Complete Works (148 page)
“Nothing,” said Charmides—“our plotting is all done.”
“Are you going to use force,” I asked, “and don’t I get a preliminary hearing?”
“We shall have to use force,” said Charmides, “seeing that this fellow here has given me my orders. So you had better take counsel as to your own procedure.”
“What use is counsel?” said I. “Because when you undertake to do [d] anything by force, no man living can oppose you.”
“Well then,” he said, “don’t oppose me.”
“Very well, I shan’t,” said I.
1
. Socrates’ devoted friend, who put the question to the Delphic Oracle reported at
Apology
21a.
2
. Cydias: an obscure lyric poet.
3
. This Critias is the grandfather of our Critias. (See
Timaeus
20e.)
4
. The Greek word
h
ē
suchei
(“quietly”) connotes slowness as well.
5
.
Odyssey
xvii.347.
6
.
Works and Days
311.
7
. Literally, “the third [cup] to [Zeus] the Savior.” The third cup was regularly drunk thus, especially at the start of a voyage, and became thought of as lucky.
8
. See 167a.
9
. The reference is to
Odyssey
xix.564–67. True dreams come through the horn gate, deceitful ones through the gate of ivory.
10
. Socrates recalls the assumptions granted hypothetically at 169d and 173a–d.
Translated by Rosamond Kent Sprague.
In Greek, the subject of this dialogue is
andreia,
literally ‘manliness’, a personal
quality of wide scope, covering all the sorts of unwavering, active leadership
in and on behalf of the community that were traditionally expected in
Greek cities of true men. Its special connotation of military prowess makes
‘courage’ a suitable, even inevitable, translation, but its broader scope should
be borne in mind. Here Socrates probes the traditional conception of such courage
as the primary quality a young man should be brought up to possess. His
fellow discussants include two distinguished Athenian generals, Laches and
Nicias, active in the Peloponnesian War (Nicias was captured and put to death
in the disastrous Athenian withdrawal from Sicily in 413). The other two parties
to the discussion are elderly and undistinguished sons of distinguished
statesmen and generals of earlier times—Lysimachus, son of Aristides ‘the
Just’, a famous leader during the Persian War, and Melesias, son of Thucydides,
son of Melesias, a principal early opponent of Pericles in his policy of imperial
expansion.
Laches
has an unusually full and extensive ‘prologue’ before
Socrates takes over the reins of the discussion and seeks and refutes first Laches’
and then Nicias’ ideas about the nature of courage. Its function is at least
in part to provide opportunities for these four representatives of the traditional
conception to give it some preliminary articulation, thus bringing out some of
the tensions and divergent ways of thinking about courage and related matters
that the tradition harbors and that Socrates exploits in his own questioning
later on.
As always in Plato’s ‘Socratic’ dialogues, neither general’s answers to Socrates’
question ‘What is courage?’ prove satisfactory. Much of the discussion focuses
upon the element of knowledge—of reasoned, nuanced responsiveness to
the detailed circumstances for action—that on reflection Laches and Nicias
both agree is an essential, though perhaps somewhat submerged, part of the traditional
conception to which they themselves are committed. It is because of
this that Nicias and Socrates agree (Laches is slow to accept the point, but it is
clearly implied in what he has already said about courage’s involving ‘wisdom’)
that no dumb animal, and not even children, can correctly be called courageous—
however much people may ordinarily speak that way. Nicias, indeed,
wants to define courage simply as a kind of wisdom—wisdom about what is to
be feared and what, on the contrary, to be buoyed up by and made hopeful as
one pursues one’s objectives. He intimates that this fits well with things he has
heard Socrates say on other occasions, and in fact toward the end of
Protagoras
Socrates does adopt just this formulation of courage. Here, however,
whether this was a genuinely ‘Socratic’ idea or not, he and the two generals
find difficulties in it that they seem to see no immediate way to resolve, and
the discussion breaks off.
J.M.C.
L
YSIMACHUS
: You have seen the man fighting in armor, Nicias and Laches.
