Section 104

ΣΩ. τὸν δὲ λόγον, ᾧ ὑπερπεφρόνηκας, ἐθέλω διελθεῖν. οὐδενὸς φῂς ἀνθρώπων ἐνδεὴς εἶναι εἰς οὐδέν· τὰ γὰρ ὑπάρχοντά σοι μεγάλα εἶναι, ὥστε μηδενὸς δεῖσθαι, ἀπὸ τοῦ σώματος ἀρξάμενα τελευτῶντα εἰς τὴν ψυχήν. οἴει γὰρ δὴ εἶναι πρῶτον μὲν κάλλιστός τε καὶ μέγιστος—καὶ τοῦτο μὲν δὴ παντὶ δῆλον ἰδεῖν ὅτι οὐ ψεύδῃ—ἔπειτα νεανικωτάτου γένους ἐν τῇ σεαυτοῦ ἐνταῦθα πρὸς πατρός τέ σοι φίλους καὶ συγγενεῖς πλείστους εἶναι καὶ ἀρίστους, οἳ εἴ τι δέοι ὑπηρετοῖεν ἄν σοι, τούτων δὲ τοὺς πρὸς μητρὸς οὐδὲν χείρους οὐδʼ ἐλάττους. συμπάντων δὲ ὧν εἶπον μείζω οἴει σοι δύναμιν ὑπάρχειν Περικλέα τὸν Ξανθίππου, ὃν ὁ πατὴρ ἐπίτροπον κατέλιπε σοί τε καὶ τῷ ἀδελφῷ· ὃς οὐ μόνον ἐν τῇδε τῇ πόλει δύναται πράττειν ὅτι ἂν βούληται, ἀλλʼ ἐν πάσῃ τῇ Ἑλλάδι καὶ τῶν βαρβάρων ἐν πολλοῖς καὶ μεγάλοις γένεσιν. προσθήσω δὲ καὶ ὅτι τῶν πλουσίων· δοκεῖς δέ μοι ἐπὶ τούτῳ ἥκιστα μέγα φρονεῖν. κατὰ πάντα δὴ ταῦτα σύ τε μεγαλαυχούμενος κεκράτηκας τῶν ἐραστῶν ἐκεῖνοί τε ὑποδεέστεροι ὄντες ἐκρατήθησαν, καί σε ταῦτʼ οὐ λέληθεν· ὅθεν δὴ εὖ οἶδα ὅτι θαυμάζεις τί διανοούμενός ποτε οὐκ ἀπαλλάττομαι τοῦ ἔρωτος, καὶ ἥντινʼ ἔχων ἐλπίδα ὑπομένω τῶν ἄλλων πεφευγότων.

ΑΛ. καὶ ἴσως γε, ὦ Σώκρατες, οὐκ οἶσθʼ ὅτι σμικρόν με ἔφθης. ἐγὼ γάρ τοι ἐν νῷ εἶχον πρότερός σοι προσελθὼν αὐτὰ ταῦτʼ ἐρέσθαι, τί ποτε βούλει καὶ εἰς τίνα ἐλπίδα βλέπων ἐνοχλεῖς με, ἀεὶ ὅπου ἂν ὦ ἐπιμελέστατα παρών· τῷ ὄντι γὰρ θαυμάζω ὅτι ποτʼ ἐστὶ τὸ σὸν πρᾶγμα, καὶ ἥδιστʼ ἂν πυθοίμην.

ΣΩ. ἀκούσῃ μὲν ἄρα μου, ὡς τὸ εἰκός, προθύμως, εἴπερ, ὡς φῄς, ἐπιθυμεῖς εἰδέναι τί διανοοῦμαι, καὶ ὡς ἀκουσομένῳ καὶ περιμενοῦντι λέγω.

ΑΛ. πάνυ μὲν οὖν· ἀλλὰ λέγε.

ΣΩ. ὅρα δή· οὐ γάρ τοι εἴη ἂν θαυμαστὸν εἰ, ὥσπερ μόγις ἠρξάμην, οὕτω μόγις καὶ παυσαίμην.

ΑΛ. ὠγαθὲ λέγε· ἀκούσομαι γάρ.

Section 104

Socrates. I want to go through the reason by which you have come to think so highly of yourself. You say that you are in need of no human being for anything; for what belongs to you is so great that you need no one, beginning with your body and ending with your soul. You think, first, that you are the fairest and tallest, and indeed it is clear for anyone to see that in this you are not lying; next, that you are of one of the most distinguished families in your city here; that on your father's side you have very many and excellent friends and kinsmen, who would serve you if you needed anything, and that those on your mother's side are no worse or fewer. But greater than all the things I have mentioned, you think, is the power you possess in Pericles son of Xanthippus, whom your father left as guardian over you and your brother. He is able to do whatever he wishes not only in this city, but in all Greece, and among many great peoples of the barbarians. I will add, too, that you are among the rich; but you seem to me to pride yourself least on that. Boasting of all these things, you have prevailed over your lovers, and they, being inferior, were overcome; and this has not escaped you. From this I know well that you wonder what I can possibly be thinking, that I do not depart from my love, and what hope I have that makes me remain when the others have fled.

Alcibiades. And perhaps, Socrates, you do not know that you only just forestalled me. For I had it in mind to come to you first and ask you these very things: what you want, and looking toward what hope you bother me, always most carefully present wherever I may be. For in truth I wonder what this business of yours is, and I would very gladly learn it.

Socrates. Then you will listen to me eagerly, as is likely, if indeed, as you say, you desire to know what I have in mind; and I speak as to someone who will listen and wait.

Alcibiades. Certainly; but speak.

Socrates. Look then; for it would not be surprising if, just as I began with difficulty, so I should also stop with difficulty.

Alcibiades. My good man, speak; for I shall listen.