§121ΔΗ. ὦ Σώκρατες, ἐδεόμην ἄττα σοι ἰδιολογήσασθαι, εἰ σχολή·
Demodocus: Socrates, I was wanting to speak privately with you on some matters, if you are at leisure; and even if you have some business that is not very great, nevertheless for my sake make some leisure.
κἂν εἰ ἀσχολία δὲ μὴ πάνυ τις μεγάλη, ὅμως ἐμοῦ ἕνεκα ποίησαι σχολήν.
Socrates: Well, I happen to be at leisure in any case, and indeed very much so for your sake.
ΣΩ. ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄλλως τυγχάνω σχολάζων, καὶ δὴ σοῦ γε ἕνεκα καὶ πάνυ. ἀλλʼ εἴ τι βούλει λέγειν, ἔξεστιν.
If you wish to say anything, you may do so.
ΔΗ. βούλει οὖν δεῦρο εἰς τὴν τοῦ Διὸς τοῦ ἐλευθερίου στοὰν ἐκποδὼν ἀποχωρήσωμεν;
Demodocus: Would you like us, then, to withdraw over here out of the way into the Portico of Zeus the Liberator?
ΣΩ. εἰ σοὶ δοκεῖ.
Socrates: If you think best.
ΔΗ. ἴωμεν δή.
Demodocus: Let us go, then.
ὦ Σώκρατες, πάντα τὰ φυτὰ κινδυνεύει τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον ἔχειν, καὶ τὰ ἐκ τῆς γῆς φυόμενα καὶ τὰ ζῷα τά τε ἄλλα καὶ ἅνθρωπος.
Socrates, all growing things seem to have the same nature—both those that grow from the earth and the other animals, including man.
καὶ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς φυτοῖς ῥᾷστον ἡμῖν τοῦτο γίγνεται, ὅσοι τὴν γῆν γεωργοῦμεν, τὸ παρασκευάσασθαι πάντα τὰ πρὸ τοῦ φυτεύειν καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ φυτεῦσαι· ἐπειδὰν δὲ τὸ φυτευθὲν βιῷ, μετὰ τοῦτο θεραπεία τοῦ φύντος καὶ πολλὴ καὶ χαλεπὴ καὶ δύσκολος γίγνεται.
For indeed in the case of plants, this is easiest for us who cultivate the soil: to prepare everything before planting and the planting itself; but when that which is planted comes to life, after this the care of what has grown becomes both great, difficult, and troublesome.
οὕτω δὲ ἔχειν ἔοικε καὶ τὸ περὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων·
And it seems to be the same way also in the case of human beings.
ἀπὸ τῶν ἐμαυτοῦ ἐγὼ πραγμάτων τεκμαίρομαι καὶ ἐς τἆλλα.
I infer from my own affairs to all the rest.
καὶ γὰρ ἐμοὶ ἡ τοῦ ὑέος τουτουΐ, εἴτε φυτείαν εἴτε παιδοποιίαν δεῖ αὐτὴν ὀνομάζειν, πάντων ῥᾴστη γέγονεν, ἡ δὲ τροφὴ δύσκολός τε καὶ ἀεὶ ἐν φόβῳ περὶ αὐτοῦ δεδιότι.
For indeed to me, the planting—or the begetting of a child, whichever one should call it—of this son here was the easiest of all things, but his rearing has been difficult and always in fear, as I am terrified for him.
τὰ μὲν οὖν ἄλλα πολλὰ ἂν εἴη λέγειν, ἡ δὲ νῦν παροῦσα ἐπιθυμία τούτῳ πάνυ με φοβεῖ—ἔστι μὲν γὰρ οὐκ ἀγεννής, σφαλερὰ δέ—ἐπιθυμεῖ γὰρ δὴ οὗτος ἡμῖν, ὦ Σώκρατες, ὥς φησι, σοφὸς γενέσθαι.
Now, while there would be many other things to say, his present desire terrifies me greatly—for it is not ignoble, but dangerous—since this boy of ours, Socrates, as he says, desires to become wise.
