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Section 410

CLEITOPHON. When indeed we were here in the argument being at a loss, those present were sufficient to rebuke him and to say that the argument had run around into the same thing as the first things, and they said that Also medicine is a certain agreement and all the arts, and they are able to say concerning what they are; but the justice or agreement called by you, where it is tending, has escaped, and what on earth its work is is unclear. Finally, Socrates, I was asking you yourself these things, and you told me that it belongs to justice to harm enemies, but to do well to friends. But later it appeared that the just man never harms anyone; for he does all things for the benefit of all. I have endured these things not once nor twice but for a long time and persevering I have given up, considering that you do most beautifully of men in exhorting to the care of virtue, but of two things one, either you are able only this much, but nothing further, which would happen also concerning any other art whatsoever, such as someone not being a pilot practicing the praise concerning it, how much it is worth to men, and concerning the other arts in the same way; someone might perhaps bring this same thing against you also concerning justice, that you are not more a knower of justice, because you beautifully praise it. Yet my own opinion is not thus; but of two things one, either you do not know or you do not wish to share it with me. Because of these things indeed I think I will proceed also to Thrasymachus and elsewhere wherever I can, being at a loss; since if indeed you are willing to cease from these exhorting arguments toward me now, but as, if I had been exhorted concerning gymnastics that one must not neglect the body, you would say what follows the exhorting argument such as what sort of care my body being by nature requires, let this same thing happen also now. Put Cleitophon agreeing that it is ridiculous to make care of other things, but of the soul, for the sake of which we labor through the other things, to have neglected this; and think that I have now said all the other things thus which are next to these, which also just now I went through. And begging you I say to do in no other way, so that I may not, just as now, praise you in some things to Lysias and to the others, but in some things also blame you. For I will say, Socrates, that to a man not yet exhorted you are worth everything, but to one exhorted almost even an impediment to becoming happy having come to the end of virtue.