let me make an assertion which will； I think； be universally
admitted。
ALCIBIADES： What is it？
SOCRATES： That man is one of three things。
ALCIBIADES： What are they？
SOCRATES： Soul； body； or both together forming a whole。
ALCIBIADES： Certainly。
SOCRATES： But did we not say that the actual ruling principle of the body
is man？
ALCIBIADES： Yes； we did。
SOCRATES： And does the body rule over itself？
ALCIBIADES： Certainly not。
SOCRATES： It is subject； as we were saying？
ALCIBIADES： Yes。
SOCRATES： Then that is not the principle which we are seeking？
ALCIBIADES： It would seem not。
SOCRATES： But may we say that the union of the two rules over the body；
and consequently that this is man？
ALCIBIADES： Very likely。
SOCRATES： The most unlikely of all things； for if one of the members is
subject； the two united cannot possibly rule。
ALCIBIADES： True。
SOCRATES： But since neither the body； nor the union of the two； is man；
either man has no real existence； or the soul is man？
ALCIBIADES： Just so。
SOCRATES： Is anything more required to prove that the soul is man？
ALCIBIADES： Certainly not； the proof is； I think； quite sufficient。
SOCRATES： And if the proof； although not perfect； be sufficient； we shall
be satisfied；more precise proof will be supplied when we have discovered
that which we were led to omit； from a fear that the enquiry would be too
much protracted。
ALCIBIADES： What was that？
SOCRATES： What I meant； when I said that absolute existence must be first
considered； but now； instead of absolute existence； we have been
considering the nature of individual existenc