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Section 131

ALCIBIADES. It seems so.

SOCRATES. Therefore whoever knows something of the things belonging to the body, knows the things belonging to himself but not himself.

ALCIBIADES. Thus.

SOCRATES. Therefore none of the doctors knows himself, insofar as he is a doctor, nor any of the trainers, insofar as he is a trainer.

ALCIBIADES. It seems not.

SOCRATES. Therefore farmers and the other craftsmen fall far short of knowing themselves. For these do not even know their own things, as it seems, but things even further away from their own things according to the arts they have; for they know the things belonging to the body, with which it is cared for.

ALCIBIADES. You speak the truth.

SOCRATES. If therefore moderation is knowing oneself, none of these is moderate according to their art.

ALCIBIADES. It does not seem so to me.

SOCRATES. Because of this indeed these arts seem to be vulgar and not the learnings of a good man.

ALCIBIADES. Very much so.

SOCRATES. Again then, whoever cares for a body, cares for his own things but not for himself?

ALCIBIADES. He risks it.

SOCRATES. But whoever cares for money, cares neither for himself nor for his own things, but for things even further away from his own?

ALCIBIADES. It seems so to me.

SOCRATES. Therefore the moneymaker no longer does his own things.

ALCIBIADES. Correct.

SOCRATES. If therefore someone has become a lover of Alcibiades' body, he did not love Alcibiades but something belonging to Alcibiades.

ALCIBIADES. You speak the truth.

SOCRATES. But whoever loves your soul?

ALCIBIADES. It appears necessary from the argument.

SOCRATES. Therefore the one loving your body, since it ceases blooming, goes away departing?

ALCIBIADES. It appears so.

SOCRATES. But the one loving the soul does not depart, as long as it goes toward the better?

ALCIBIADES. Likely so.

SOCRATES. Therefore I am the one who does not depart but remains when the body is ceasing, after the others have departed.

ALCIBIADES. Doing well, Socrates; and may you not depart.

SOCRATES. Be eager then to be as beautiful as possible.

ALCIBIADES. But I shall be eager.

SOCRATES. For thus it stands for you: there neither was, as it seems, a lover for Alcibiades the son of Cleinias nor is there any other than one alone, and this one must be cherished, Socrates the son of Sophroniscus and Phaenarete.

ALCIBIADES. True.

SOCRATES. Did you not say that I narrowly anticipated you in coming to you, since you were about to come to me first, wishing to inquire why I alone do not depart?

ALCIBIADES. For it was so.