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exactly what you like about me。
Soc。 No； that I deny； on the authority of Aspasia。＇25＇ I have it from
her own lips。 〃Good matchmakers；〃 she said tome； 〃were clever hands at
cementing alliances between people； provided the good qualities they
vouched for were truthfully reported； but when it came to their
telling lies； for her part she could not compliment them。＇26＇ Their
poor deluded dupes ended by hating each other and the go…betweens as
well。〃 Now I myself am so fully persuaded of the truth of this that I
feel it is not in my power to say aught in your praise which I cannot
say with truth。
＇25＇ Aspasia； daughter of Axiochus； of Miletus。 See 〃Econ。〃 iii。 14；
Plat。 〃Menex。〃 235 E； Aesch。 Socrat。 ap。 Cic。 〃de Invent。〃 I。
xxxi。 51。 See Grote； 〃H。 G。〃 vi。 132 foll。； Cobet； 〃Pros。 Xen。〃
＇26＇ Reading ｛ouk ethelein epainein｝； or if ｛ouk ophelein epainousas｝
with Kuhner transl。 〃Good matchmakers； she told me； have to
consult truth when reporting favourably of any one： then indeed
they are terribly clever at bringing people together： whereas
false flatterers do no good； their dupes；〃 etc。
Cri。 Really； Socrates； you are a wonderfully good friend to mein so
far as I have any merit which will entitle me to win a friend； you
will lend me a helping hand； it seems； otherwise you would rather not
forge any petty fiction for my benefit。
Soc。 But tell me； how shall I assist you best； think you？ By praising
you falsely or by persuading you to try to be a good man？ Or if it is
not plain to you thus； look at the matter by the light of some
examples。 I wish to introduce you to a shipowner； or to make him your
friend： I begin by singing your praises to him falsely thus； 〃You will
find him a good pilot〃； he catches at the phrase； and entrusts his
ship to you； who have no notion of guiding a vessel。 What can you
expect but to make shipwreck of the craft and yourself together？ or
suppose by similar false assertions I can persuade the state at large
to entrust her destinies to you〃a man with a fine genius for
command；〃 I say； 〃a practised lawyer；〃 〃a politician born；〃 and so
forth。 The odds are； the state and you may come to grief through you。
Or to take an instance from everyday life。 By my falsehoods I persuade
some private person to entrust his affairs to you as 〃a really careful
and business…like person with a head for economy。〃 When put to the
test would not your administration prove ruinous； and the figure you
cut ridiculous？ No； my dear friend； there is but one road； the
shortest； safest； best； and it is simply this： In whatsoever you
desire to be deemed good； endeavour to be good。 For of all the virtues
namable among men； consider； and you will find there is not one but
may be increased by learning and practice。 For my part then；
Critobulus； these are the principles on which we ought to go a…
hunting； but if you take a different view； I am all attention； please
instruct me。
Then Critobulus： Nay； Socrates； I should be ashamed to gainsay what
you have said； if I did； it would neither be a noble statement nor a
true。＇27＇
＇27＇ ｛kala 。 。 。 alethe｝。
VII
He had two ways of dealing with the difficulties of his friends： where
ignorance was the cause； he tried to meet the trouble by a dose of
common sense； or where want and poverty were to blame； by lessoning
them that they should assist one another according to their ability；
and here I may mention certain incidents which occurred within my own
knowledge。 How； for instance； he chanced upon Aristarchus wearing the
look of one who suffered from a fit of the 〃sullens；〃 and thus
accosted him。
Soc。 You seem to have some trouble on your mind； Aristarchus； if so；
you should share it with your friends。 Perhaps together we might
lighten the weight of it a little。
Aristarchus answered： Yes； Socrates； I am in sore straits indeed。 Ever
since the party strife declared itself in the city；＇1＇ what with the
rush of people to Piraeus； and the wholesale banishments； I have been
fairly at the mercy of my poor deserted female relatives。 Sisters；
nieces； cousins； they have all come flocking to me for protection。 I
have fourteen free…born souls； I tell you； under my single roof； and
how are we to live？ We can get nothing out of the soilthat is in the
hands of the enemy； nothing from my house property； for there is
scarcely a living soul left in the city； my furniture？ no one will buy
it； money？ there is none to be borrowedyou would have a better
chance to find it by looking for it on the road than to borrow it from
a banker。 Yes； Socrates； to stand by and see one's relatives die of
hunger is hard indeed； and yet to feed so many at such a pinch
impossible。
＇1＇ i。e。 circa 404…403 B。C。 See 〃Hell。〃 II。 iv。
After he listened to the story； Socrates asked： How comes it that
Ceramon；＇2＇ with so many mouths to feed； not only contrives to furnish
himself and them with the necessaries of life； but to realise a
handsome surplus； whilst you being in like plight＇3＇ are afraid you
will one and all perish of starvation for want of the necessaries of
life？
＇2＇ An employer of labour； apparently； on a grand scale。
＇3＇ Lit。 〃with your large family to feed。〃 L。 Dindorf would like to
read ｛su de oligous｝； 〃you with your small family。〃
Ar。 Why； bless your soul； do you not see he has only slaves and I have
free…born souls to feed？
Soc。 And which should you say were the better human beings； the free…
born members of your household or Ceramon's slaves？
Ar。 The free souls under my roof without a doubt。
Soc。 Is it not a shame； then； that he with his baser folk to back him
should be in easy circumstances； while you and your far superior
household are in difficulties？
Ar。 To be sure it is； when he has only a set of handicraftsmen to
feed； and I my liberally…educated household。
Soc。 What is a handicraftsman？ Does not the term apply to all who can
make any sort of useful product or commodity？
Ar。 Certainly。
Soc。 Barley meal is a useful product； is it not？
Ar。 Pre…eminently so。
Soc。 And loaves of bread？
Ar。 No less。
Soc。 Well； and what do you say to cloaks for men and for women
tunics； mantles； vests？＇4＇
＇4＇ For these articles of dress see Becker's 〃Charicles；〃 Exc。 i。 to
Sc。 xi。 〃Dress。〃
Ar。 Yes； they are all highly useful commodities。
Soc。 Then your household do not know how to make any of these？
Ar。 On the contrary； I believe they can make them all。
Soc。 Then you are not aware that by means of the manufacture of one of
these alonehis barley meal storeNausicydes＇5＇ not only maintains
himself and his domestics； but many pigs and cattle besides； and
realises such large profits that he frequently contributes to the
state benevolences；＇6＇ while there is Cyrebus； again； who； out of a
bread factory； more than maintains the whole of his establishment； and
lives in the lap of luxury； and Demeas of Collytus gets a livelihood
out of a cloak business； and Menon as a mantua…maker； and so； again；
more than half the Megarians＇7＇ by the making of vests。
＇5＇ Nausicydes。 Cobet； 〃Pros。 Xen。〃 cf。 Aristoph。 〃Eccles。〃 426。
＇6＇ Lit。 〃state liturgies；〃 or 〃to the