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nvy； seldom； if ever； an object of contention；＇20＇ never guarded； yet always safe； the more you starve it； the stronger it grows。
＇20＇ Cf。 Plat。 〃Rep。〃 521 A； 〃Laws；〃 678 C。
And you； Socrates； yourself （their host demanded）； what is it you pride yourself upon？
Then he； with knitted brows； quite solemnly： On pandering。＇21＇ And when they laughed to hear him say this；＇22＇ he continued： Laugh to your hearts content； my friends； but I am certain I could make a fortune； if I chose to practise this same art。
＇21＇ Or； more politely； 〃on playing the go…between。〃 See Grote； 〃H。 G。〃 viii。 457； on the 〃extremely Aristophanic〃 character of the 〃Symposium〃 of Xenophon。
＇22＇ 〃Him； the master； thus declare himself。〃
At this point Lycon； turning to Philippus： We need not ask you what you take the chiefest pride in。 What can it be； you laughter…making man； except to set folk laughing？
Yes （he answered）； and with better right； I fancy； than Callippides；＇23＇ the actor； who struts and gives himself such pompous airs； to think that he alone can set the crowds a…weeping in the theatre。＇24＇
＇23＇ For illustrative tales about him see Plut。 〃Ages。〃 xxi。； 〃Alcib。〃 xxxii。； Polyaen。 vi。 10。 Cf。 〃Hell。〃 IV。 viii。 16。
＇24＇ Or； 〃set for their sins a…weeping。〃
And now you； Lycon； tell us； won't you （asked Antisthenes）； what it is you take the greatest pride in？
You all of you； I fancy； know already what that is （the father answered）； it is in my son here。
And the lad himself （some one suggested） doubtless prides himself； beyond all else； on having won the prize of victory。
At that Autolycus （and as he spoke he blushed） answered for himself：＇25＇ No indeed； not I。
＇25＇ Cf。 Plat。 〃Charm。〃 158 C。
The company were charmed to hear him speak； and turned and looked； and some one asked： On what is it then； Autolycus？
To which he answered： On my father （and leaned closer towards him）。
At which sight Callias； turning to the father： Do you know you are the richest man in the whole world； Lycon？
To which Lycon： Really； I was not aware of that before。
Then Callias： Why then； it has escaped you that you would refuse the whole of Persia's wealth；＇26＇ in exchange for your own son。
＇26＇ Lit。 〃of the Great King。〃 Cf。 〃Cyrop。〃 VIII。 iii。 26。
Most true （he answered）； I plead guilty； here and now I am convicted＇27＇ of being the wealthiest man in all the world！
＇27＇ 〃Caught flagrante delicto。 I do admit I do out…Croesus Croesus。〃
And you； Hermogenes； on what do you plume yourself most highly？ （asked Niceratus）。
On the virtue and the power of my friends （he answered）； and that being what they are； they care for me。
At this remark they turned their eyes upon the speaker； and several spoke together； asking： Will you make them known to us？
I shall be very happy （he replied）。
IV
At this point； Socrates took up the conversation： It now devolves on us to prove in turn that what we each have undertaken to defend is really valuable。
Then Callias： Be pleased to listen to me first： My case is this； that while the rest of you go on debating what justice and uprightness are；＇1＇ I spend my time in making men more just and upright。
＇1＇ ｛to to dikaion｝； cf。 〃Mem。〃 IV。 iv。
Soc。 And how do you do that； good sir？
Call。 By giving money； to be sure。
Antisthenes sprang to his feet at once； and with the manner of a cross…examiner demanded： Do human beings seem to you to harbour justice in their souls； or in their purses；＇2＇ Callias？
＇2＇ Or； 〃pockets。〃
Call。 In their souls。
Ant。 And do you pretend to make their souls more righteous by putting money in their pockets？
Call。 Undoubtedly。
Ant。 Pray how？
Call。 In this way。 When they know that they are furnished with the means； that is to say； my money； to buy necessaries； they would rather not incur the risk of evil…doing； and why should they？
Ant。 And pray； do they repay you these same moneys？
Call。 I cannot say they do。
Ant。 Well then； do they requite your gifts of gold with gratitude？
Call。 No； not so much as a bare 〃Thank you。〃 In fact； some of them are even worse disposed towards me when they have got my money than before。
Now； here's a marvel！ （exclaimed Antisthenes； and as he spoke he eyed the witness with an air of triumph）。 You can render people just to all the world； but towards yourself you cannot？
Pray； where's the wonder？ （asked the other）。 Do you not see what scores of carpenters and house…builders there are who spend their time in building houses for half the world； but for themselves they simply cannot do it； and are forced to live in lodgings。 And so admit that home…thrust； Master Sophist；＇3＇ and confess yourself confuted。
＇3＇ 〃Professor of wisdom。〃
Upon my soul； he had best accept his fate＇4＇ （said Socrates）。 Why； after all； you are only like those prophets who proverbially foretell the future for mankind； but cannot foresee what is coming upon themselves。
＇4＇ Or； 〃the coup de grace。〃
And so the first discussion ended。＇5＇
＇5＇ Or； 〃so ended fytte the first of the word…controversy。〃
Thereupon Niceratus： Lend me your ears； and I will tell you in what respects you shall be better for consorting with myself。 I presume； without my telling you； you know that Homer； being the wisest of mankind； has touched upon nearly every human topic in his poems。＇6＇ Whosoever among you； therefore； would fain be skilled in economy； or oratory； or strategy； whose ambition it is to be like Achilles； or Ajax； Nestor； or Odysseusone and all pay court to me； for I have all this knowledge at my fingers' ends。
＇6＇ Or； 〃his creations are all but coextensive with every mortal thing。〃
Pray （interposed Antisthenes）；＇7＇ do you also know the way to be a king？＇8＇ since Homer praises Agamemnon； you are well aware； as being
A goodly king and eke a spearman bold。＇9＇
＇7＇ Some modern critics （e。g。 F。 Dummler； 〃Antisthenica；〃 p。 29 foll。） maintain plausibly that the author is here glancing （as also Plato in the 〃Ion〃） at Antisthenes' own treatises against the Rhapsodists and on a more correct interpretation of Homer； ｛peri exegeton｝ and ｛peri 'Omerou｝。
＇8＇ Or； 〃Have you the knowledge also how to play the king？〃
＇9＇ 〃Il。〃 iii。 179。 See 〃Mem。〃 III。 ii。 2。
Nic。 Full well I know it； and full well I know the duty of a skilful charioteer； how he who holds the ribbons must turn his chariot nigh the pillar's edge＇10＇
Himself inclined upon the polished chariot…board A little to the left of the twin pair： the right hand horse Touch with the prick； and shout a cheery shout； and give him rein。＇11＇
I know another thing besides； and you may put it to the test this instant； if you like。 Homer somewhere has said：＇12＇
And at his side an onion； which to drink gives relish。
So if some one will but bring an onion； you shall reap the benefit of my sage lore＇13＇ in less than no time； and your wine will taste the sweeter。
＇10＇ 〃Il。〃 xxiii。 335； Plat。 〃Ion；〃 537。
＇11＇ Lit。 〃yield him the reins with his hands。〃
＇12＇ 〃Il。〃 xi。630： 〃And set out a leek savourer of drink〃 （Purves）。 Plat。 〃Ion；〃 538 C。
＇13＇ 〃My culinary skill。〃
Here Charmides exclaimed： Good sirs； let me exp