§123ΣΩ. ἔτι οὖν οἴει τινὸς ἐπιστήμης ἐλλείπειν, ἧς προσήκει ὑπὲρ σοῦ τὸν πατέρα ἐπιμεληθῆναι;
Socrates: Do you think, then, that you are still lacking in some knowledge, which it is appropriate for your father to take care of for you?
ΘΕ. ἔγωγε.
Theages: I do, indeed.
ΣΩ. τίς ἐστιν αὕτη;
Socrates: What is this?
εἰπὲ καὶ ἡμῖν, ἵνα σοι χαρισώμεθα.
Tell us too, so that we may gratify you.
ΘΕ. οἶδεν καὶ οὗτος, ὦ Σώκρατες—ἐπεὶ πολλάκις ἐγὼ αὐτῷ εἴρηκα—ἀλλὰ ταῦτα ἐξεπίτηδες πρὸς σὲ λέγει, ὡς δὴ οὐκ εἰδὼς οὗ ἐγὼ ἐπιθυμῶ· τοιαῦτα γὰρ ἕτερα καὶ πρὸς ἐμὲ μάχεταί τε καὶ οὐκ ἐθέλει με οὐδενὶ συστῆσαι.
Theages: This man knows too, Socrates—since I have told him many times—but he says these things to you on purpose, as if indeed he did not know what I desire; for he fights with me on other such occasions and refuses to introduce me to anyone.
ΣΩ. ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν ἔμπροσθέν σοι ἦν πρὸς τοῦτον ῥηθέντα ὥσπερ ἄνευ μαρτύρων λεγόμενα· νυνὶ δὲ ἐμὲ ποίησαι μάρτυρα, καὶ ἐναντίον ἐμοῦ κάτειπε τίς ἐστιν αὕτη ἡ σοφία ἧς ἐπιθυμεῖς.
Socrates: But what was previously said by you to him was spoken as if without witnesses; now, however, make me a witness, and declare in my presence what this wisdom is that you desire.
φέρε γάρ, εἰ ἐπεθύμεις ταύτης ᾗ οἱ ἄνθρωποι τὰ πλοῖα κυβερνῶσιν, καὶ ἐγώ σε ἐτύγχανον ἀνερωτῶν· ὦ Θέαγες, τίνος ἐνδεὴς ὢν σοφίας μέμφῃ τῷ πατρὶ ὅτι οὐκ ἐθέλει σε συνιστάναι παρʼ ὧν ἂν σὺ σοφὸς γένοιο;
For tell me, if you desired that wisdom by which men steer ships, and I happened to ask you: "Theages, lacking what wisdom do you blame your father because he refuses to introduce you to those from whom you might become wise?" What would you answer me?
τί ἄν μοι ἀπεκρίνω;
What would you say it is?
τίνα αὐτὴν εἶναι; ἆρα οὐ κυβερνητικήν;
Would it not be the art of steering?
ΘΕ. ναί.
Theages: Yes.
ΣΩ. εἰ δὲ ἐπιθυμῶν ταύτην τὴν σοφίαν εἶναι σοφὸς ᾗ τὰ ἅρματα κυβερνῶσιν εἶτʼ ἐμέμφου τῷ πατρί, ἐμοῦ αὖ ἐρωτῶντος τίς ἐστιν αὕτη ἡ σοφία, τίνα ἂν ἀπεκρίνω αὐτὴν εἶναι;
Socrates: And if you, desiring to be wise in that wisdom by which they drive chariots, then blamed your father, and I in turn asked what this wisdom is, what would you answer that it is?
ἆρʼ οὐχὶ ἡνιοχικήν;
Would it not be the art of charioteering?
ΘΕ. ναί.
Theages: Yes.
ΣΩ. ἧς δὲ δὴ νῦν τυγχάνεις ἐπιθυμῶν, πότερον ἀνώνυμός τίς ἐστιν ἢ ἔχει ὄνομα;
Socrates: But as for the wisdom you now happen to desire, is it some nameless one, or does it have a name?
ΘΕ. οἶμαι ἔγωγε ἔχειν.
Theages: I think, for my part, that it has one.
