The Second Alcibiades

Socrates: Alcibiades! are you going to the temple to make your petitions to the God?

Alcibiades: Your conjecture is perfectly right, Socrates.

Socrates: Indeed your countenance appears close and cloudy; and your eyes are turned toward the ground, as if you were wrapped in some profound thought.

Alcibiades: What profound thoughts could a man have at such a time, Socrates?

Socrates: Thoughts, Alcibiades, such as seem to me of the highest importance. For tell me, in the name of Jupiter, do you not think, when we happen, whether in private or in public, to be making our petitions to the Gods, that sometimes they grant a part of those petitions, and reject the rest; and that to some of their petitioners they hearken, but are deaf to others?

Alcibiades: No doubt of it.

Socrates: Do you not think, then, that much previous consideration is requisite to prevent a man from praying unwittingly for things which are very evil, but which he imagines very good; if the Gods at that time when he is praying to them should happen to be disposed to grant whatever prayers he happens to make? As Œdipus, they say, inconsiderately prayed the Gods that his sons might divide their patrimony between them by the sword. Instead, therefore, of praying for his family, as he might have done, that the evils which it then suffered might be averted, he cursed it by praying that more might be superadded. The event of which curse was this, that not only what he prayed for was accomplished, but from that accomplishment followed other evils, many and terrible, which there is no need to enumerate.

Alcibiades: But, Socrates, you have now spoken of a man who was insane, for who, think you, in his sound mind would venture to make such sort of prayers?

Socrates: Whether is it your opinion, that to be insane is to be in a state of mind contrary to that which is sound?

Alcibiades: I am quite of opinion that it is.

Socrates: And are you not of opinion, too, that there are men who want understanding, and men who have not that want?

Alcibiades: I am.

Socrates: Come, then, let us consider what sort of men these are. You have admitted, that men there are who want understanding, men who do not want it, and other men, you say, who are insane.

Alcibiades: True.

Socrates: Further now; are there not some men in a good state of health?

Alcibiades: There are.

Socrates: And are there not others in a bad state of health?

Alcibiades: Certainly.

Socrates: These, then, are not the same men with those.

Alcibiades: By no means.

Socrates: Whether now are there any men who are in neither of those states?

Alcibiades: Certainly, none.