alcibiades i-第3部分

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they　do　not　necessarily　know　themselves。　　Self…knowledge　can　be　obtained

only　by　looking　into　the　mind　and　virtue　of　the　soul；　which　is　the　diviner

part　of　a　man；　as　we　see　our　own　image　in　another's　eye。　　And　if　we　do　not

know　ourselves；　we　cannot　know　what　belongs　to　ourselves　or　belongs　to

others；　and　are　unfit　to　take　a　part　in　political　affairs。　　Both　for　the

sake　of　the　individual　and　of　the　state；　we　ought　to　aim　at　justice　and

temperance；　not　at　wealth　or　power。　　The　evil　and　unjust　should　have　no

power；they　should　be　the　slaves　of　better　men　than　themselves。　　None　but

the　virtuous　are　deserving　of　freedom。



And　are　you；　Alcibiades；　a　freeman？　　'I　feel　that　I　am　not；　but　I　hope；

Socrates；　that　by　your　aid　I　may　become　free；　and　from　this　day　forward　I

will　never　leave　you。'



The　Alcibiades　has　several　points　of　resemblance　to　the　undoubted　dialogues

of　Plato。　　The　process　of　interrogation　is　of　the　same　kind　with　that　which

Socrates　practises　upon　the　youthful　Cleinias　in　the　Euthydemus；　and　he

characteristically　attributes　to　Alcibiades　the　answers　which　he　has

elicited　from　him。　　The　definition　of　good　is　narrowed　by　successive

questions；　and　virtue　is　shown　to　be　identical　with　knowledge。　　Here；　as

elsewhere；　Socrates　awakens　the　consciousness　not　of　sin　but　of　ignorance。

Self…humiliation　is　the　first　step　to　knowledge；　even　of　the　commonest

things。　　No　man　knows　how　ignorant　he　is；　and　no　man　can　arrive　at　virtue

and　wisdom　who　has　not　once　in　his　life；　at　least；　been　convicted　of　error。　

The　process　by　which　the　soul　is　elevated　is　not　unlike　that　which

religious　writers　describe　under　the　name　of　'conversion；'　if　we　substitute

the　sense　of　ignorance　for　the　consciousness　of　sin。



In　some　respects　the　dialogue　differs　from　any　other　Platonic　composition。

The　aim　is　more　directly　ethical　and　hortatory；　the　process　by　which　the

antagonist　is　undermined　is　simpler　than　in　other　Platonic　writings；　and

the　conclusion　more　decided。　　There　is　a　good　deal　of　humour　in　the　manner

in　which　the　pride　of　Alcibiades；　and　of　the　Greeks　generally；　is　supposed

to　be　taken　down　by　the　Spartan　and　Persian　queens；　and　the　dialogue　has

considerable　dialectical　merit。　　But　we　have　a　difficulty　in　supposing　that

the　same　writer；　who　has　given　so　profound　and　complex　a　notion　of　the

characters　both　of　Alcibiades　and　Socrates　in　the　Symposium；　should　have

treated　them　in　so　thin　and　superficial　a　manner　in　the　Alcibiades；　or　that

he　would　have　ascribed　to　the　ironical　Socrates　the　rather　unmeaning　boast

that　Alcibiades　could　not　attain　the　objects　of　his　ambition　without　his

help；　or　that　he　should　have　imagined　that　a　mighty　nature　like　his　could

have　been　reformed　by　a　few　not　very　conclusive　words　of　Socrates。　　For　the

arguments　by　which　Alcibiades　is　reformed　are　not　convincing；　the　writer　of

the　dialogue；　whoever　he　was；　arrives　at　his　idealism　by　crooked　and

tortuous　paths；　in　which　many　pitfalls　are　concealed。　　The　anachronism　of

making　Alcibiades　about　twenty　years　old　during　the　life　of　his　uncle；

Pericles；　may　be　noted；　and　the　repetition　of　the　favourite　observation；

which　occurs　also　in　the　Laches　and　Protagoras；　that　great　Athenian

statesmen；　like　Pericles；　failed　in　the　education　of　their　sons。　　There　is

