§211κατιδὼν οὖν αὐτὸν ἀγωνιῶντα καὶ τεθορυβημένον ὑπὸ τῶν λεγομένων, ἀνεμνήσθην ὅτι καὶ προσεστὼς λανθάνειν τὸν λύσιν ἐβούλετο·
Now when I saw him anxious and flustered by what was being said, I remembered that, though standing near, he wished to escape Lysis's notice.
ἀνέλαβον οὖν ἐμαυτὸν καὶ ἐπέσχον τοῦ λόγου.
So I collected myself and held my tongue.
καὶ ἐν τούτῳ ὁ Μενέξενος πάλιν ἧκεν, καὶ ἐκαθέζετο παρὰ τὸν λύσιν, ὅθεν καὶ ἐξανέστη.
And in the meantime Menexenus came back and sat down beside Lysis, from where he had got up.
ὁ οὖν Λύσις μάλα παιδικῶς καὶ φιλικῶς, λάθρᾳ τοῦ Μενεξένου, σμικρὸν πρός με λέγων ἔφη· ὦ Σώκρατες, ἅπερ καὶ ἐμοὶ λέγεις, εἰπὲ καὶ Μενεξένῳ. καὶ ἐγὼ εἶπον, ταῦτα μὲν σὺ αὐτῷ ἐρεῖς, ὦ Λύσι· πάντως γὰρ προσεῖχες τὸν νοῦν.
Then Lysis, in a very boyish and friendly way, without Menexenus noticing, spoke to me in a low voice: "Socrates, say also to Menexenus the very things you are saying to me." And I said, "You shall tell him these things yourself, Lysis; for you were certainly paying close attention." "Very much so," he said.
πάνυ μὲν οὖν,
ἔφη. πειρῶ τοίνυν, ἦν δʼ ἐγώ, ἀπομνημονεῦσαι αὐτὰ ὅτι μάλιστα, ἵνα τούτῳ σαφῶς πάντα εἴπῃς· ἐὰν δέ τι αὐτῶν ἐπιλάθῃ, αὖθίς με ἀνερέσθαι ὅταν ἐντύχῃς πρῶτον. ἀλλὰ ποιήσω,
ἔφη,
ταῦτα, ὦ Σώκρατες, πάνυ σφόδρα, εὖ ἴσθι.
"Try then," I said, "to remember them as much as possible, so that you may tell him everything clearly; and if you forget any of them, ask me again when you first meet me." "Indeed I will do that, Socrates," he said, "very much so, you may be sure.
ἀλλά τι ἄλλο αὐτῷ λέγε, ἵνα καὶ ἐγὼ ἀκούω, ἕως ἂν οἴκαδε ὥρα ᾖ ἀπιέναι. ἀλλὰ χρὴ ποιεῖν ταῦτα, ἦν δʼ ἐγώ, ἐπειδή γε καὶ σὺ κελεύεις.
But tell him something else, so that I too may hear, until it is time to go home." "Well, I must do so," I said, "since indeed you bid me.
ἀλλὰ ὅρα ὅπως ἐπικουρήσεις μοι, ἐάν με ἐλέγχειν ἐπιχειρῇ ὁ Μενέξενος· ἢ οὐκ οἶσθα ὅτι ἐριστικός ἐστιν; ναὶ μὰ Δία,
ἔφη,
σφόδρα γε· διὰ ταῦτά τοι καὶ βούλομαί σε αὐτῷ διαλέγεσθαι. ἵνα, ἦν δʼ ἐγώ, καταγέλαστος γένωμαι; οὐ μὰ Δία,
ἔφη,
ἀλλʼ ἵνα αὐτὸν κολάσῃς. πόθεν; ἦν δʼ ἐγώ.
But see to it that you come to my aid if Menexenus tries to refute me; or do you not know that he is disputatious?" "Yes, by Zeus," he said, "very much so; that is why indeed I want you to talk with him." "So that," I said, "I may be made a laughing-stock?" "No, by Zeus," he said, "but so that you may chastise him." "How can I?" I said.
