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keep to yourself； whereby you will know that I have always had my eye on
you。 Suppose that at this moment some God came to you and said：
Alcibiades； will you live as you are； or die in an instant if you are
forbidden to make any further acquisition？I verily believe that you would
choose death。 And I will tell you the hope in which you are at present
living： Before many days have elapsed； you think that you will come before
the Athenian assembly； and will prove to them that you are more worthy of
honour than Pericles； or any other man that ever lived； and having proved
this； you will have the greatest power in the state。 When you have gained
the greatest power among us； you will go on to other Hellenic states； and
not only to Hellenes； but to all the barbarians who inhabit the same
continent with us。 And if the God were then to say to you again： Here in
Europe is to be your seat of empire； and you must not cross over into Asia
or meddle with Asiatic affairs； I do not believe that you would choose to
live upon these terms； but the world； as I may say； must be filled with
your power and nameno man less than Cyrus and Xerxes is of any account
with you。 Such I know to be your hopesI am not guessing onlyand very
likely you； who know that I am speaking the truth； will reply； Well；
Socrates； but what have my hopes to do with the explanation which you
promised of your unwillingness to leave me？ And that is what I am now
going to tell you； sweet son of Cleinias and Dinomache。 The explanation
is； that all these designs of yours cannot be accomplished by you without
my help； so great is the power which I believe myself to have over you and
your concerns； and this I conceive to be the reason why the God has
hitherto forbidden me to converse with you； and I have been long expecting
his permission。 For； as you hope to prove your own great value to the
state； and having proved it； to attain at once to absolute power； so do I
indulge a hope that I shall be the supreme power over you； if I am able to
prove my own great value to you； and to show you that neither guardian； nor
kinsman； nor any one is able to deliver into your hands the power which you
desire； but I only； God being my helper。 When you were young （compare
Symp。） and your hopes were not yet matured； I should have wasted my time；
and therefore； as I conceive； the God forbade me to converse with you； but
now； having his permission； I will speak； for now you will listen to me。
ALCIBIADES： Your silence； Socrates； was always a surprise to me。 I never
could understand why you followed me about； and now that you have begun to
speak again； I am still more amazed。 Whether I think all this or not； is a
matter about which you seem to have already made up your mind； and
therefore my denial will have no effect upon you。 But granting； if I must；
that you have perfectly divined my purposes； why is your assistance
necessary to the attainment of them？ Can you tell me why？
SOCRATES： You want to know whether I can make a long speech； such as you
are in the habit of hearing； but that is not my way。 I think； however；
that I can prove to you the truth of what I am saying； if you will grant me
one little favour。
ALCIBIADES： Yes； if the favour which you mean be not a troublesome one。
SOCRATES： Will you be troubled at having questions to answer？
ALCIBIADES： Not at all。
SOCRATES： Then please to answer。
ALCIBIADES： Ask me。
SOCRATES： Have you not the intention which I attribute to you？
ALCIBIADES： I will grant anything you like； in the hope of hearing what
more you have to say。
SOCRATES： You do； then； mean； as I was saying； to come forward in a little
while in the character of an adviser of the Athenians？ And suppose that
when you are ascending the bema； I pull you by the sleeve and say；
Alcibiades； you are getting up to advise the Atheniansdo you know the
matter about which they are going to deliberate； better than they？How
would you answer？
ALCIBIADES： I should reply； that I was going to advise them about a matter
which I do know better than they。
SOCRATES： Then you are a good adviser about the things which you know？
ALCIBIADES： Certainly。
SOCRATES： And do you know anything but what you have learned of others； or
