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of philosophy to grow in happiness daily； but you seem to have reaped
other fruits from your philosophy。 At any rate； you exist； I do not
say live； in a style such as no slave serving under a master would put
up with。 Your meat and your drink are of the cheapest sort； and as to
clothes； you cling to one wretched cloak which serves you for summer
and winter alike； and so you go the whole year round； without shoes to
your feet or a shirt to your back。 Then again； you are not for taking
or making money； the mere seeking of which is a pleasure； even as the
possession of it adds to the sweetness and independence of existence。
I do not know whether you follow the common rule of teachers； who try
to fashion their pupils in imitation of themselves；＇2＇ and propose to
mould the characters of your companions； but if you do you ought to
dub yourself professor of the art of wretchedness。＇3＇
＇2＇ Or； 〃try to turn out their pupils as copies of themselves。〃
＇3＇ See Arist。 〃Clouds；〃 ｛on o kakodaimon Sokrates kai Khairephon｝。
Thus challenged； Socrates replied： One thing to me is certain；
Antiphon； you have conceived so vivid an idea of my life of misery
that for yourself you would choose death sooner than live as I do。
Suppose now we turn and consider what it is you find so hard in my
life。 Is it that he who takes payment must as a matter of contract
finish the work for which he is paid； whereas I； who do not take it；
lie under no constraint to discourse except with whom I choose？ Do you
despise my dietary on the ground that the food which I eat is less
wholesome and less stengthening than yours； or that the articles of my
consumption are so scarce and so much costlier to procure than yours？
Or have the fruits of your marketing a flavour denied to mine？ Do you
not know the sharper the appetite the less the need of sauces； the
keener the thirst the less the desire for out…of…the…way drinks？ And
as to raiment； clothes； you know； are changed on account of cold or
else of heat。 People only wear boots and shoes in order not to gall
their feet and be prevented walking。 Now I ask you； have you ever
noticed that I keep more within doors than others on account of the
cold？ Have you ever seen me battling with any one for shade on account
of the heat？ Do you not know that even a weakling by nature may； by
dint of exercise and practice； come to outdo a giant who neglects his
body？ He will beat him in the particular point of training； and bear
the strain more easily。 But you apparently will not have it that I；
who am for ever training myself to endure this； that； and the other
thing which may befall the body； can brave all hardships more easily
than yourself for instance； who perhaps are not so practised。 And to
escape slavery to the belly or to sleep or lechery； can you suggest
more effective means than the possession of some powerful attraction；
some counter…charm which shall gladden not only in the using； but by
the hope enkindled of its lasting usefulness？ And yet this you do
know； joy is not to him who feels that he is doing well in nothingit
belongs to one who is persuaded that things are progressing with him；
be it tillage or the working of a vessel；＇4＇ or any of the thousand
and one things on which a man may chance to be employed。 To him it is
given to rejoice as he reflects； 〃I am doing well。〃 But is the
pleasured derived from all these put together half as joyous as the
consciousness of becoming better oneself； of acquiring better and
better friends？ That； for my part； is the belief I continue to
cherish。
＇4＇ 〃The business of a shipowner or skipper。〃
Again； if it be a question of helping one's friends or country； which
of the two will have the larger leisure to devote to these objectshe
who leads the life which I lead to…day； or he who lives in the style
which you deem so fortunate？ Which of the two will adopt a soldier's
life more easilythe man who cannot get on without expensive living；
or he to whom whatever comes to hand suffices？ Which will be the
readier to capitulate and cry 〃mercy〃 in a siegethe man of elaborate
wants； or he who can get along happily with the readiest things to
hand？ You； Antiphon； would seem to suggest that happiness consists of
luxury and extravagance； I hold a different creed。 To have no wants at
all is； to my mind； an attribute of Godhead；＇5＇ to have as few wants
as possible the nearest approach to Godhead； and as that which is
divine is mightiest； so that is next mightiest which comes closest to
the divine。
＇5＇ Cf。 Aristot。 〃Eth。 N。〃 x。 viii。 1。
Returning to the charge at another time； this same Antiphon engaged
Socrates in conversation thus。
Ant。 Socrates； for my part； I believe you to be a good and upright
man； but for your wisdom I cannot say much。 I fancy you would hardly
dispute the verdict yourself； since； as I remark； you do not ask a
money payment for your society； and yet if it were your cloak now； or
your house； or any other of your possessions； you would set some value
upon it； and never dream； I will not say of parting with it gratis；
but of exchanging it for less than its worth。 A plain proof； to my
mind； that if you thought your society worth anything； you would ask
for it not less than its equivalent in gold。＇6＇ Hence the conclusion
to which I have come； as already stated： good and upright you may be；
since you do not cheat people from pure selfishness； but wise you
cannot be； since your knowledge is not worth a cent。
＇6＇ Or rather 〃money；〃 lit。 〃silver。〃
To this onslaught Socrates： Antiphon； it is a tenet which we cling to
that beauty and wisdom have this in common； that there is a fair way
and a foul way in which to dispose of them。 The vendor of beauty
purchases an evil name； but supposing the same person have discerned a
soul of beauty in his lover and makes that man his friend； we regard
his choice as sensible。＇7＇ So is it with wisdom； he who sells it for
money to the first bidder we name a sophist；＇8＇ as though one should
say a man who prostitutes his wisdom； but if the same man； discerning
the noble nature of another； shall teach that other every good thing；
and make him his friend； of such a one we say he does that which it is
the duty of every good citizen of gentle soul to do。 In accordance
with this theory； I too； Antiphon； having my tastes； even as another
finds pleasure in his horse and his hounds；＇9＇ and another in his
fighting cocks； so I too take my pleasure in good friends； and if I
have any good thing myself I teach it them； or I commend them to
others by whom I think they will be helped forwards on the path of
virtue。 The treasures also of the wise of old； written and bequeathed
in their books；＇10＇ I unfold and peruse in common with my friends。 If
our eye light upon any good thing we cull it eagerly； and regard it as
great gain if we may but grow in friendship with one another。
＇7＇ Add 〃and a sign of modesty；〃 ｛sophrona nomizomen｝。
＇8＇ ｛sophistas｝。 See Grote； 〃H。 G。〃 viii。 482 foll。； 〃Hunting；〃 xi。
foll。
＇9＇ Cf。 Plat。 〃Lys。〃 211 E。
＇10＇ Cf。 〃Symp。〃 iv。 27。
As I listened to this talk I could not but reflect that he； the
master； was a person to be en