114
Soc. Well, my good sir, imagine I am the people in Assembly; even there, you know, you will have to persuade each man singly, will you not?
114
Alc. Yes.
114
Soc. And the same man may well persuade one person singly, and many together, about things that he knows, just as the schoolmaster, I suppose, persuades either one or many about letters?
114
Alc. Yes.
114
Soc. And again, will not the same man persuade either one or many about number?
114
Alc. Yes.
114
Soc. And this will be the man who knows—the arithmetician?
114
Alc. Quite so.
114
Soc. And you too can persuade a single man about things of which you can persuade many?
114
Alc. Presumably.
114
Soc. And these are clearly things that you know.
114
Alc. Yes.
114
Soc. And the only difference between the orator speaking before the people and one who speaks in a conversation like ours is that the former persuades men in a number together of the same things, and the latter persuades them one at a time?
114
Alc. It looks like it.
114
Soc. Come now, since we see that the same man may persuade either many or one, try your unpracticed hand on me, and endeavor to show that the just is sometimes not expedient.
114
Alc. You are insolent, Socrates!
114
Soc. This time, at any rate, I am going to have the insolence to persuade you of the opposite of that which you decline to prove to me.
114
Alc. Speak, then.
114
Soc. Just answer my questions.
114
Alc. No, you yourself must be the speaker.
114
Soc. What? Do you not wish above all things to be persuaded?
114
Alc. By all means, to be sure.
114
Soc. And you would best be persuaded if you should say the case is so?
114
Alc. I agree.
114
Soc. Then answer; and if you do not hear your own self say that the just is expedient, put no trust in the words of anyone again.
114
Alc. I will not: but I may as well answer; for I do not think I shall come to any harm.
115
Soc. You are quite a prophet! Now tell me, do you consider some just things to be expedient, and others not?
115
Alc. Yes.
115
Soc. And again, some noble, and some not?
115
Alc. What do you mean by that question?