[178]
When Melesias and I invited you to see him with us, we neglected to give the reason why, but now we shall explain, because we think it especially right to be frank with you. Now there are some people who make fun of frankness and if anyone asks their advice, they don’t say what they think, [b] but they make a shot at what the other man would like to hear and say something different from their own opinion. But you we considered capable not only of forming a judgment but also, having formed one, of saying exactly what you think, and this is why we have taken you into our confidence about what we are going to communicate to you. Now the
[179]
matter about which I have been making such a long preamble is this: we have these two sons here—this one is the son of my friend Melesias here, and he is called Thucydides after his grandfather, and this one is my son, who also goes by his grandfather’s name—we call him Aristides after my father. We have made up our minds to take as good care of them as we possibly can and not to behave like most parents, who, when their children start to grow up, permit them to do whatever they wish. No, we think that now is the time to make a real beginning, so far as we can. Since we [b] knew that both of you had sons too, we thought that you, if anyone, would have been concerned about the sort of training that would make the best men of them. And if by any chance you have not turned your attention to this kind of thing very often, let us remind you that you ought not to neglect it, and let us invite you to care for your sons along with ours. How we reached this conclusion, Nicias and Laches, you must hear, even if it means my talking a bit longer. Now you must know that Melesias and I [c] take our meals together, and the boys eat with us. We shall be frank with you, exactly as I said in the beginning: each of us has a great many fine things to say to the young men about his own father, things they achieved both in war and in peace in their management of the affairs both of their allies and of the city here. But neither of us has a word to say about his own accomplishments. This is what shames us in front of them, and we [d] blame our fathers for allowing us to take things easy when we were growing up, while they were busy with other people’s affairs. And we point these same things out to the young people here, saying that if they are careless of themselves and disobedient to us, they will turn out to be nobodies, but if they take pains, perhaps they may become worthy of the names they bear.
1
Now the boys promise to be obedient, so we are looking into the question what form of instruction or practice would make them [e] turn out best. Somebody suggested this form of instruction to us, saying that it would be a fine thing for a young man to learn fighting in armor. And he praised this particular man whom you have just seen giving a display and proceeded to encourage us to see him. So we thought we ought to go to see the man and to take you with us, not only as fellow spectators but also as fellow counsellors and partners, if you should be willing, in the care of our sons. This is what we wanted to share with you.
[180]
So now is the time for you to give us your advice, not only about this form of instruction—whether you think it should be learned or not—but also about any other sort of study or pursuit for a young man which you admire. Tell us too, what part you will take in our joint enterprise.
N
ICIAS
: I, for one, Lysimachus and Melesias, applaud your plan and am ready to take part in it. And I think Laches here is ready too.
[b] L
ACHES
: You are quite right, Nicias. As for what Lysimachus said just now about his father and Melesias’ father, I think that what he said applied very well to them and to us and to everyone engaged in public affairs, because this is pretty generally what happens to them—that they neglect their private affairs, children as well as everything else, and manage them [c] carelessly. So you were right on this point, Lysimachus. But I am astonished that you are inviting us to be your fellow counsellors in the education of the young men and are not inviting Socrates here! In the first place, he comes from your own deme, and in the second, he is always spending his time in places where the young men engage in any study or noble pursuit of the sort you are looking for.
L
YSIMACHUS
: What do you mean, Laches? Has our friend Socrates concerned himself with any things of this kind?
L
ACHES
: Certainly, Lysimachus.
N
ICIAS
: This is a point I can vouch for no less than Laches, since he only [d] recently recommended a man to me as music teacher for my son. The man’s name is Damon, a pupil of Agathocles, and he is the most accomplished of men, not only in music, but in all the other pursuits in which you would think it worthwhile for boys of his age to spend their time.