found out yourself？
ALCIBIADES： That is all。
SOCRATES： And would you have ever learned or discovered anything； if you
had not been willing either to learn of others or to examine yourself？
ALCIBIADES： I should not。
SOCRATES： And would you have been willing to learn or to examine what you
supposed that you knew？
ALCIBIADES： Certainly not。
SOCRATES： Then there was a time when you thought that you did not know
what you are now supposed to know？
ALCIBIADES： Certainly。
SOCRATES： I think that I know tolerably well the extent of your
acquirements； and you must tell me if I forget any of them： according to
my recollection； you learned the arts of writing； of playing on the lyre；
and of wrestling； the flute you never would learn； this is the sum of your
accomplishments； unless there were some which you acquired in secret； and I
think that secrecy was hardly possible； as you could not have come out of
your door； either by day or night； without my seeing you。
ALCIBIADES： Yes； that was the whole of my schooling。
SOCRATES： And are you going to get up in the Athenian assembly； and give
them advice about writing？
ALCIBIADES： No； indeed。
SOCRATES： Or about the touch of the lyre？
ALCIBIADES： Certainly not。
SOCRATES： And they are not in the habit of deliberating about wrestling；
in the assembly？
ALCIBIADES： Hardly。
SOCRATES： Then what are the deliberations in which you propose to advise
them？ Surely not about building？
ALCIBIADES： No。
SOCRATES： For the builder will advise better than you will about that？
ALCIBIADES： He will。
SOCRATES： Nor about divination？
ALCIBIADES： No。
SOCRATES： About that again the diviner will advise better than you will？
ALCIBIADES： True。
SOCRATES： Whether he be little or great； good or ill…looking； noble or
ignoblemakes no difference。
ALCIBIADES： Certainly not。
SOCRATES： A man is a good adviser about anything； not because he has
riches； but because he has knowledge？
ALCIBIADES： Assuredly。
SOCRATES： Whether their counsellor is rich or poor； is not a matter which
will make any difference to the Athenians when they are deliberating about
the health of the citizens； they only require that he should be a
physician。
ALCIBIADES： Of course。
SOCRATES： Then what will be the subject of deliberation about which you
will be justified in getting up and advising them？
ALCIBIADES： About their own concerns； Socrates。
SOCRATES： You mean about shipbuilding； for example； when the question is
what sort of ships they ought to build？
ALCIBIADES： No； I should not advise them about that。
SOCRATES： I suppose； because you do not understand shipbuilding：is that
the reason？
ALCIBIADES： It is。
SOCRATES： Then about what concerns of theirs will you advise them？
ALCIBIADES： About war； Socrates； or about peace； or about any other
concerns of the state。
SOCRATES： You mean； when they deliberate with whom they ought to make
peace； and with whom they ought to go to war； and in what manner？
ALCIBIADES： Yes。
SOCRATES： And they ought to go to war with those against whom it is better
to go to war？
ALCIBIADES： Yes。
SOCRATES： And when it is better？
ALCIBIADES： Certainly。
SOCRATES： And for as long a time as is better？
ALCIBIADES： Yes。
SOCRATES： But suppose the Athenians to deliberate with whom they ought to
close in wrestling； and whom they should grasp by the hand； would you； or
the master of gymnastics； be a better adviser of them？
ALCIBIADES： Clearly； the master of gymnastics。
SOCRATES： And can you tell me on what grounds the master of gymnastics
would decide； with whom they ought or ought not to close； and when and how？
To take an instance： Would he not say that they should wrestle with those
against whom it is best to wrestle？
ALCIBIADES： Yes。
SOCRATES： And as much as is best？
ALCIBIADES： Certainly。
SOCRATES： And at such times as are best？
ALCIBIADES： Yes。
SOCRATES： Again； you sometimes accompany the lyre with the song and dance？
ALCIBIADES： Yes。
SOCRATES： When it is well to do so？
ALCIBIADES： Yes。
SOCRATES： And as much as is well？
ALCIBIADES： Just so。
SOCRATES： And as you speak of an excellence or art of the best in
wrestling； and of an excellence in playing the lyre； I wish you would tell
me what this latter is；the excellence of wrestling I call gymnastic； and
I want to know what you call the other。