§294ΣΩ. πάντʼ ἄρα, ἔφην ἐγώ, ἐπίστασθον, ἐπειδήπερ καὶ ὁτιοῦν; πάντʼ,
ἔφη· καὶ σύ γε πρός, εἴπερ καὶ ἓν ἐπίστασαι, πάντα ἐπίστασαι.
SOCRATES: "'Therefore,' I said, 'do you two know all things, since you know indeed anything whatsoever?' 'All things,' he said, 'and you as well moreover, if indeed you know even one thing, you know all things.' 'O Zeus,' I said, 'what a wonderful thing you say and how great a good has been revealed!
ὦ Ζεῦ, ἔφην ἐγώ, ὡς θαυμαστὸν λέγεις καὶ ἀγαθὸν μέγα πεφάνθαι. μῶν καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι πάντες ἄνθρωποι πάντʼ ἐπίστανται, ἢ οὐδέν; οὐ γὰρ δήπου,
ἔφη,
τὰ μὲν ἐπίστανται, τὰ δʼ οὐκ ἐπίστανται, καὶ εἰσὶν ἅμα ἐπιστήμονές τε καὶ ἀνεπιστήμονες. ἀλλὰ τί; ἦν δʼ ἐγώ.
Do all other men too know all things, or nothing?' 'Surely not,' he said, 'that they know some things and do not know others, and are at the same time both knowing and not knowing.' 'But how then?' I said.
πάντες,
ἦ δʼ ὅς,
πάντα ἐπίστανται, εἴπερ καὶ ἕν. ὦ πρὸς τῶν θεῶν, ἦν δʼ ἐγώ, ὦ Διονυσόδωρε—δῆλοι γάρ μοί ἐστον ἤδη ὅτι σπουδάζετον, καὶ μόλις ὑμᾶς προυκαλεσάμην σπουδάζειν—αὐτὼ τῷ ὄντι πάντα ἐπίστασθον;
'All men,' he said, 'know all things, if indeed they know even one thing.' 'O by the gods,' I said, 'Dionysodorus—for it is already clear to me that you two are serious, and I have with difficulty provoked you to be serious—do you two in truth know all things?
οἷον τεκτονικὴν καὶ σκυτικήν; πάνυ γʼ,
ἔφη.
For instance, carpentry and shoe-making?' 'Certainly,' he said.
ἦ καὶ νευρορραφεῖν δυνατώ ἐστον; καὶ ναὶ μὰ Δία καττύειν,
ἔφη.
'And are you two able to sew tendons too?' 'Yes indeed, by Zeus, and to cobble too,' he said.
ἦ καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα, τοὺς ἀστέρας ὁπόσοι εἰσί, καὶ τὴν ἄμμον; πάνυ γε,
ἦ δʼ ὅς· εἶτʼ οὐκ ἂν οἴει ὁμολογῆσαι ἡμᾶς; καὶ ὁ Κτήσιππος ὑπολαβών· πρὸς Διός,
ἔφη,
Διονυσόδωρε, τεκμήριόν τί μοι τούτων ἐπιδείξατον τοιόνδε, ᾧ εἴσομαι ὅτι ἀληθῆ λέγετον. τί ἐπιδείξω; ἔφη.
'And such things as how many the stars are, and the sand?' 'Certainly,' he said, 'for do you not think we would admit it?' And Ctesippus, taking him up, said, 'By Zeus, Dionysodorus, display to me some such proof of these things, by which I shall know that you two speak the truth.' 'What shall I display?' he said.
οἶσθα Εὐθύδημον ὁπόσους ὀδόντας ἔχει, καὶ ὁ Εὐθύδημος ὁπόσους σύ; οὐκ ἐξαρκεῖ σοι,
ἔφη,
ἀκοῦσαι ὅτι πάντα ἐπιστάμεθα; μηδαμῶς,
ἦ δʼ ὅς,
ἀλλὰ τοῦτο ἔτι ἡμῖν μόνον εἴπατον καὶ ἐπιδείξατον ὅτι ἀληθῆ λέγετον·
'Do you know how many teeth Euthydemus has, and does Euthydemus know how many you have?' 'Is it not enough for you,' he said, 'to hear that we know all things?' 'Not at all,' he said, 'but tell us and display to us this one thing more, that you speak the truth.
καὶ ἐὰν εἴπητον ὁπόσους ἑκάτερος ἔχει ὑμῶν, καὶ φαίνησθε γνόντες ἡμῶν ἀριθμησάντων, ἤδη πεισόμεθα ὑμῖν καὶ τἆλλα. ἡγουμένω οὖν σκώπτεσθαι οὐκ ἠθελέτην, ἀλλʼ ὡμολογησάτην πάντα χρήματα ἐπίστασθαι, καθʼ ἓν ἕκαστον ἐρωτώμενοι ὑπὸ Κτησίππου.