ΣΩ. πότερον οὖν αὐτὴν μὲν οἶσθα, οὐ μέντοι τό γε ὄνομα, ἢ καὶ τὸ ὄνομα;
Socrates: Do you, then, know the wisdom itself, but not the name, or do you also know the name?
ΘΕ. καὶ τὸ ὄνομα ἔγωγε.
Theages: I also know the name.
ΣΩ. τί οὖν ἔστιν;
Socrates: What is it, then?
εἰπέ.
Tell us.
ΘΕ. τί δὲ ἄλλο, ὦ Σώκρατες, αὐτῇ ὄνομά τις φαίη ἂν εἶναι ἀλλʼ ἢ σοφίαν;
Theages: What other name, Socrates, could anyone say it has but "wisdom"?
ΣΩ. οὐκοῦν καὶ ἡ ἡνιοχεία σοφία ἐστίν;
Socrates: Is not charioteering also a wisdom?
ἢ ἀμαθία δοκεῖ σοι εἶναι;
Or does it seem to you to be ignorance?
ΘΕ. οὐκ ἔμοιγε.
Theages: Not to me, indeed.
ΣΩ. ἀλλὰ σοφία;
Socrates: But a wisdom?
ΘΕ. ναί.
Theages: Yes.
ΣΩ. ἧι τί χρώμεθα;
Socrates: By which we do what?
οὐχ ᾗ ἵππων ἐπιστάμεθα ζεύγους ἄρχειν;
Is it not that by which we know how to rule a team of horses?
ΘΕ. ναί.
Theages: Yes.
ΣΩ. οὐκοῦν καὶ ἡ κυβερνητικὴ σοφία ἐστίν;
Socrates: Is not steering also a wisdom?
ΘΕ. ἔμοιγε δοκεῖ.
Theages: It seems so to me.
ΣΩ. ἆρʼ οὐχ αὕτη ᾗ πλοίων ἐπιστάμεθα ἄρχειν;
Socrates: Is it not this by which we know how to rule ships?
ΘΕ. αὕτη μὲν οὖν.
Theages: Exactly so.
ΣΩ. ἧς δὲ δὴ σὺ ἐπιθυμεῖς ἡ σοφία τίς ἐστιν;
Socrates: But what is the wisdom of which you desire?
ᾗ τίνος ἐπιστάμεθα ἄρχειν;
By which we know how to rule what?
ΘΕ. ἐμοὶ μὲν δοκεῖ, ᾗ τῶν ἀνθρώπων.
Theages: It seems to me, that by which we rule human beings.
ΣΩ. μῶν ᾗ τῶν καμνόντων;
Socrates: Surely not those who are sick?
ΘΕ. οὐ δῆτα.
Theages: Certainly not.
ΣΩ. ἰατρικὴ γὰρ αὕτη ἐστίν· ἦ γάρ;
Socrates: For that is medicine, is it not?
ΘΕ. ναί.
Theages: Yes.
ΣΩ. ἀλλʼ ᾗ τῶν ᾀδόντων ἐπιστάμεθα ἐν τοῖς χοροῖς ἄρχειν;
Socrates: But that by which we know how to rule those who sing in choruses?
ΘΕ. οὔ.
Theages: No.
ΣΩ. μουσικὴ γὰρ αὕτη γε;
Socrates: For that is music, indeed?
ΘΕ. πάνυ γε.
Theages: Quite so.
ΣΩ. ἀλλʼ ᾗ τῶν γυμναζομένων ἐπιστάμεθα ἄρχειν;
Socrates: But that by which we know how to rule those who perform gymnastics?
ΘΕ. οὔ.
Theages: No.
ΣΩ. γυμναστικὴ γὰρ αὕτη γε;
Socrates: For that is gymnastics, indeed?
ΘΕ. ναί.
Theages: Yes.
ΣΩ. ἀλλʼ ᾗ τῶν τί ποιούντων;
Socrates: But those who are doing what?
προθυμοῦ εἰπεῖν ὥσπερ ἐγὼ σοὶ τὰ ἔμπροσθεν.
Be eager to tell us, just as I did for you before.