That　is　why　we　have　come　hither；　Socrates；　and　our　purpose　is　not　only　to　exhibit；　but　also　to　teach　any　one　who　likes　to　learn。
  But　I　can　promise　you；　I　said；　that　every　unvirtuous　person　will　want　to　learn。　　I　shall　be　the　first；　and　there　is　the　youth　Cleinias；　and　Ctesippus：　　and　here　are　several　others；　I　said；　pointing　to　the　lovers　of　Cleinias；　who　were　beginning　to　gather　round　us。　　Now　Ctesippus　was　sitting　at　some　distance　from　Cleinias；　and　when　Euthydemus　leaned　forward　in　talking　with　me；　he　was　prevented　from　seeing　Cleinias；　who　was　between　us；　and　so；　partly　because　he　wanted　to　look　at　his　love；　and　also　because　he　was　interested；　he　jumped　up　and　stood　opposite　to　us：　　and　all　the　other　admirers　of　Cleinias；　as　well　as　the　disciples　of　Euthydemus　and　Dionysodorus；　followed　his　example。　　And　these　were　the　persons　whom　I　showed　to　Euthydemus；　telling　him　that　they　were　all　eager　to　learn：　　to　which　Ctesippus　and　all　of　them　with　one　voice　vehemently　assented；　and　bid　him　exhibit　the　power　of　his　wisdom。　　Then　I　said：　　O　Euthydemus　and　Dionysodorus；　I　earnestly　request　you　to　do　myself　and　the　company　the　favour　to　exhibit。　　There　may　be　some　trouble　in　giving　the　whole　exhibition；　but　tell　me　one　thing；can　you　make　a　good　man　of　him　only　who　is　already　convinced　that　he　ought　to　learn　of　you；　or　of　him　also　who　is　not　convinced；　either　because　he　imagines　that　virtue　is　a　thing　which　cannot　be　taught　at　all；　or　that　you　are　not　the　teachers　of　it？　　Has　your　art　power　to　persuade　him；　who　is　of　the　latter　temper　of　mind；　that　virtue　can　be　taught；　and　that　you　are　the　men　from　whom　he　will　best　learn　it？
  Certainly；　Socrates；　said　Dionysodorus；　our　art　will　do　both。
  And　you　and　your　brother；　Dionysodorus；　I　said；　of　all　men　who　are　now　living　are　the　most　likely　to　stimulate　him　to　philosophy　and　to　the　study　of　virtue？
  Yes；　Socrates；　I　rather　think　that　we　are。
  Then　I　wish　that　you　would　be　so　good　as　to　defer　the　other　part　of　the　exhibition；　and　only　try　to　persuade　the　youth　whom　you　see　here　that　he　ought　to　be　a　philosopher　and　study　virtue。　　Exhibit　that；　and　you　will　confer　a　great　favour　on　me　and　on　every　one　present；　for　the　fact　is　I　and　all　of　us　are　extremely　anxious　that　he　should　become　truly　good。　　His　name　is　Cleinias；　and　he　is　the　son　of　Axiochus；　and　grandson　of　the　old　Alcibiades；　cousin　of　the　Alcibiades　that　now　is。　　He　is　quite　young；　and　we　are　naturally　afraid　that　some　one　may　get　the　start　of　us；　and　turn　his　mind　in　a　wrong　direction；　and　he　may　be　ruined。　　Your　visit；　therefore；　is　most　happily　timed；　and　I　hope　that　you　will　make　a　trial　of　the　young　man；　and　converse　with　him　in　our　presence；　if　you　have　no　objection。
  These　were　pretty　nearly　the　expressions　which　I　used；　and　Euthydemus；　in　a　manly　and　at　the　same　time　encouraging　tone；　replied：　　There　can　be　no　objection；　Socrates；　if　the　young　man　is　only　willing　to　answer　questions。
  He　is　quite　accustomed　to　do　so；　I　replied；　for　his　friends　often　come　and　ask　him　questions　and　argue　with　him；　and　therefore　he　is　quite　at　home　in　answering。