And if you say how many each of you has, and you appear to know when we have counted them, then we shall already believe you in the other things as well.' Since they thought they were being mocked, they were unwilling, but they agreed that they knew all matters, being asked about each single thing by Ctesippus.
ὁ γὰρ Κτήσιππος πάνυ ἀπαρακαλύπτως οὐδὲν ὅτι οὐκ ἠρώτα τελευτῶν, καὶ τὰ αἴσχιστα, εἰ ἐπισταίσθην·
For in the end, Ctesippus asked absolutely without concealment about everything whatsoever, even the most shameful things, whether they knew them.
τὼ δὲ ἀνδρειότατα ὁμόσε ᾔτην τοῖς ἐρωτήμασιν, ὁμολογοῦντες εἰδέναι, ὥσπερ οἱ κάπροι οἱ πρὸς τὴν πληγὴν ὁμόσε ὠθούμενοι, ὥστʼ ἔγωγε καὶ αὐτός, ὦ Κρίτων, ὑπʼ ἀπιστίας ἠναγκάσθην τελευτῶν ἐρέσθαι εἰ καὶ ὀρχεῖσθαι ἐπίσταιτο ὁ Διονυσόδωρος·
And the two went most bravely to meet the questions, agreeing that they knew, just like wild boars pushing themselves to meet the blow; so that I myself too, Crito, was forced in the end out of disbelief to ask if Dionysodorus also knew how to dance.
ὁ δέ,
πάνυ,
ἔφη. οὐ δήπου, ἦν δʼ ἐγώ, καὶ ἐς μαχαίρας γε κυβιστᾶν καὶ ἐπὶ τροχοῦ δινεῖσθαι τηλικοῦτος ὤν, οὕτω πόρρω σοφίας ἥκεις;
And he said, 'Certainly.' 'Surely not,' I said, 'to tumble even onto swords and to spin on a wheel, being of such an age?
οὐδέν,
ἔφη,
ὅτι οὔ. πότερον δέ, ἦν δʼ ἐγώ, πάντα νῦν μόνον ἐπίστασθον ἢ καὶ ἀεί; καὶ ἀεί,
ἔφη.
Have you reached such a point of wisdom?' 'There is nothing,' he said, 'that I do not.' 'And,' I said, 'do you know all things only now, or also always?' 'Also always,' he said.
καὶ ὅτε παιδία ἤστην καὶ εὐθὺς γενόμενοι ἠπίστασθε πάντα; ἐφάτην ἅμα ἀμφοτέρω.
'And when you two were children, and immediately when you were born, did you know all things?' They both said 'Yes' at the same time.
§295ΣΩ. καὶ ἡμῖν μὲν ἄπιστον ἐδόκει τὸ πρᾶγμα εἶναι· ὁ δʼ Εὐθύδημος,
ἀπιστεῖς,
ἔφη,
ὦ Σώκρατες; πλήν γʼ ὅτι, ἦν δʼ ἐγώ, εἰκὸς ὑμᾶς ἐστι σοφοὺς εἶναι. ἀλλʼ ἤν,
ἔφη,
ἐθελήσῃς μοι ἀποκρίνεσθαι, ἐγὼ ἐπιδείξω καὶ σὲ ταῦτα τὰ θαυμαστὰ ὁμολογοῦντα. ἀλλὰ μήν, ἦν δʼ ἐγώ, ἥδιστα ταῦτα ἐξελέγχομαι.
SOCRATES: And to us indeed the matter seemed to be incredible; but Euthydemus said, 'Do you disbelieve, Socrates?' 'Except,' I said, 'that it is likely that you are wise.' 'But if,' he said, 'you are willing to answer me, I shall display that you too agree to these wonderful things.' 'But indeed,' I said, 'most gladly should I be refuted in this.
εἰ γάρ τοι λέληθα ἐμαυτὸν σοφὸς ὤν, σὺ δὲ τοῦτο ἐπιδείξεις ὡς πάντα ἐπίσταμαι καὶ ἀεί, τί μεῖζον ἕρμαιον αὐτοῦ ἂν εὕροιμι ἐν παντὶ τῷ βίῳ; ἀποκρίνου δή,
ἔφη.
For if indeed I have been wise without knowing it, and you will display this, that I know all things and always, what greater windfall than this could I find in my whole life?' 'Answer then,' he said.
ὡς ἀποκρινουμένου ἐρώτα. ἆρʼ οὖν,
ἔφη,
ὦ Σώκρατες, ἐπιστήμων του εἶ ἢ οὔ; —ἔγωγε. —
πότερον οὖν ᾧ ἐπιστήμων εἶ, τούτῳ καὶ ἐπίστασαι, ἢ ἄλλῳ τῳ; —ὧι ἐπιστήμων.
'Ask, on the assumption that I will answer.' 'Are you then, Socrates,' he said, 'knowing of something, or not?' —'I am.'— 'Do you then know by that by which you are knowing, or by something else?' —'By that by which I am knowing.