none　of　the　undoubted　dialogues　of　Plato　in　which　there　is　so　little

dramatic　verisimilitude。





ALCIBIADES　I



by



Plato　（see　Appendix　I　above）



Translated　by　Benjamin　Jowett





PERSONS　OF　THE　DIALOGUE：　　Alcibiades；　Socrates。





SOCRATES：　　I　dare　say　that　you　may　be　surprised　to　find；　O　son　of　Cleinias；

that　I；　who　am　your　first　lover；　not　having　spoken　to　you　for　many　years；

when　the　rest　of　the　world　were　wearying　you　with　their　attentions；　am　the

last　of　your　lovers　who　still　speaks　to　you。　　The　cause　of　my　silence　has

been　that　I　was　hindered　by　a　power　more　than　human；　of　which　I　will　some

day　explain　to　you　the　nature；　this　impediment　has　now　been　removed；　I

therefore　here　present　myself　before　you；　and　I　greatly　hope　that　no

similar　hindrance　will　again　occur。　　Meanwhile；　I　have　observed　that　your

pride　has　been　too　much　for　the　pride　of　your　admirers；　they　were　numerous

and　high…spirited；　but　they　have　all　run　away；　overpowered　by　your　superior

force　of　character；　not　one　of　them　remains。　　And　I　want　you　to　understand

the　reason　why　you　have　been　too　much　for　them。　　You　think　that　you　have　no

need　of　them　or　of　any　other　man；　for　you　have　great　possessions　and　lack

nothing；　beginning　with　the　body；　and　ending　with　the　soul。　　In　the　first

place；　you　say　to　yourself　that　you　are　the　fairest　and　tallest　of　the

citizens；　and　this　every　one　who　has　eyes　may　see　to　be　true；　in　the　second

place；　that　you　are　among　the　noblest　of　them；　highly　connected　both　on　the

father's　and　the　mother's　side；　and　sprung　from　one　of　the　most

distinguished　families　in　your　own　state；　which　is　the　greatest　in　Hellas；

and　having　many　friends　and　kinsmen　of　the　best　sort；　who　can　assist　you

when　in　need；　and　there　is　one　potent　relative；　who　is　more　to　you　than　all

the　rest；　Pericles　the　son　of　Xanthippus；　whom　your　father　left　guardian　of

you；　and　of　your　brother；　and　who　can　do　as　he　pleases　not　only　in　this

city；　but　in　all　Hellas；　and　among　many　and　mighty　barbarous　nations。　

Moreover；　you　are　rich；　but　I　must　say　that　you　value　yourself　least　of　all

upon　your　possessions。　　And　all　these　things　have　lifted　you　up；　you　have

overcome　your　lovers；　and　they　have　acknowledged　that　you　were　too　much　for

them。　　Have　you　not　remarked　their　absence？　　And　now　I　know　that　you　wonder

why　I；　unlike　the　rest　of　them；　have　not　gone　away；　and　what　can　be　my

motive　in　remaining。



ALCIBIADES：　　Perhaps；　Socrates；　you　are　not　aware　that　I　was　just　going　to

ask　you　the　very　same　questionWhat　do　you　want？　　And　what　is　your　motive

in　annoying　me；　and　always；　wherever　I　am；　making　a　point　of　coming？　

（Compare　Symp。）　　I　do　really　wonder　what　you　mean；　and　should　greatly　like

to　know。



SOCRATES：　　Then　if；　as　you　say；　you　desire　to　know；　I　suppose　that　you　will

be　willing　to　hear；　and　I　may　consider　myself　to　be　speaking　to　an　auditor

who　will　remain；　and　will　not　run　away？



ALCIBIADES：　　Certainly；　let　me　hear。



SOCRATES：　　You　had　better　be　careful；　for　I　may　very　likely　be　as　unwilling

to　end　as　I　have　hitherto　been　to　begin。



ALCIBIADES：　　Proceed；　my　good　man；　and　I　will　listen。



SOCRATES：　　I　will　proceed；　and；　although　no　lover　likes　to　speak　with　one

who　has　no　feeling　of　love　in　him　（compare　Symp。）；　I　will　make　an　effort；

