The Protagoras

Associate: Whence come you, Socrates? or is it not evident that you come from hunting about the beauty of Alcibiades? For to me, as I lately beheld him, the man appeared to be beautiful. I say the man: for between ourselves, Socrates, he may be called so, since his beard begins now to make its appearance.

Socrates: But what then? Do you not indeed praise Homer, who says, that the age of a young man when he begins to have a beard is most agreeable? And this is now the age of Alcibiades.

Associate: But do you not at present come from him? And how is the young man disposed towards you?

Socrates: He appears to be well affected towards me, and especially so to-day; for he said many things in defence of me; and I am just now come from him. However, I wish to tell you something very strange: though he was present I did not attend to him, and even forgot to look at him.

Associate: What great affair then happened to both of you? for you could not meet with any other beautiful person in this city.

Socrates: I did, however, and with one far more beautiful.

Associate: What do you say? Was he a citizen or a stranger?

Socrates: A stranger.

Associate: Whence came he.

Socrates: From Abdera.

Associate: And did this stranger appear to you so beautiful as to surpass in beauty the son of Clinias?

Socrates: How can it be otherwise, O blessed man, but that the wisest must appear to be the more beautiful person?

Associate: Do you come to us then, Socrates, from a certain wise man?

Socrates: I do, and from the wisest indeed of those that exist at present; if Protagoras appears to you to be most wise.

Associate: What do you say? Is Protagoras arrived hither?

Socrates: He has been here these three days.

Associate: And have you then just now been with him?

Socrates: I have; and I have also both spoken and heard many things.

Associate: Will you not therefore relate this conversation to us? For if nothing hinders, you may sit here, since this boy will give you his place.

Socrates: I will certainly relate it to you: and I shall also thank you for attending to it.

Associate: And we shall thank you for the narration.

Socrates: There will then be reciprocal thanks. Hear therefore:

—This morning, while it was yet dark, Hippocrates, the son of Apollodorus and the brother of Phason, knocked very hard at my gate with his stick, and as soon as it was opened he hastily came to my bedchamber, crying with a loud voice, Socrates, are you asleep?

—And I knowing his voice said, This is Hippocrates, do you bring any news?

—None, he replied, but what is good.