Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-01-29
| ALClBIADES. |.
Persons Of The Dialogue.

ICTSOHS q utc DHtOI"t.
Alcibiades. socrates.
ALCIBIADEs. Yes, Socrates; and in
that you do well, and hope you will re-
main.
SOCRATES. Then you must try to look
your best.
AL. | will.
Soc. The fact is, that there is only
one lover of Alcibiades the son of Cleinas
there neither is. nor ever has been, as APP
pears, any other; and this only darling in
whom he reioices is Socrates the son of
Sophroniscus and PhHnaretc.
AL. True.
SOC. And did you not say, that if |
had not spoken first, You were on the
point of coming to me, and inquiring why
| only remained?
AL. That was true.
Soc. The reason was that only love
you. whereas other men love what belongs
to you; and your beauty, which is not
you,is fading away, just as your true self is
is beginning to bloom. And will never
desert you, if you are not spoiled and de-
formed by the Athenian people; for the
danger which most fear is that you will
become lover of the people and be spoil
ed by them. Many a noble Athenian has
been ruined in this way. For the demus
of the great-hearted Erechtheus is of a
fair countenance, but you should see them
naked: wherefore, be cautious, as bid
you.
AL. How cautious?
Soc. Practice yourself, sweet friend, in
learning what you ought to know, before
you enter on politics: this knowledge
will be an antidote and safeguard against
the danger.
AL. That is good advice, Socrates
hut wish you would explain to me in
what way am to take care of myself.
Soc. At any rate, we are tolerably
well agreed as to what we are; and to
this extent an advance has been made
there is no longer any danger, as we once
feared, that we might be taking care, not
%. ourselves, but of something that is not
ourselves.
AL. That is true.
Soc. And our first duty will be to take
care of the soul, and look to that?
AL. Certainly.
soc. Leaving the care of our bodies
and of our properties to others?
AL. Very good.
Soc But how can we have a per-
feet knowledge of the things of
the soul? For if we know them.
the inference is that we shall know
ourselves? Can we really be ignorant of
the excellent meaning of the Delphian
inscription, of which we were Just now
speaking?
AL. What have you in your thoughts,
Socrates?
Soc. | will tell you what suspect to
be the meaning and lesson of that in
scription. Let me take an illustration
from sight, which imagine to be the only
one suitable to my purpose.
AL. What do you mean?
Soc. Consider; if some one were to
say to the eye, "See myself" as you
might say to man, "know thyself. "
what is the nature and meaning of this
precept? Would not his meaning be
That the eye should looL,at that in which
it would see itself:
AL. Clearly.
Soc. And what is the object in look
ing at which, we see ourselves?
AL. Clearly, Socrates, in looking al
mirrors and the like.
Soc. Very true; and is there MOI
something of the nature of a mirror il
our own eye?
AL. Certainly.
Soc. Did you ever observe that tn,
face of the person looking into the eye o
another is reflected in the visual organ
which is over against him, and which il
called the pupil, as in mirror there is
sort of image of the person looking.
AL. That is quite true.
Soc. Then the eye looking at anothe
eye, and at that in the eye which is mos
perfect, and which is the instrument o
vision, will there see itself?
AL. That Is evident.
Soc. But looking at anything else il
man or in existence, and not to tina
which is like, it will not see itself?
AL. That is true.
Soc. Then if the eye is to see itself,