Theodorus. Here we are, Socrates, true to our agreement of yesterday ; and we bring with us a stranger from Elea, who is a disciple of Parmenides and Zeno, and a true philosopher.
Socrates. Is he not rather a god, Theodorus, who comes to us in the disguise of a stranger ? For Homer says that all the gods, and especially the god of strangers, are companions of the meek and just, and visit the good and evil among men. And may not your companion be one of those higher powers, a cross-examining deity, who has come to spy out our weakness in argument, and to cross-examine us ?
Theod. Nay, Socrates, he is not one of the disputatious sort — he is too good for that. And, in my opinion, he is not a god at all ; but divine he certainly is, for this is a title which I should give to all philosophers.
Soc. Capital, my friend ! and I may add that they are almost as hard to be discerned as the gods. For the true philosophers, and such as are not merely made up for the occasion, appear in various forms unrecognized by the ignorance of men, and they “hover about cities,” as Homer declares, looking from above upon human life ; and some think nothing of them, and others can never think enough ; and sometimes they appear as statesmen, and sometimes as sophists ; and then, again, to many they seem to be no better than madmen. I should like to ask our Eleatic friend, if he would tell us, what is thought about them in Italy, and to whom the terms are applied.
Theod. What terms ?
Soc. Sophist, statesman, philosopher.
Theod. What is your difficulty about them, and what made you ask ?
Soc. I want to know whether by his countrymen they are regarded as one or two ; or do they, as the names are three, distinguish also three kinds, and assign one to each name ?
Theod. I dare say that the Stranger will not object to discuss the question. What do you say, Stranger ?
Stranger. I am far from objecting, Theodorus, nor have I any difficulty in replying that by us they are regarded as three. But to define precisely the nature of each of them is by no means a slight or easy task.
Theod. You have happened to light, Socrates, almost on the very question which we were asking our friend before we came hither, and he excused himself to us, as he does now you ; although he admitted that the matter had been fully discussed, and that he remembered the answer.
Soc. Then do not, Stranger, deny us the first favour which we ask of you : I am sure that you will not, and therefore I shall only beg of you to say whether you like and are accustomed to make a long oration on a subject which you want to explain to another, or to proceed by the method of question and answer. I remember hearing a very noble discussion in which Parmenides employed the latter of the two methods, when I was a young man, and he was far advanced in years.
Str. I prefer to talk with another when he responds pleasantly, and is light in hand ; if not, I would rather have my own say.
Soc. Any one of the present company will respond kindly to you, and you can choose whom you like of them ; I should recommend you to take a young person — Theaetetus, for example — unless you have a preference for some one else.
Str. I feel ashamed, Socrates, being a new comer into your society, instead of talking a little and hearing others talk, to be spinning out a long soliloquy or address, as if I wanted to show off. For the true answer will certainly be a very long one, a great deal longer than might be expected from such a short and simple question. At the same time, I fear that I may seem rude and ungracious if I refuse your courteous request, especially after what you have said. For I certainly cannot object to your proposal, that Theaetetus should respond, having already conversed with him myself, and being recommended by you to take him.
Theaetetus. But are you sure, Stranger, that this will be quite so acceptable to the rest of the company as Socrates imagines ?
Str. You hear them applauding, Theaetetus ; after that, there is nothing more to be said. Well then, I am to argue with you, and if you tire of the argument, you may complain of your friends and not of me.
Theaet. I do not think that I shall tire, and if I do, I shall get my friend here, young Socrates, the namesake of the elder Socrates, to help ; he is about my own age, and my partner at the gymnasium, and is constantly accustomed to work with me.