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behoves us to be as straightforward as possible。＇29＇
＇29＇ Or； 〃an absolutely straightforward course is necessary。〃
I quite assent （replied Euthydemus）。
So far so good （remarked Socrates）； but if a general； seeing his
troops demoralised； were to invent a tale to the effect that
reinforcements were coming； and by means of this false statement
should revive the courage of his men； to which of the two accounts
shall we place that act of fraud？＇30＇
＇30＇ Cf。 〃Hell。〃 IV。 iii。 10； 〃Cyrop。〃 I。 vi。 31。
On the side of right； to my notion （he replied）。
Soc。 Or again； if a man chanced to have a son ill and in need of
medicine； which the child refused to take； and supposing the father by
an act of deceit to administer it under the guise of something nice to
eat； and by service of that lie to restore the boy to health； to which
account shall we set down this fraud？
Euth。 In my judgment it too should be placed to the same account。
Soc。 Well； supposing you have a friend in deplorably low spirits； and
you are afraid he will make away with himselfaccordingly you rob him
of his knife or other such instrument： to which side ought we to set
the theft？
Euth。 That too must surely be placed to the score of right behaviour。
Soc。 I understand you to say that a straightforward course is not in
every case to be pursued even in dealing with friends？
Heaven forbid！ （the youth exclaimed）。 If you will allow me； I rescind
my former statement。＇31＇
＇31＇ See above； I。 ii。 44 （｛anatithemai｝）。
Soc。 Allow you！ Of course you mayanything rather than make a false
entry on our lists。 。 。 。 But there is just another point we ought not
to leave uninvestigated。 Let us take the case of deceiving a friend to
his detriment： which is the more wrongfulto do so voluntarily or
unintentionally？
Euth。 Really； Socrates； I have ceased to believe in my own answers；
for all my former admissions and conceptions seem to me other than I
first supposed them。＇32＇ Still； if I may hazard one more opinion； the
intentional deceiver； I should say； is worse than the involuntary。
＇32＇ Or； 〃all my original positions seem to me now other than I first
conceived them〃； or； 〃everything I first asserted seems now to be
twisted topsy…turvy。〃
Soc。 And is it your opinion that there is a lore and science of Right
and Justice just as there is of letters and grammar？＇33＇
＇33＇ ｛mathesis kai episteme tou dikaiou｝a doctrine and a knowledge
of the Just。
Euth。 That is my opinion。
Soc。 And which should you say was more a man of letters＇34＇he who
intentionally misspells or misreads； or he who does so unconsciously？
＇34＇ Or； 〃more grammatical〃； 〃the better grammarian。〃
Euth。 He who does so intentionally； I should say； because he can spell
or read correctly whenever he chooses。
Soc。 Then the voluntary misspeller may be a lettered person； but the
involuntary offender is an illiterate？＇35＇
＇35＇ Or； 〃In fact； he who sins against the lore of grammer
intentionally may be a good grammarian and a man of letters； but
he who does so involuntarily is illiterate and a bad grammarian？〃
Euth。 True； he must be。 I do not see how to escape from that
conclusion。
Soc。 And which of the two knows what is righthe who intentionally
lies and deceives； or he who lies and deceives unconsciously？＇36＇
＇36＇ Or； Soc。 And does he who lies and deceives with intent know what
is right rather than he who does either or both unconsciously？
Euth。 Clearly he does。
Euth。 The intentional and conscious liar clearly。
Soc。 Well then； your statement is this： on the one hand； the man who
has the knowledge of letters is more lettered than he who has no such
knowledge？＇37＇
＇37＇ Or； Soc。 It is a fair inference； is it not； that he who has the
｛episteme｝ of grammar is more grammatical than he who has no such
｛episteme｝？
Euth。 Yes。
Soc。 And he who has the ｛episteme｝ of things rightful is more
righteous than he who lacks the ｛episteme｝？ See Plat。 〃Hipp。
min。〃； Arist。 〃Eth。 Eud。〃 VI。 v。 7。
Euth。 Yes。
Soc。 And； on the other； he who has the knowledge of what is right is
more righteous than he who lacks that knowledge？
Euth。 I suppose it is； but for the life of me I cannot make head or
tail of my own admission。＇38＇
＇38＇ Lit。 〃Apparently； but I appear to myself to be saying this also；
heaven knows how。〃 See Jowett； 〃Plato；〃 ii。 p。 416 （ed。 2）。
Soc。 Well （look at it like this）。 Suppose a man to be anxious to speak
the truth； but he is never able to hold the same language about a
thing for two minutes together。 First he says： 〃The road is towards
the east；〃 and then he says； 〃No； it's towards the west〃； or； running
up a column of figures； now he makes the product this； and again he
makes it that； now more； now lesswhat do you think of such a man？
Euth。 Heaven help us！ clearly he does not know what he thought he
knew。
Soc。 And you know the appellation given to certain people
〃slavish；〃＇39＇ or； 〃little better than a slave？〃
＇39＇ ｛andropododeis｝； which has the connotation of mental dulness； and
a low order of intellect； cf。 〃boorish；' 〃rustic；〃 〃loutish；〃
（〃pariah；〃 conceivably）。 〃Slavish；〃 〃servile；〃 with us connote
moral rather than intellectual deficiency； I suppose。 Hence it is
impossible to preserve the humour of the Socratic argument。 See
Newman； op。 cit。 i。 107。
Euth。 I do。
Soc。 Is it a term suggestive of the wisdom or the ignorance of those
to whom it is applied？
Euth。 Clearly of their ignorance。
Soc。 Ignorance； for instance； of smithying？
Euth。 No； certainly not。
Soc。 Then possibly ignorance of carpentering？
Euth。 No； nor yet ignorance of carpentering。
Soc。 Well； ignorance of shoemaking？
Euth。 No； nor ignorance of any of these： rather the reverse； for the
majority of those who do know just these matters are 〃little better
than slaves。〃
Soc。 You mean it is a title particularly to those who are ignorant of
the beautiful； the good； the just？＇40＇
＇40＇ Cf。 Goethe's 〃Im Ganzen Guten Schonen resolut zu leben。〃
It is； in my opinion （he replied）。
Soc。 Then we must in every way strain every nerve to avoid the
imputation of being slaves？
Euth。 Nay； Socrates； by all that is holy； I did flatter myself that at
any rate I was a student of philosophy； and on the right road to be
taught everything essential to one who would fain make beauty and
goodness his pursuit。＇41＇ So that now you may well imagine my despair
when； for all my pains expended； I cannot even answer the questions
put to me about what most of all a man should know； and there is no
path of progress open to me； no avenue of improvement left。
＇41＇ ｛tes kalokagathias｝； the virtue of the ｛kalos te kagathos｝
nobility of soul。 Cf。 above； I。 vi。 14。
Thereupon Socrates： Tell me； Euthydemus； have you ever been to Delphi？
Yes； certainly； twice （said he）。
Soc。 And did you notice an inscription somewhere on the temple： ｛GNOMI
SEAUTON｝KNOW THYSELF？
Euth。 I did。
Soc。 Did you； possibly； pay no regard to the inscription？ or did you
give it heed and try to discover who and what you were？
I can safely say I did no