L
YSIMACHUS
: People at my time of life, Socrates, Nicias, and Laches, are no longer familiar with the young because our advancing years keep us [e] at home so much of the time. But if you, son of Sophroniscus, have any good advice to give your fellow demesman, you ought to give it. And you have a duty to do so, because you are my friend through your father. He and I were always comrades and friends, and he died without our ever having had a single difference. And this present conversation reminds me of something—when the boys here are talking to each other at home, they often mention Socrates and praise him highly, but I’ve never thought to ask if they were speaking of the son of Sophroniscus. Tell me, boys, is this
[181]
the Socrates you spoke of on those occasions?
B
OYS
: Certainly, father, this is the one.
L
YSIMACHUS
: I am delighted, Socrates, that you keep up your father’s good reputation, for he was the best of men, and I am especially pleased at the idea that the close ties between your family and mine will be renewed.
L
ACHES
: Don’t under any circumstances let the man get away, Lysimachus—because I have seen him elsewhere keeping up not only his father’s [b] reputation but that of his country. He marched with me in the retreat from Delium,
2
and I can tell you that if the rest had been willing to behave in the same manner, our city would be safe and we would not then have suffered a disaster of that kind.
L
YSIMACHUS
: Socrates, the praise you are receiving is certainly of a high order, both because it comes from men who are to be trusted and because of the qualities for which they praise you. Be assured that I am delighted to hear that you are held in such esteem, and please consider me among those most kindly disposed towards you. You yourself ought to have [c] visited us long before and considered us your friends—that would have been the right thing to do. Well, since we have recognized each other, resolve now, starting today, to associate both with us and the young men here and to make our acquaintance, so that you may preserve the family friendship. So do what I ask, and we in turn shall keep you in mind of your promise. But what have you all to say about our original question? What is your opinion? Is fighting in armor a useful subject for young men to learn or not?
S
OCRATES
: Well, I shall try to advise you about these things as best I can, [d] Lysimachus, in addition to performing all the things to which you call my attention. However, it seems to me to be more suitable, since I am younger than the others and more inexperienced in these matters, for me to listen first to what they have to say and to learn from them. But if I should have something to add to what they say, then will be the time for me to teach and persuade both you and the others. Come, Nicias, why doesn’t one of you two begin?
N
ICIAS
: Well, there is no reason why not, Socrates. I think that knowledge [e] of this branch of study is beneficial for the young in all sorts of ways. For one thing, it is a good idea for the young not to spend their time in the pursuits in which they normally do like to spend it when they are at leisure, but rather in this one, which necessarily improves their bodies,
[182]
since it is in no way inferior to gymnastics exercises and no less strenuous, and, at the same time, this and horsemanship are forms of exercise especially suited to a free citizen. For in the contest in which we are the contestants and in the matters on which our struggle depends, only those are practiced who know how to use the instruments of war. And again, there is a certain advantage in this form of instruction even in an actual battle, whenever one has to fight in line with a number of others. But the greatest advantage of it comes when the ranks are broken and it then [b] becomes necessary for a man to fight in single combat, either in pursuit when he has to attack a man who is defending himself, or in flight, when he has to defend himself against another person who is attacking him. A man who has this skill would suffer no harm at the hands of a single opponent, nor even perhaps at the hands of a larger number, but he would have the advantage in every way. Then again, such a study arouses in us the desire for another fine form of instruction, since every man who learns to fight in armor will want to learn the subject that comes next, that is, [c] the science of tactics; and when he has mastered this and taken pride in it, he will press on to the whole art of the general. So it has already become clear that what is connected with this latter art, all the studies and pursuits which are fine and of great value for a man to learn and to practice, have this study as a starting point. And we shall add to this an advantage which is not at all negligible, that this knowledge will make every man much bolder and braver in war than he was before. And let us not omit to mention, even if to some it might seem a point not worth making, that [d] this art will give a man a finer-looking appearance at the very moment when he needs to have it, and when he will appear more frightening to the enemy because of the way he looks. So my opinion, Lysimachus, is just as I say, that young men should be taught these things, and I have given the reasons why I think so. But if Laches has anything to say on the other side, I would be glad to hear it.