δοκῶ γάρ μοι, τῶν ἡλικιωτῶν τινες αὐτοῦ καὶ δημοτῶν, εἰς τὸ ἄστυ καταβαίνοντες, λόγους τινὰς ἀπομνημονεύοντες διαταράττουσιν αὐτόν, οὓς ἐζήλωκεν καὶ πάλαι μοι πράγματα παρέχει, ἀξιῶν ἐπιμεληθῆναί με ἑαυτοῦ καὶ χρήματα τελέσαι τινὶ τῶν σοφιστῶν, ὅστις αὐτὸν σοφὸν ποιήσει.
For it seems to me, some of his equals in age and fellow-demesmen, when they go down to the city, bring back and recall certain discourses that throw him into confusion; these he has envied, and for a long time now he has been giving me trouble, demanding that I take care of him and pay money to some of the sophists who will make him wise.
ἐμοὶ δὲ τῶν μὲν χρημάτων καὶ ἔλαττον μέλει, ἡγοῦμαι δὲ τοῦτον οὐκ εἰς μικρὸν κίνδυνον ἰέναι οἷ σπεύδει.
Now, as for the money, I care less, but I think he is going into no small danger where he is hastening.
§122ΔΗ. τέως μὲν οὖν αὐτὸν κατεῖχον παραμυθούμενος· ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐκέτι οἷός τέ εἰμι, ἡγοῦμαι κράτιστον εἶναι πείθεσθαι αὐτῷ, ἵνα μὴ πολλάκις ἄνευ ἐμοῦ συγγενόμενός τῳ διαφθαρῇ.
Demodocus: Up to now, then, I held him back by consoling him; but since I am no longer able to do so, I think it is best to yield to him, so that he may not perhaps associate with someone without me and be corrupted.
νῦν οὖν ἥκω ἐπʼ αὐτὰ ταῦτα, ἵνα τῳ τούτων τῶν σοφιστῶν δοκούντων εἶναι συστήσω τουτονί.
So now I have come for this very purpose, to introduce him to some of those who are reputed to be sophists.
σὺ οὖν ἡμῖν εἰς καλὸν παρεφάνης, ᾧ ἂν ἐγὼ μάλιστα ἐβουλόμην περὶ τῶν τοιούτων μέλλων πράξειν συμβουλεύσασθαι.
You, therefore, have appeared to us just at the right moment, whom I should most have wished to consult when about to act in such matters.
ἀλλʼ εἴ τι ἔχεις συμβουλεύειν ἐξ ὧν ἐμοῦ ἀκήκοας, ἔξεστί τε καὶ χρή.
But if you have any advice to give from what you have heard from me, you may and indeed should do so.
ΣΩ. ἀλλὰ μὲν δή, ὦ Δημόδοκε, καὶ λέγεταί γε συμβουλὴ ἱερὸν χρῆμα εἶναι.
Socrates: Well indeed, Demodocus, counsel is also said to be a sacred thing.
εἴπερ οὖν καὶ ἄλλη ἡτισοῦν ἐστιν ἱερά, καὶ αὕτη ἂν εἴη περὶ ἧς σὺ νῦν συμβουλεύῃ·
If, therefore, any other counsel whatsoever is sacred, this one also would be, about which you are now consulting.
οὐ γὰρ ἔστι περὶ ὅτου θειοτέρου ἂν ἄνθρωπος βουλεύσαιτο ἢ περὶ παιδείας καὶ αὑτοῦ καὶ τῶν αὑτοῦ οἰκείων.
For there is nothing more divine about which a man could take counsel than about the education of himself and of his own family.
πρῶτον μὲν οὖν ἐγώ τε καὶ σὺ συνομολογήσωμεν τί ποτε οἰόμεθα τοῦτο εἶναι περὶ οὗ βουλευόμεθα· μὴ γὰρ πολλάκις ἐγὼ μὲν ἄλλο τι αὐτὸ ὑπολαμβάνω, σὺ δὲ ἄλλο, κἄπειτα πόρρω που τῆς συνουσίας αἰσθώμεθα γελοῖοι ὄντες, ἐγώ τε ὁ συμβουλεύων καὶ σὺ ὁ συμβουλευόμενος, μηδὲν τῶν αὐτῶν ἡγούμενοι.
