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the enemy。＇21＇ Moreover； those who are willing to fight your battles must
be kindly dealt with； that goodwill may quicken to enthusiasm； and one
good man＇22＇ is better worth your benefiting that a dozen knaves； since a
little kindness goes a long way with the good； but with the base the more
you give them the more they ask for。
＇20＇ 〃As archon；〃 or 〃raised to rule。〃
＇21＇ Lit。 〃the beautiful and good。〃
＇22＇ Or； 〃the best； though few； are better worth your benefiting than
the many base。〃
So keep a good heart； Critobulus； only try to become good yourself；
and when you have attained； set to your hand to capture the beautiful and
good。 Perhaps I may be able to give you some help in this quest； being
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myself an adept in Love's lore。＇23＇ No matter who it is for whom my heart
is aflame； in an instant my whole soul is eager to leap forth。 With
vehemence I speed to the mark。 I； who love； demand to be loved again；
this desire in me must be met by counter desire in him； this thirst for his
society by thirst reciprocal for mine。 And these will be your needs also； I
foresee； whenever you are seized with longing to contract a friendship。 Do
not hide from me； therefore； whom you would choose as a friend； since；
owing to the pains I take to please him who pleases me； I am not
altogether unversed； I fancy； in the art of catching men。＇24＇
＇23＇ 〃An authority in matters of love。〃 Cf。 Plat。 〃Symp。〃 177 D； Xen。
〃Symp。〃 viii。 2。
＇24＇ See below； III。 xi。 7； cf。 Plat。 〃Soph。〃 222； N。 T。 Matt。 iv。 19；
｛alieis anthropon｝。
Critobulus replied： Why； these are the very lessons of instruction；
Socrates； for which I have been long athirst； and the more particularly if
this same love's lore will enable me to capture those who are good of soul
and those who are beautiful of person。
Soc。 Nay； now I warn you； Critobulus； it is not within the province of
my science to make the beautiful endure him who would lay hands upon
them。 And that is why men fled from Scylla； I am persuaded； because she
laid hands upon them； but the Sirens were differentthey laid hands on
nobody； but sat afar off and chanted their spells in the ears of all； and
therefore； it is said； all men endured to listen； and were charmed。
Cri。 I promise I will not lay violent hands on any； therefore； if you
have any good device for winning friends； instruct your pupil。
Soc。 And if there is to be no laying on of the hands； there must be no
application either of the lips； is it agreed？
Cri。 No； nor application of the lips to any onenot beautiful。
Soc。 See now！ you cannot open your mouth without some luckless
utterence。 Beauty suffers no such liberty； however eagerly the ugly may
invite it； making believe some quality of soul must rank them with the
beautiful。
Cri。 Be of good cheer then； let the compact stand thus： 〃Kisses for the
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beautiful； and for the good a rain of kisses。〃 So now teach us the art of
catching friends。
Soc。 Well then； when you wish to win some one's affection； you will
allow me to lodge information against you to the effect that you admire
him and desire to be his friend？
Cri。 Lodge the indictment； with all my heart。 I never heard of any one
who hated his admirers。
Soc。 And if I add to the indictment the further charge that through your
admiration you are kindly disposed towards him； you will not feel I am
taking away your character？
Cri。 Why； no； for myself I know a kindly feeling springs up in my
heart towards any one whom I conceive to be kindly disposed to me。
Soc。 All this I shall feel empowered to say about you to those whose
friendship you seek； and I can promise further help； only there is a
comprehensive 〃if〃 to be considered： if you will further authorise me to
say that you are devoted to your friends； that nothing gives you so much
joy as a good friend； that you pride yourself no less on the fine deeds of
those you love than on your own； and on their good things equally with
your own； that you never weary of plotting and planning to procure them a
rich harvest of the same； and lastly； that you have discovered a man's
virtue is to excel his friends in kindness and his foes in hostility。 If I am
authorised thus to report of you； I think you will find me a serviceable
fellow…hunter in the quest of friends； which is the conquest of the good。
Cri。 Why this appeal to me？as if you had not free permission to say
exactly what you like about me。
Soc。 No； that I deny； on the authority of Aspasia。＇25＇ I have it from her
own lips。 〃Good matchmakers；〃 she said tome； 〃were clever hands at
cementing alliances between people； provided the good qualities they
vouched for were truthfully reported； but when it came to their telling lies；
for her part she could not compliment them。＇26＇ Their poor deluded dupes
ended by hating each other and the go…betweens as well。〃 Now I myself
am so fully persuaded of the truth of this that I feel it is not in my power to
say aught in your praise which I cannot say with truth。
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＇25＇ Aspasia； daughter of Axiochus； of Miletus。 See 〃Econ。〃 iii。 14；
Plat。 〃Menex。〃 235 E； Aesch。 Socrat。 ap。 Cic。 〃de Invent。〃 I。 xxxi。 51。
See Grote； 〃H。 G。〃 vi。 132 foll。； Cobet； 〃Pros。 Xen。〃
＇26＇ Reading ｛ouk ethelein epainein｝； or if ｛ouk ophelein epainousas｝
with Kuhner transl。 〃Good matchmakers； she told me； have to
consult truth when reporting favourably of any one： then indeed they
are terribly clever at bringing people together： whereas false
flatterers do no good； their dupes；〃 etc。
Cri。 Really； Socrates； you are a wonderfully good friend to mein so
far as I have any merit which will entitle me to win a friend； you will lend
me a helping hand； it seems； otherwise you would rather not forge any
petty fiction for my benefit。
Soc。 But tell me； how shall I assist you best； think you？ By praising