The Lysis

On going from the Academy, in a straight line to the Lyceum, which is indeed out of the walls, but close to them, when I arrived at the gate, where there is the fountain Panopis, I met with Hippothales the son of Hieronymus, and Ctesippus Pæanæus, and other young men who were assembled together with these. And Hippothales, on seeing me approaching, O Socrates, says he, whither are you going, and whence do you come?

—I replied, I came from the Academy, and am going in a direct road to the Lyceum.

—But will you not come to us, says he? For it is worth while.

—I replied, Whither do you wish me to go, and to whom among you?

—Hither, says he, showing me a certain enclosure, and an open gate, opposite to the wall. Here we, and many other very worthy persons, pass away our time.

—I then asked him, What is this place, and what do you employ yourselves about?

—It is a Palæstra, says he, newly built: but we spend our time for the most part in discourse, which we shall gladly communicate to you.

—You do well, said I. But who is the preceptor in that place?

—Your associate and encomiast, says he, Miccus.

—By Jupiter, said I, he is not a vulgar man, but a sufficiently great sophist.

—Are you willing therefore, says he, to follow me, that you may see those that are assembled in that place?

—But I should first of all gladly hear for what purpose I am to enter, and who that beautiful person is.

—To some of us, says he, Socrates, he does not appear to be beautiful.

—But what does he appear to you to be, O Hippothales? Tell me this.

—But he being thus interrogated, blushed.

—And I said, O Hippothales, son of Hieronymus, you need no longer inform me whether you love or not: for I know that you not only love, but that you are far advanced in love. For, with respect to other things, I am vile and useless, but divinity has given me the ability of very rapidly knowing a lover, and the person beloved.