107
Soc. Because, I imagine, you do not understand shipbuilding. Is that, and that alone, the reason?
107
Alc. That is just the reason.
107
Soc. Well, on what sort of affairs of their own do you mean that they will be deliberating?
107
Alc. On war, Socrates, or on peace, or on any other of the state’s affairs.
107
Soc. Do you mean that they will be deliberating with whom they ought to make peace, and on whom they ought to make war, and in what manner?
107
Alc. Yes.
107
Soc. And on whom it is better to do so, ought they not?
107
Alc. Yes.
107
Soc. And at such time as it is better?
107
Alc. Certainly.
107
Soc. And for so long as they had better?
107
Alc. Yes.
107
Soc. Now if the Athenians should deliberate with whom they should wrestle close, and with whom only at arm’s length, and in what manner, would you or the wrestling-master be the better adviser?
107
Alc. The wrestling-master, I presume.
107
Soc. And can you tell me what the wrestling-master would have in view when he advised as to the persons with whom they ought or ought not to wrestle close, and when and in what manner? What I mean is something like this: ought they not to wrestle close with those with whom it is better to do so?
107
Alc. Yes.
108
Soc. And so far as is better, too?
108
Alc. So far.
108
Soc. And at such time also as is better?
108
Alc. Certainly.
108
Soc. But again, when one sings, one has sometimes to accompany the song with harping and stepping?
108
Alc. Yes, one has.
108
Soc. And at such time as is better?
108
Alc. Yes.
108
Soc. And so far as is better?
108
Alc. I agree.
108
Soc. Well now, since you applied the term better to the two cases of harping for accompaniment of a song and close wrestling, what do you call the better in the case of harping, to correspond with what in the case of wrestling I call gymnastic? What do you call the other?
108
Alc. I do not understand.
108
Soc. Well, try to copy me: for my answer gave you, I think, what is correct in every instance; and that is correct, I presume, which proceeds by rule of the art, is it not?
108
Alc. Yes.