  What　followed；　Crito；　how　can　I　rightly　narrate？　　For　not　slight　is　the　task　of　rehearsing　infinite　wisdom；　and　therefore；　like　the　poets；　I　ought　to　commence　my　relation　with　an　invocation　to　Memory　and　the　Muses。　　Now　Euthydemus；　if　I　remember　rightly；　began　nearly　as　follows：　　O　Cleinias；　are　those　who　learn　the　wise　or　the　ignorant？
  The　youth；　overpowered　by　the　question　blushed；　and　in　his　perplexity　looked　at　me　for　help；　and　I；　knowing　that　he　was　disconcerted；　said：　　Take　courage；　Cleinias；　and　answer　like　a　man　whichever　you　think；　for　my　belief　is　that　you　will　derive　the　greatest　benefit　from　their　questions。
  Whichever　he　answers；　said　Dionysodorus；　leaning　forward　so　as　to　catch　my　ear；　his　face　beaming　with　laughter；　I　prophesy　that　he　will　be　refuted；　Socrates。
  While　he　was　speaking　to　me；　Cleinias　gave　his　answer：　　and　therefore　I　had　no　time　to　warn　him　of　the　predicament　in　which　he　was　placed；　and　he　answered　that　those　who　learned　were　the　wise。
  Euthydemus　proceeded：　　There　are　some　whom　you　would　call　teachers；　are　there　not？
  The　boy　assented。
  And　they　are　the　teachers　of　those　who　learnthe　grammar…master　and　the　lyre…master　used　to　teach　you　and　other　boys；　and　you　were　the　learners？
  Yes。
  And　when　you　were　learners　you　did　not　as　yet　know　the　things　which　you　were　learning？
  No；　he　said。
  And　were　you　wise　then？
  No；　indeed；　he　said。
  But　if　you　were　not　wise　you　were　unlearned？
  Certainly。
  You　then；　learning　what　you　did　not　know；　were　unlearned　when　you　were　learning？
  The　youth　nodded　assent。
  Then　the　unlearned　learn；　and　not　the　wise；　Cleinias；　as　you　imagine。
  At　these　words　the　followers　of　Euthydemus；　of　whom　I　spoke；　like　a　chorus　at　the　bidding　of　their　director；　laughed　and　cheered。　　Then；　before　the　youth　had　time　to　recover　his　breath；　Dionysodorus　cleverly　took　him　in　hand；　and　said：　　Yes；　Cleinias；　and　when　the　grammar…master　dictated　anything　to　you；　were　they　the　wise　boys　or　the　unlearned　who　learned　the　dictation？
  The　wise；　replied　Cleinias。
  Then　after　all　the　wise　are　the　learners　and　not　the　unlearned；　and　your　last　answer　to　Euthydemus　was　wrong。
  Then　once　more　the　admirers　of　the　two　heroes；　in　an　ecstasy　at　their　wisdom；　gave　vent　to　another　peal　of　laughter；　while　the　rest　of　us　were　silent　and　amazed。　　Euthydemus；　observing　this；　determined　to　persevere　with　the　youth；　and　in　order　to　heighten　the　effect　went　on　asking　another　similar　question；　which　might　be　compared　to　the　double　turn　of　an　expert　dancer。　　Do　those；　said　he；　who　learn；　learn　what　they　know；　or　what　they　do　not　know？
  Again　Dionysodorus　whispered　to　me：　　That；　Socrates；　is　just　another　of　the　same　sort。
  Good　heavens；　I　said；　and　your　last　question　was　so　good！
  Like　all　our　other　questions；　Socrates；　he　repliedinevitable。
  I　see　the　reason；　I　said；　why　you　are　in　such　reputation　among　your　disciples。
  Meanwhile　Cleinias　had　answered　Euthydemus　that　those　who　learned　learn　what　they　do　not　know；　and　he　put　him　through　a　series　of　questions　the　same　as　before。
