Soc. I cannot say that either of you show any reluctance to take counsel and advise with me.
Lys. But this is our proper business ; and yours as well as ours, for I reckon you as one of us. Please then to take my place, and find out from Nicias and Laches what we want to know, for the sake of the youths, and talk and consult with them : for I am old, and my memory is bad ; and I do not remember the questions which I am going to ask, or the answers to them ; and if there is any interruption I am quite lost. I will therefore beg of you to carry on the proposed discussion by yourselves ; and I will listen, and Melesias and I will act upon your conclusions.
Soc. Let us, Nicias and Laches, comply with the request of Lysimachus and Melesias. There will be no harm in asking ourselves the question which was first proposed to us : “Who have been our own instructors in this sort of training, and whom have we made better ?” But the other mode of carrying on the enquiry will bring us equally to the same point, and will be more like proceeding from first principles. For if we knew that the addition of something would improve some other thing, and were able to make the addition, then, clearly, we must know how that about which we are advising may be best and most easily attained. Perhaps you do not understand what I mean. Then let me make my meaning plainer in this way. Suppose we knew that the addition of sight makes better the eyes which possess this gift, and also were able to impart sight to the eyes, then, clearly, we should know the nature of sight, and should be able to advise how this gift of sight may be best and most easily attained ; but if we knew neither what sight is, nor what hearing is, we should not be very good medical advisers about the eyes or the ears, or about the best mode of giving sight and hearing to them.
La. That is true, Socrates.
Soc. And are not our two friends, Laches, at this very moment inviting us to consider in what way the gift of virtue may be imparted to their sons for the improvement of their minds ?
La. Very true.
Soc. Then must we not first know the nature of virtue ? For how can we advise any one about the best mode of attaining something of which we are wholly ignorant ?
La. I do not think that we can, Socrates.
Soc. Then, Laches, we may presume that we know the nature of virtue ?
La. Yes.
Soc. And that which we know we must surely be able to tell ?
La. Certainly.
Soc. I would not have us begin, my friend, with enquiring about the whole of virtue ; for that may be more than we can accomplish ; let us first consider whether we have a sufficient knowledge of a part ; the enquiry will thus probably be made easier to us.
La. Let us do as you say, Socrates.
Soc. Then which of the parts of virtue shall we select ? Must we not select that to which the art of fighting in armour is supposed to conduce ? And is not that generally thought to be courage ?
La. Yes, certainly.
Soc. Then, Laches, suppose that we first set about determining the nature of courage, and in the second place proceed to enquire how the young men may attain this quality by the help of studies and pursuits. Tell me, if you can, what is courage.