οἶμαι γάρ σε τὴν ψυχὴν λέγειν· ἢ οὐ τοῦτο λέγεις; οὐκ αἰσχύνῃ,
ἔφη,
ὦ Σώκρατες; ἐρωτώμενος ἀντερωτᾷς; εἶεν, ἦν δʼ ἐγώ·
For I think you mean the soul; or do you not mean this?'— 'Are you not ashamed, Socrates,' he said, 'to ask a question in return when you are being questioned?' 'Very well,' I said, 'but what am I to do?
ἀλλὰ πῶς ποιῶ; οὕτω γὰρ ποιήσω ὅπως ἂν σὺ κελεύῃς.
For I shall do just as you bid.
ὅταν μὴ εἰδῶ ὅτι ἐρωτᾷς, κελεύεις με ὅμως ἀποκρίνεσθαι, ἀλλὰ μὴ ἐπανερέσθαι; ὑπολαμβάνεις γὰρ δήπου τι,
ἔφη,
ὃ λέγω; ἔγωγε, ἦν δʼ ἐγώ.
When I do not know what you are asking, do you nevertheless bid me to answer, and not to ask in return?' 'For you assume something, I suppose,' he said, 'of what I say?' 'I do,' I said.
πρὸς τοῦτο τοίνυν ἀποκρίνου ὃ ὑπολαμβάνεις. τί οὖν, ἔφην, ἂν σὺ μὲν ἄλλῃ ἐρωτᾷς διανοούμενος, ἐγὼ δὲ ἄλλῃ ὑπολάβω, ἔπειτα πρὸς τοῦτο ἀποκρίνωμαι, ἐξαρκεῖ σοι ἐὰν μηδὲν πρὸς ἔπος ἀποκρίνωμαι; ἔμοιγε,
ἦ δʼ ὅς· οὐ μέντοι σοί γε, ὡς ἐγᾦμαι. οὐ τοίνυν μὰ Δία ἀποκρινοῦμαι, ἦν δʼ ἐγώ, πρότερον πρὶν ἂν πύθωμαι. οὐκ ἀποκρινῇ,
ἔφη,
πρὸς ἃ ἂν ἀεὶ ὑπολαμβάνῃς, ὅτι ἔχων φλυαρεῖς καὶ ἀρχαιότερος εἶ τοῦ δέοντος. κἀγὼ ἔγνων αὐτὸν ὅτι μοι χαλεπαίνοι διαστέλλοντι τὰ λεγόμενα, βουλόμενός με θηρεῦσαι τὰ ὀνόματα περιστήσας.
'To this then, answer what you assume.' 'What then,' I said, 'if you ask with one intention, and I assume with another, and then I answer to this, is it enough for you if I answer nothing to the purpose?' 'For me, indeed,' he said, 'but not for you, I think.' 'Then by Zeus, I shall not answer,' I said, 'before I have found out.' 'Will you not answer,' he said, 'to whatever you may assume from time to time, because you keep talking nonsense and are more old-fashioned than you ought to be?' And I realized that he was angry with me for distinguishing the things said, wishing to hunt me down by surrounding me with words.
ἀνεμνήσθην οὖν τοῦ Κόννου, ὅτι μοι κἀκεῖνος χαλεπαίνει ἑκάστοτε ὅταν αὐτῷ μὴ ὑπείκω, ἔπειτά μου ἧττον ἐπιμελεῖται ὡς ἀμαθοῦς ὄντος·
So I remembered Connus, that he too is angry with me every time I do not yield to him, and then cares less for me, as being ignorant.
ἐπεὶ δὲ οὖν διενενοήμην καὶ παρὰ τοῦτον φοιτᾶν, ᾠήθην δεῖν ὑπείκειν, μή με σκαιὸν ἡγησάμενος φοιτητὴν μὴ προσδέχοιτο.
And since I had intended to attend this man's school too, I thought I ought to yield, lest he should think me a clumsy pupil and not admit me.
εἶπον οὖν· ἀλλʼ εἰ δοκεῖ σοι, Εὐθύδημε, οὕτω ποιεῖν, ποιητέον· σὺ γὰρ πάντως που κάλλιον ἐπίστασαι διαλέγεσθαι ἢ ἐγώ, τέχνην ἔχων ἰδιώτου ἀνθρώπου. ἐρώτα οὖν πάλιν ἐξ ἀρχῆς.
So I said: 'Well, if it seems best to you, Euthydemus, to do so, it must be done; for you certainly know how to dispute much more beautifully than I, who possess only the art of a private man.
ἀποκρίνου δή,
ἔφη,
πάλιν, πότερον ἐπίστασαί τῳ ἃ ἐπίστασαι, ἢ οὔ; —ἔγωγε, ἔφην, τῇ γε ψυχῇ.
So ask again from the beginning.' 'Answer then,' he said, 'again, whether you know what you know by something, or not?' —'I do,' I said, 'by the soul at least.'