23
Yes; at any rate money-lending is especially appropriate to a wise man, for as drawing inferences is a specialty of his, and as money-lending and drawing interest is next-door to drawing inferences, the one, like the other, belongs particularly to the scholar: and not only getting simple interest, like other people, but interest upon interest. For don’t you know that there is a first interest and a second interest, the offspring,A play upon τάκος, which is literally "offspring.” as it were, of the first? And you surely perceive what logic says: “If he gets the first interest, he will get the second; but he will get the first, ergo he will get the second.”
24
Then we are to say the same of the fees that you get for your wisdom from young men, and obviously none but the scholar will get paid for his virtue?
24
Your understanding of the matter is correct. You see, I donot take pay on my own account, but for the sake of the giver himself: for since there are two classes of men, the disbursive and the receptive, I train myself to be receptive and my pupil to be disbursive.
24
On the contrary, the young man ought to be receptive and you, who alone are rich, disbursive!
24
You are joking, man. Look out that I don’t shoot you with my indemonstrable syllogism.Indemonstrable in the sense that its propositions do not require demonstration, or indeed admit of it.
24
What have I to fear from that shaft?
24
Perplexity and aphasia and a sprained intellect.
25
But the great thing is that if I wish I can turn you into a stone forthwith.
25
How will you turn me into a stone? You are not a Perseus, I think, my dear fellow.
25
In this way. Isa stone a substance?
25
Yes.
25
And how about this—is not an animal a substance?
25
Yes.
25
And you are an animal?
25
So it appears, anyhow.
25
Then you are a substance, and therefore a stone!
25
Don’t say that! Distribute my middle, for Heaven’s sake, and make me a man again.
25
That is not difficult. Be a man once more!—Tell me, is every substance an animal?
25
No.
25
Well, is a stone an animal?
25
No.
25
You are a substance?