οὐ ῥᾴδιον· δεινὸς γὰρ ὁ ἄνθρωπος, Κτησίππου μαθητής.
"It is not easy; for the man is formidable, a disciple of Ctesippus.
πάρεστι δέ τοι αὐτός—οὐχ ὁρᾷς; — Κτήσιππος. μηδενός σοι,
ἔφη,
μελέτω, ὦ Σώκρατες, ἀλλʼ ἴθι διαλέγου αὐτῷ. διαλεκτέον, ἦν δʼ ἐγώ.
And there is Ctesippus himself present—don't you see him?" "Do not mind anyone, Socrates," he said, "but go on and talk with him." "I must talk with him," I said.
ταῦτα οὖν ἡμῶν λεγόντων πρὸς ἡμᾶς αὐτούς,
τί ὑμεῖς,
ἔφη ὁ Κτήσιππος,
αὐτὼ μόνω ἑστιᾶσθον, ἡμῖν δὲ οὐ μεταδίδοτον τῶν λόγων; ἀλλὰ μήν, ἦν δʼ ἐγώ, μεταδοτέον.
While we were saying these things to ourselves, "Why," said Ctesippus, "do you two feast alone by yourselves, and do not share the talk with us?" "But indeed," I said, "we must share.
ὅδε γάρ τι ὧν λέγω οὐ μανθάνει, ἀλλά φησιν οἴεσθαι Μενέξενον εἰδέναι, καὶ κελεύει τοῦτον ἐρωτᾶν. τί οὖν,
ἦ δʼ ὅς,
οὐκ ἐρωτᾷς; ἀλλʼ ἐρήσομαι, ἦν δʼ ἐγώ.
For this boy does not understand some of the things I say, but says he thinks Menexenus knows them, and bids me ask him." "Why then," he said, "do you not ask?" "Indeed I will ask," I said.
καί μοι εἰπέ, ὦ Μενέξενε, ὃ ἄν σε ἔρωμαι.
"And tell me, Menexenus, whatever I may ask you.
τυγχάνω γὰρ ἐκ παιδὸς ἐπιθυμῶν κτήματός του, ὥσπερ ἄλλος ἄλλου.
For I happen from childhood to have a desire for a certain possession, just as another has for another thing.
ὁ μὲν γάρ τις ἵππους ἐπιθυμεῖ κτᾶσθαι, ὁ δὲ κύνας, ὁ δὲ χρυσίον, ὁ δὲ τιμάς· ἐγὼ δὲ πρὸς μὲν ταῦτα πρᾴως ἔχω, πρὸς δὲ τὴν τῶν φίλων κτῆσιν πάνυ ἐρωτικῶς, καὶ βουλοίμην ἄν μοι φίλον ἀγαθὸν γενέσθαι μᾶλλον ἢ τὸν ἄριστον ἐν ἀνθρώποις ὄρτυγα ἢ ἀλεκτρυόνα, καὶ ναὶ μὰ Δία ἔγωγε μᾶλλον ἢ ἵππον τε καὶ κύνα—οἶμαι δέ, νὴ τὸν κύνα, μᾶλλον ἢ τὸ Δαρείου χρυσίον κτήσασθαι δεξαίμην πολὺ πρότερον ἑταῖρον, μᾶλλον δὲ ἢ αὐτὸν Δαρεῖον—οὕτως ἐγὼ φιλέταιρός τίς εἰμι.
For one desires to possess horses, another dogs, another gold, and another honors; but I am indifferent towards these things, yet towards the possession of friends I am very passionate, and I would wish a good friend to be mine rather than the best quail or cock among men, and yes, by Zeus, I indeed would rather than a horse or a dog—and I think, by the dog, I would choose to acquire a companion far sooner than the gold of Darius, and indeed rather than Darius himself—so friendly to companions am I."