First, then, let you and me agree on what we think this is about which we are consulting; lest perhaps I understand it as one thing, and you as another, and then far along in our association we perceive that we are ridiculous, both I who advise and you who are advised, having nothing of the same in mind.
ΔΗ. ἀλλά μοι δοκεῖς ὀρθῶς λέγειν, ὦ Σώκρατες, καὶ ποιεῖν χρὴ οὕτω.
Demodocus: Well, you seem to me to speak correctly, Socrates, and we must do so.
ΣΩ. καὶ λέγω γε ὀρθῶς, οὐ μέντοι παντάπασί γε· σμικρὸν γάρ τι μετατίθεμαι.
Socrates: And indeed I speak correctly, though not altogether so; for I change my mind a little.
ἐννοῶ γὰρ μὴ καὶ ὁ μειρακίσκος οὗτος οὐ τούτου ἐπιθυμεῖ οὗ ἡμεῖς αὐτὸν οἰόμεθα ἐπιθυμεῖν ἀλλʼ ἑτέρου, εἶτʼ αὖ ἡμεῖς ἔτι ἀτοπώτεροι ὦμεν περὶ ἄλλου του βουλευόμενοι.
For I am reflecting lest this young lad does not desire that which we think he desires, but something else, and then we in turn are still more absurd, consulting about something else.
ὀρθότατον οὖν μοι δοκεῖ εἶναι ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ τούτου ἄρχεσθαι, διαπυνθανομένους ὅτι καὶ ἔστιν οὗ ἐπιθυμεῖ.
It seems to me, therefore, most correct to begin from this very point, by inquiring what it is that he desires.
ΔΗ. κινδυνεύει γοῦν οὕτω βέλτιστον εἶναι ὡς σὺ λέγεις.
Demodocus: It certainly seems likely to be best as you say.
ΣΩ. εἰπὲ δή μοι, τί καλὸν ὄνομα τῷ νεανίσκῳ;
Socrates: Tell me then, what is the handsome name of the youth?
τί αὐτὸν προσαγορεύωμεν;
What should we address him?
ΔΗ. Θεάγης ὄνομα τούτῳ, ὦ Σώκρατες.
Demodocus: His name is Theages, Socrates.
ΣΩ. καλόν γε, ὦ Δημόδοκε, τῷ ὑεῖ τὸ ὄνομα ἔθου καὶ ἱεροπρεπές.
Socrates: A handsome and sacredly appropriate name, Demodocus, you have given your son.
εἰπὲ δὴ ἡμῖν, ὦ Θέαγες, ἐπιθυμεῖν φῂς σοφὸς γενέσθαι, καὶ ἀξιοῖς σου τὸν πατέρα τόνδε ἐξευρεῖν ἀνδρός τινος συνουσίαν τοιούτου ὅστις σε σοφὸν ποιήσει;
Tell us now, Theages, do you say you desire to become wise, and do you demand that this father of yours find some associate of such a kind as will make you wise?
ΘΕ. ναί.
Theages: Yes.
ΣΩ. σοφοὺς δὲ καλεῖς πότερον τοὺς ἐπιστήμονας, περὶ ὅτου ἂν ἐπιστήμονες ὦσιν, ἢ τοὺς μή;
Socrates: And do you call those who have knowledge "wise," in whatever they have knowledge, or those who do not?
ΘΕ. τοὺς ἐπιστήμονας ἔγωγε.
Theages: Those who have knowledge, indeed.
ΣΩ. τί οὖν;
Socrates: What then?
οὐκ ἐδιδάξατό σε ὁ πατὴρ καὶ ἐπαίδευσεν ἅπερ ἐνθάδε οἱ ἄλλοι πεπαίδευνται, οἱ τῶν καλῶν κἀγαθῶν πατέρων ὑεῖς, οἷον γράμματά τε καὶ κιθαρίζειν καὶ παλαίειν καὶ τὴν ἄλλην ἀγωνίαν;
Did not your father have you taught and educated in what the others here are educated, the sons of noble and good fathers, such as letters, playing the lyre, wrestling, and the other athletic contests?
ΘΕ. ἐμέ γε.
Theages: Me, indeed.