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the readiest obedience。
Hipp。 If； then； I can prove to my troopers that I am better than all
of them； will that suffice to win their obedience？
Soc。 Yes； if along with that you can teach them that obedience to you
brings greater glory and surer safety to themselves。
Hipp。 How am I to teach them that？
Soc。 Upon my word！ How are you to teach them that？ Far more easily； I
take it； than if you had to teach them that bad things are better than
good； and more advantageous to boot。
Hipp。 I suppose you mean that； besides his other qualifications a
commandant of cavalry must have command of speech and argument？＇9＇
＇9＇ Or； 〃practise the art of oratory〃； 〃express himself clearly and
rationally。〃 See Grote； 〃H。 G。〃 VIII。 lxvii。 p。 463 note；
〃Hipparch；〃 i。 24； viii。 22。
Soc。 Were you under the impression that the commandant was not to open
his mouth？ Did it never occur to you that all the noblest things which
custom＇10＇ compels us to learn； and to which indeed we owe our
knowledge of life； have all been learned by means of speech＇11＇ and
reason； and if there be any other noble learning which a man may
learn； it is this same reason whereby he learns it； and the best
teachers are those who have the freest command of thought and
language； and those that have the best knowledge of the most serious
things are the most brilliant masters of disputation。 Again； have you
not observed that whenever this city of ours fits out one of her
chorusessuch as that； for instance； which is sent to Delos＇12＇
there is nothing elsewhere from any quarter of the world which can
compete with it； nor will you find in any other state collected so
fair a flower of manhood as in Athens？＇13＇
＇10＇ Cf Arist。 〃Rhet。〃 ii。 12； ｛oi neoi pepaideuntai upo tou nomou
monon｝。
＇11＇ ｛dia logou｝。
＇12＇ See Thuc。 iii。 104； and below； IV。 viii。 2。
＇13＇ See references ap。 Schneider and Kuhner； 〃Symp。〃 iv。 17。
Hipp。 You say truly。
Soc。 But for all that； it is not in sweetness of voice that the
Athenians differ from the rest of the world so much； nor in stature of
body or strength of limb； but in ambition and that love of honour＇14＇
which most of all gives a keen edge to the spirit in the pursuit of
things lovely and of high esteem。
＇14＇ See below； v。 3； Dem。 〃de Cor。〃 28 foll。
Hipp。 That； too； is a true saying。
Soc。 Do you not think； then； that if a man devoted himself to our
cavalry also； here in Athens； we should far outstrip the rest of the
world； whether in the furnishing of arms and horses； or in orderliness
of battle…array； or in eager hazardous encounter with the foe； if only
we could persuade ourselves that by so doing we should obtain honour
and distinction？
Hipp。 It is reasonable to think so。
Soc。 Have no hesitation； therefore； but try to guide your men into
this path；＇15＇ whence you yourself； and through you your fellow…
citizens； will reap advantage。
＇15＇ Or； 〃to conduct which will not certainly fail of profit to
yourself or through you to 。 。 。〃
Yes； in good sooth； I will try （he answered）。
IV
At another time； seeing Nicomachides on his way back from the
elections （of magistrates）；＇1＇ he asked him： Who are elected generals；
Nicomachides？
＇1＇ Cf。 〃Pol。 Ath。〃 i。 3； Aristot。 〃Ath。 Pol。〃 44。 4； and Dr。 Sandys'
note ad loc。 p。 165 of his edition。
And he： Is it not just like them； these citizens of Athensjust like
them； I sayto go and elect； not me； who ever since my name first
apepared on the muster…roll have literally worn myself out with
military servicenow as a captain； now as a coloneland have
received all these wounds from the enemy； look you！ （at the same time；
and suiting the action to the word； he bared his arms and proceeded to
show the scars of ancient wounds）they elect not me （he went on）；
but； if you please； Antisthenes！ who never served as a hoplite＇2＇ in
his life nor in the cavalry ever made a brilliant stroke； that I ever
heard tell of； no！ in fact； he has got no science at all； I take it；
except to amass stores of wealth。
＇2＇ Cf。 Lys。 xiv。 10。
But still （returned Socrates）； surely that is one point in his favour
he ought to be able to provide the troops with supplies。
Nic。 Well； for the matter of that； merchants are good hands at
collecting stores； but it does not follow that a merchant or trader
will be able to command an army。
But （rejoined Socrates） Antisthenes is a man of great pertinacity； who
insists on winning； and that is a very necessary quality in a
general。＇3＇ Do not you see how each time he has been choragos＇4＇ he
has been successful with one chorus after another？
＇3＇ See Grote； 〃Plato；〃 i。 465 foll。
＇4＇ Choir…master； or Director of the Chorus。 It was his duty to
provide and preside over a chorus to sing； dance； or play at any
of the public festivals； defraying the cost as a state service of
｛leitourgia｝。 See 〃Pol。 Ath。〃 iii。 4； 〃Hiero；〃 ix。 4； Aristot。
〃Pol。 Ath。〃 28。 3。
Nic。 Bless me！ yes； but there is a wide difference between standing at
the head of a band of singers and dancers and a troop of soldiers。
Soc。 Still； without any practical skill in singing or in the training
of a chorus； Antisthenes somehow had the art to select the greatest
proficients in both。
Nic。 Yes； and by the same reasoning we are to infer that on a campaign
he will find proficients； some to marshal the troops for him and
others to fight his battles？
Soc。 Just so。 If in matters military he only exhibits the same skill
in selecting the best hands as he has shown in matters of the chorus；
it is highly probable he will here also bear away the palm of victory；
and we may presume that if he expended so much to win a choric victory
with a single tribe；＇5＇ he will be ready to expend more to secure a
victory in war with the whole state to back him。
＇5＇ See Dem。 〃against Lept。〃 496。 26。 Each tribe nominated such of its
members as were qualified to undertake the burden。
Nic。 Do you really mean； Socrates； that it is the function of the same
man to provide efficient choruses and to act as commander…in…chief？
Soc。 I mean this； that； given a man knows what he needs to provide；
and has the skill to do so； no matter what the deparment of things may
behouse or city or armyyou will find him a good chief and
director＇6＇ of the same。
＇6＇ Or； 〃representative。〃
Then Nicomachides： Upon my word； Socrates； I should never have
expected to hear you say that a good housekeeper＇7＇ and steward of an
estate would make a good general。
＇7＇ Or； 〃economist〃； cf。 〃Cyrop。〃 I。 vi。 12。
Soc。 Come then； suppose we examine their respective duties； and so
determine＇8＇ whether they are the same or different。
＇8＇ Lit。 〃get to know。〃
Nic。 Let us do so。
Soc。 Well then； is it not a common duty of both to procure the ready
obedience of those under them to their orders？
Nic。 Certainly。
Soc。 And also to assign to those best qualified to perform them their
distinctive tasks？
That； too； belongs to both alike （he answered）。
Soc。 Again； to chastise the bad and reward the good belongs to both
alike； methinks？
Nic。 Decidedly。
Soc。 And to win the kindly feeling of their subor