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Soc. Really I am greatly indebted to you, Theodorus, for my acquaintance with Theaetetus and with the Stranger, too.
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Theo. Presently, Socrates, you will be three times as much indebted, when they have worked out the statesman and the philosopher for you.
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Soc. Indeed! My dear Theodorus, can I believe my ears? Were those really the words of the great calculator and geometrician?
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Theo. Why, what do you mean, Socrates?
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Soc. When you rated sophist, statesman, and philosopher at the same value, though they are farther apart in worth than your mathematical proportion can express.
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Theo. By Ammon, our special divinity, Theodorus was from Cyrene, not far from the oasis of Ammon. that is a good hit, Socrates; evidently you haven’t forgotten your mathematics, and you are quite right in, finding fault with my bad arithmetic. I will get even with you at some other time; but now, Stranger, I turn to you. Do not grow tired of being kind to us, but go on and tell us about the statesman or the philosopher, whichever you prefer to take first.
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Str. That is the thing to do, Theodorus, since we have once begun, and we must not stop until we have finished with them. But what shall I do about Theaetetus here?
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Theo. In what respect?
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Str. Shall we give him a rest and take his schoolmate here, the young Socrates, in his place? What is your advice?
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Theo. Make the change as you suggest. They are young, and if they have a chance to rest by turns, they will bear any labor better.
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Soc. And besides, Stranger, it seems to me that they are both related to me after a fashion;