and　tell　you　what　I　meant：　　My　love；　Alcibiades；　which　I　hardly　like　to

confess；　would　long　ago　have　passed　away；　as　I　flatter　myself；　if　I　saw　you

loving　your　good　things；　or　thinking　that　you　ought　to　pass　life　in　the

enjoyment　of　them。　　But　I　shall　reveal　other　thoughts　of　yours；　which　you

keep　to　yourself；　whereby　you　will　know　that　I　have　always　had　my　eye　on

you。　　Suppose　that　at　this　moment　some　God　came　to　you　and　said：　

Alcibiades；　will　you　live　as　you　are；　or　die　in　an　instant　if　you　are

forbidden　to　make　any　further　acquisition？I　verily　believe　that　you　would

choose　death。　　And　I　will　tell　you　the　hope　in　which　you　are　at　present

living：　　Before　many　days　have　elapsed；　you　think　that　you　will　come　before

the　Athenian　assembly；　and　will　prove　to　them　that　you　are　more　worthy　of

honour　than　Pericles；　or　any　other　man　that　ever　lived；　and　having　proved

this；　you　will　have　the　greatest　power　in　the　state。　　When　you　have　gained

the　greatest　power　among　us；　you　will　go　on　to　other　Hellenic　states；　and

not　only　to　Hellenes；　but　to　all　the　barbarians　who　inhabit　the　same

continent　with　us。　　And　if　the　God　were　then　to　say　to　you　again：　　Here　in

Europe　is　to　be　your　seat　of　empire；　and　you　must　not　cross　over　into　Asia

or　meddle　with　Asiatic　affairs；　I　do　not　believe　that　you　would　choose　to

live　upon　these　terms；　but　the　world；　as　I　may　say；　must　be　filled　with

your　power　and　nameno　man　less　than　Cyrus　and　Xerxes　is　of　any　account

with　you。　　Such　I　know　to　be　your　hopesI　am　not　guessing　onlyand　very

likely　you；　who　know　that　I　am　speaking　the　truth；　will　reply；　Well；

Socrates；　but　what　have　my　hopes　to　do　with　the　explanation　which　you

promised　of　your　unwillingness　to　leave　me？　　And　that　is　what　I　am　now

going　to　tell　you；　sweet　son　of　Cleinias　and　Dinomache。　　The　explanation

is；　that　all　these　designs　of　yours　cannot　be　accomplished　by　you　without

my　help；　so　great　is　the　power　which　I　believe　myself　to　have　over　you　and

your　concerns；　and　this　I　conceive　to　be　the　reason　why　the　God　has

hitherto　forbidden　me　to　converse　with　you；　and　I　have　been　long　expecting

his　permission。　　For；　as　you　hope　to　prove　your　own　great　value　to　the

state；　and　having　proved　it；　to　attain　at　once　to　absolute　power；　so　do　I

indulge　a　hope　that　I　shall　be　the　supreme　power　over　you；　if　I　am　able　to

prove　my　own　great　value　to　you；　and　to　show　you　that　neither　guardian；　nor

kinsman；　nor　any　one　is　able　to　deliver　into　your　hands　the　power　which　you

desire；　but　I　only；　God　being　my　helper。　　When　you　were　young　（compare

Symp。）　and　your　hopes　were　not　yet　matured；　I　should　have　wasted　my　time；

and　therefore；　as　I　conceive；　the　God　forbade　me　to　converse　with　you；　but

now；　having　his　permission；　I　will　speak；　for　now　you　will　listen　to　me。



ALCIBIADES：　　Your　silence；　Socrates；　was　always　a　surprise　to　me。　　I　never

could　understand　why　you　followed　me　about；　and　now　that　you　have　begun　to

speak　again；　I　am　still　more　amazed。　　Whether　I　think　all　this　or　not；　is　a

matter　about　which　you　seem　to　have　already　made　up　your　mind；　and

therefore　my　denial　will　have　no　effect　upon　you。　　But　granting；　if　I　must；

that　you　have　perfectly　divined　my　purposes；　why　is　your　assistance

necessary　to　the　attainment　of　them？　　Can　you　tell　me　why？



SOCRATES：　　You　want　to　know　whether　I　can　make　a　long　speech；　such　as　you