The Economist [30]
Do you put defence and accusation into formal language?[21]
[21] "Does your practice include the art of translating into words your sentiments?" Cf. "Mem." I. ii. 52.
Isch. "Formal language," say you, Socrates? The fact is, I never cease to practise speaking; and on this wise: Some member of my household has some charge to bring, or some defence to make,[22] against some other. I have to listen and examine. I must try to sift the truth. Or there is some one whom I have to blame or praise before my friends, or I must arbitrate between some close connections and endeavour to enforce the lesson that it is to their own interests to be friends not foes.[23] . . . We are present to assist a general in court;[24] we are called upon to censure some one; or defend some other charged unjustly; or to prosecute a third who has received an honour which he ill deserves. It frequently occurs in our debates[25] that there is some course which we strongly favour: naturally we sound its praises; or some other, which we disapprove of: no less naturally we point out its defects.
[22] Or, "One member of my household appears as plaintiff, another as defendant. I must listen and cross-question."
[23] The "asyndeton" would seem to mark a pause, unless some words have dropped out. See the commentators ad loc.
[24] The scene is perhaps that of a court-martial (cf. "Anab." V. viii.; Dem. "c. Timocr." 749. 16). (Al. cf. Sturz, "Lex." s.v. "we are present (as advocates) and censure some general"), or more probably, I think, that of a civil judicial inquiry of some sort, conducted at a later date by the Minister of Finance ({to stratego to epi tas summorias eremeno}).
[25] Or, "Or again, a frequent case, we sit in council" (as members of the Boule). See Aristot. "Pol." iv. 15.
He paused, then added: Things have indeed now got so far, Socrates, that several times I have had to stand my trial and have judgment passed upon me in set terms, what I must pay or what requital I must make.[26]
[26] See "Symp." v. 8. Al. {dielemmenos} = "to be taken apart and have . . ."
And at whose bar (I asked) is the sentence given? That point I failed to catch.[27]
[27] Or, "so dull was I, I failed to catch the point."
Whose but my own wife's? (he answered).
And, pray, how do you conduct your own case? (I asked).[28]
[28] See "Mem." III. vii. 4; Plat. "Euth." 3 E.
Not so ill (he answered), when truth and interest correspond, but when they are opposed, Socrates, I have no skill to make the worse appear the better argument.[29]
[29] See Plat. "Apol." 19-23 D; Aristoph. "Clouds," 114 foll.
Perhaps you have no skill, Ischomachus, to make black white or falsehood truth (said I).[30]
[30] Or, "It may well be, Ischomachus, you cannot manufacture falsehood into truth." Lit. "Like enough you cannot make an untruth true."
XII
But (I continued presently), perhaps I am preventing you from going, as you long have wished to do, Ischomachus?
To which he: By no means, Socrates. I should not think of going away until the gathering in the market is dispersed.[1]
[1] Lit. "until the market is quite broken up," i.e. after mid-day. See "Anab." I. viii. 1; II. i. 7; "Mem." I. i. 10. Cf. Herod. ii. 173; iii. 104; vii. 223.
Of course, of course (I answered), you are naturally most careful not to forfeit the title they have given you of "honest gentleman";[2] and yet, I daresay, fifty things at home are asking your attention at this moment; only you undertook to meet your foreign friends, and rather than play them false you go on waiting.
[2] Lit. "beautiful and good."
Isch. Let me so far corect you, Socrates; in no case will the things you speak of be neglected, since I have stewards and bailiffs[3] on the farms.
[3] Cf. Becker, op. cit. p. 363.
Soc. And, pray, what is your system when you need a bailiff? Do you search about, until you light on some one with a natural turn for stewardship; and then try to purchase him?--as, I feel certain, happens when you want
[21] "Does your practice include the art of translating into words your sentiments?" Cf. "Mem." I. ii. 52.
Isch. "Formal language," say you, Socrates? The fact is, I never cease to practise speaking; and on this wise: Some member of my household has some charge to bring, or some defence to make,[22] against some other. I have to listen and examine. I must try to sift the truth. Or there is some one whom I have to blame or praise before my friends, or I must arbitrate between some close connections and endeavour to enforce the lesson that it is to their own interests to be friends not foes.[23] . . . We are present to assist a general in court;[24] we are called upon to censure some one; or defend some other charged unjustly; or to prosecute a third who has received an honour which he ill deserves. It frequently occurs in our debates[25] that there is some course which we strongly favour: naturally we sound its praises; or some other, which we disapprove of: no less naturally we point out its defects.
[22] Or, "One member of my household appears as plaintiff, another as defendant. I must listen and cross-question."
[23] The "asyndeton" would seem to mark a pause, unless some words have dropped out. See the commentators ad loc.
[24] The scene is perhaps that of a court-martial (cf. "Anab." V. viii.; Dem. "c. Timocr." 749. 16). (Al. cf. Sturz, "Lex." s.v. "we are present (as advocates) and censure some general"), or more probably, I think, that of a civil judicial inquiry of some sort, conducted at a later date by the Minister of Finance ({to stratego to epi tas summorias eremeno}).
[25] Or, "Or again, a frequent case, we sit in council" (as members of the Boule). See Aristot. "Pol." iv. 15.
He paused, then added: Things have indeed now got so far, Socrates, that several times I have had to stand my trial and have judgment passed upon me in set terms, what I must pay or what requital I must make.[26]
[26] See "Symp." v. 8. Al. {dielemmenos} = "to be taken apart and have . . ."
And at whose bar (I asked) is the sentence given? That point I failed to catch.[27]
[27] Or, "so dull was I, I failed to catch the point."
Whose but my own wife's? (he answered).
And, pray, how do you conduct your own case? (I asked).[28]
[28] See "Mem." III. vii. 4; Plat. "Euth." 3 E.
Not so ill (he answered), when truth and interest correspond, but when they are opposed, Socrates, I have no skill to make the worse appear the better argument.[29]
[29] See Plat. "Apol." 19-23 D; Aristoph. "Clouds," 114 foll.
Perhaps you have no skill, Ischomachus, to make black white or falsehood truth (said I).[30]
[30] Or, "It may well be, Ischomachus, you cannot manufacture falsehood into truth." Lit. "Like enough you cannot make an untruth true."
XII
But (I continued presently), perhaps I am preventing you from going, as you long have wished to do, Ischomachus?
To which he: By no means, Socrates. I should not think of going away until the gathering in the market is dispersed.[1]
[1] Lit. "until the market is quite broken up," i.e. after mid-day. See "Anab." I. viii. 1; II. i. 7; "Mem." I. i. 10. Cf. Herod. ii. 173; iii. 104; vii. 223.
Of course, of course (I answered), you are naturally most careful not to forfeit the title they have given you of "honest gentleman";[2] and yet, I daresay, fifty things at home are asking your attention at this moment; only you undertook to meet your foreign friends, and rather than play them false you go on waiting.
[2] Lit. "beautiful and good."
Isch. Let me so far corect you, Socrates; in no case will the things you speak of be neglected, since I have stewards and bailiffs[3] on the farms.
[3] Cf. Becker, op. cit. p. 363.
Soc. And, pray, what is your system when you need a bailiff? Do you search about, until you light on some one with a natural turn for stewardship; and then try to purchase him?--as, I feel certain, happens when you want