148
Soc. But come now, in Heaven’s name—for I suppose you see how great and strange is our perplexity, in which you, as it seems to me, have your share; for you change about from this side to that without settling down for a moment, but as soon as you are firmly convinced of a thing you seem to slip out of it again and cease to hold the same view—well, if the god to whom you are going should even now appear to you and ask before you uttered any prayer, whether you would be content to obtain one of those things which were mentioned at the beginning, or whether he should leave you to pray as you were, how do you suppose you would make the best of your chance—by accepting his offer, or by praying for something on your own account?
148
Alc. Well, by the gods, I could not answer your question, Socrates, offhand. Why, I take it to be a fatuous request, i.e., that I should answer offhand. The pun in μάργον, alluding to the fatuous Margites, cannot be rendered in English. when it is really a case for great caution lest one pray unawares for what is evil while thinking it to be one’s good, and then after a little while, as you were saying, Plat. Alc. 2.142d. one change one’s tune and retract all one’s former prayers.
148
Soc. And did not the poet whom I quoted at the beginning of our discussion Plat. Alc. 2.143d. know more than we, when he bade us pray for the averting of what is grievous, even though we pray for it?
148
Alc. I think so.
