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which； for the sake of convenience； I have attached to the first
sentence of Bk。 II。 ch。 i。 ＇｛edokei de moi 。 。 。 ponou。｝＇ I believe that
the commentators are right in bracketing both one and the other as
editorial interpolations。
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The Memorabilia
BOOK II
I
Now； if the effect of such discourses was； as I imagine； to deter his
hearers from the paths of quackery and false…seeming；＇1＇ so I am sure that
language like the following was calculated to stimulate his followers to
practise self…control and endurance： self…control in the matters of eating；
drinking； sleeping； and the cravings of lust； endurance of cold and heat
and toil and pain。 He had noticed the undue licence which one of his
acquaintances allowed himself in all such matters。＇2＇ Accordingly he thus
addressed him：
＇1＇ This sentence in the Greek concludes Bk。 I。 There is something
wrong or very awkward in the text here。
＇2＇ Cf。 Grote； 〃Plato；〃 III。 xxxviii。 p。 530。
Tell me； Aristippus （Socrates said）； supposing you had two children
entrusted to you to educate； one of them must be brought up with an
aptitude for government； and the other without the faintest propensity to
rulehow would you educate them？ What do you say？ Shall we begin our
inquiry from the beginning； as it were； with the bare elements of food and
nutriment？
Ar。 Yes； food to begin with； by all means； being a first principle；＇3＇
without which there is no man living but would perish。
＇3＇ Aristippus plays upon the word ｛arkhe｝。
Soc。 Well； then； we may expect； may we not； that a desire to grasp
food at certain seasons will exhibit itself in both the children？
Ar。 It is to be expected。
Soc。 Which； then； of the two must be trained； of his own free will；＇4＇
to prosecute a pressing business rather than gratify the belly？
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The Memorabilia
＇4＇ ｛proairesis｝。
Ar。 No doubt the one who is being trained to govern； if we would not
have affairs of state neglected during＇5＇ his government。
＇5＇ Lit。 〃along of。〃
Soc。 And the same pupil must be furnished with a power of holding
out against thirst also when the craving to quench it comes upon him？
Ar。 Certainly he must。
Soc。 And on which of the two shall we confer such self…control in
regard to sleep as shall enable him to rest late and rise early； or keep vigil；
if the need arise？
Ar。 To the same one of the two must be given that endurance also。
Soc。 Well； and a continence in regard to matters sexual so great that
nothing of the sort shall prevent him from doing his duty？ Which of them
claims that？
Ar。 The same one of the pair again。
Soc。 Well； and on which of the two shall be bestowed； as a further gift；
the voluntary resolution to face toils rather than turn and flee from them？
Ar。 This； too； belongs of right to him who is being trained for
government。
Soc。 Well； and to which of them will it better accord to be taught all
knowledge necessary towards the mastery of antagonists？
Ar。 To our future ruler certainly； for without these parts of learning all
his other capacities will be merely waste。
Soc。 ＇6＇Will not a man so educated be less liable to be entrapped by
rival powers； and so escape a common fate of living creatures； some of
which （as we all know） are hooked through their own greediness； and
often even in spite of a native shyness； but through appetite for food they
are drawn towards the bait； and are caught； while others are similarly
ensnared by drink？
＇6＇ ＇SS。 4； 5； L。 Dind。 ed Lips。＇
Ar。 Undoubtedly。
Soc。 And others again are victims of amorous heat； as quails； for
instance； or partridges； which； at the cry of the hen…bird； with lust and
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The Memorabilia
expectation of such joys grow wild； and lose their power of computing
dangers： on they rush； and fall into the snare of the hunter？
Aristippus assented。
Soc。 And would it not seem to be a base thing for a man to be affected
like the silliest bird or beast？ as when the adulterer invades the innermost
sanctum＇7＇ of the house； though he is well aware of the risks which his
crime involves；＇8＇ the formidable penalties of the law； the danger of being
caught in the toils； and then suffering the direst contumely。 Considering all
the hideous penalties which hang over the adulterer's head； considering
also the many means at hand to release him from the thraldom of his
passion； that a man should so drive headlong on to the quicksands of
perdition＇9＇what are we to say of such frenzy？ The wretch who can so
behave must surely be tormented by an evil spirit？＇10＇
＇7＇ ｛eis as eirktas｝。 The penetralia。
＇8＇ Or； 〃he knows the risks he runs of suffering those penalties with
which the law threatens his crime should he fall into the snare； and
being caught； be mutilated。〃
＇9＇ Or； 〃leap headlong into the jaws of danger。〃
＇10＇ ｛kakodaimonontos｝。
Ar。 So it strikes me。
Soc。 And does it not strike you as a sign of strange indifference that；
whereas the greater number of the indispensable affairs of men； as for
instance； those of war and agriculture； and more than half the rest； need to
be conducted under the broad canopy of heaven；＇11＇ yet the majority of
men are quite untrained to wrestle with cold and heat？
＇11＇ Or； 〃in the open air。〃
Aristippus again assented。
Soc。 And do you not agree that he who is destined to rule must train
himself to bear these things lightly？
Ar。 Most certainly。
Soc。 And whilst we rank those who are self…disciplined in all these
matters among persons fit to rule； we are bound to place those incapable of
such conduct in the category of persons without any pretension
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