ALCIBIADES (I) by Plato - Complete text

Page 44

Soc.: The fact is, that there is only one lover of Alcibiades the son of Cleinias; there neither is nor ever has been seemingly any other; and he is his darling,—Socrates, the son of Sophroniscus and Phaenarete.

Alc.: True.

Soc.: And did you not say, that if I had not spoken first, you were on the point of coming to me, and enquiring why I only remained?

Alc.: That is true.

Soc.: The reason was that I loved you for your own sake, whereas other men love what belongs to you; and your beauty, which is not you, is fading away, just as your true self is beginning to bloom. And I will never desert you, if you are not spoiled and deformed by the Athenian people; for the danger which I most fear is that you will become a lover of the people and will be spoiled by them. Many a noble Athenian has been ruined in this way. For the demus of the great - hearted Erechteus is of a fair countenance, but you should see him naked; wherefore observe the caution which I give you.

Alc.: What caution?

Soc.: Practise yourself, sweet friend, in learning what you ought to know, before you enter on politics; and then you will have an antidote which will keep you out of harm's way.

Alc.: Good advice, Socrates, but I wish that you would explain to me in what way I am to take care of myself.

Soc.: Have we not made an advance? for we are at any rate tolerably well agreed as to what we are, and there is no longer any danger, as we once feared, that we might be taking care not of ourselves, but of something which is not ourselves.

Alc.: That is true.

Soc.: And the next step will be to take care of the soul, and look to that?

Alc.: Certainly.

Soc.: Leaving the care of our bodies and of our properties to others?

Alc.: Very good.

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Plato : ALCIBIADES (I)

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