  Do　you　not　know　letters？
  He　assented。
  All　letters？
  Yes。
  But　when　the　teacher　dictates　to　you；　does　he　not　dictate　letters？
  To　this　also　he　assented。
  Then　if　you　know　all　letters；　he　dictates　that　which　you　know？
  This　again　was　admitted　by　him。
  Then；　said　the　other；　you　do　not　learn　that　which　he　dictates；　but　he　only　who　does　not　know　letters　learns？
  Nay；　said　Cleinias；　but　I　do　learn。
  Then；　said　he；　you　learn　what　you　know；　if　you　know　all　the　letters？
  He　admitted　that。
  Then；　he　said；　you　were　wrong　in　your　answer。
  The　word　was　hardly　out　of　his　mouth　when　Dionysodorus　took　up　the　argument；　like　a　ball　which　he　caught；　and　had　another　throw　at　the　youth。　　Cleinias；　he　said；　Euthydemus　is　deceiving　you。　　For　tell　me　now；　is　not　learning　acquiring　knowledge　of　that　which　one　learns？
  Cleinias　assented。
  And　knowing　is　having　knowledge　at　the　time？
  He　agreed。
  And　not　knowing　is　not　having　knowledge　at　the　time？
  He　admitted　that。
  And　are　those　who　acquire　those　who　have　or　have　not　a　thing？
  Those　who　have　not。
  And　have　you　not　admitted　that　those　who　do　not　know　are　of　the　number　of　those　who　have　not？
  He　nodded　assent。
  Then　those　who　learn　are　of　the　class　of　those　who　acquire；　and　not　of　those　who　have？
  He　agreed。
  Then；　Cleinias；　he　said；　those　who　do　not　know　learn；　and　not　those　who　know。
  Euthydemus　was　proceeding　to　give　the　youth　a　third　fall；　but　I　knew　that　he　was　in　deep　water；　and　therefore；　as　I　wanted　to　give　him　a　respite　lest　he　should　be　disheartened；　I　said　to　him　consolingly：　　You　must　not　be　surprised；　Cleinias；　at　the　singularity　of　their　mode　of　speech：　　this　I　say　because　you　may　not　understand　what　the　two　strangers　are　doing　with　you；　they　are　only　initiating　you　after　the　manner　of　the　Corybantes　in　the　mysteries；　and　this　answers　to　the　enthronement；　which；　if　you　have　ever　been　initiated；　is；　as　you　will　know；　accompanied　by　dancing　and　sport；　and　now　they　are　just　prancing　and　dancing　about　you；　and　will　next　proceed　to　initiate　you；　imagine　then　that　you　have　gone　through　the　first　part　of　the　sophistical　ritual；　which；　as　Prodicus　says；　begins　with　initiation　into　the　correct　use　of　terms。　　The　two　foreign　gentlemen；　perceiving　that　you　did　not　know；　wanted　to　explain　to　you　that　the　word　'to　learn'　has　two　meanings；　and　is　used；　first；　in　the　sense　of　acquiring　knowledge　of　some　matter　of　which　you　previously　have　no　knowledge；　and　also；　when　you　have　the　knowledge；　in　the　sense　of　reviewing　this　matter；　whether　something　done　or　spoken　by　the　light　of　this　newly…acquired　knowledge；　the　latter　is　generally　called　'knowing'　rather　than　'learning；'　but　the　word　'learning'　is　also　used；　and　you　did　not　see；　as　they　explained　to　you；　that　the　term　is　employed　of　two　opposite　sorts　of　men；　of　those　who　know；　and　of　those　who　do　not　know。　　There　was　a　similar　trick　in　the　second　question；　when　they　asked　you　whether　men　learn　what　they　know　or　what　they　do　not　know。　　These　parts　of　learning　are　not　serious；　and　therefore　I　say　that　the　gentlemen　are