OrdoyouthinkthatOrestes，hadhebeeninhissensesandknewwhatwasbestforhimtodo，wouldeverhavedaredtoventureonsuchacrime？
ALCIBIADES:Certainlynot。
SOCRATES:Norwouldanyoneelse，Ifancy？
ALCIBIADES:No。
SOCRATES:Thatignoranceisbadthen，itwouldappear，whichisofthebestanddoesnotknowwhatisbest？
ALCIBIADES:SoIthink，atleast。
SOCRATES:Andbothtothepersonwhoisignorantandeverybodyelse？
ALCIBIADES:Yes。
SOCRATES:Letustakeanothercase。SupposethatyouweresuddenlytogetintoyourheadthatitwouldbeagoodthingtokillPericles，yourkinsmanandguardian，andweretoseizeaswordand，goingtothedoorsofhishouse，weretoenquireifhewereathome，meaningtoslayonlyhimandnooneelse:——theservantsreply，’Yes’:（Mind，Idonotmeanthatyouwouldreallydosuchathing;butthereisnothing，youthink，topreventamanwhoisignorantofthebest，havingoccasionallythewhimthatwhatisworstisbest？
ALCIBIADES:No。）
SOCRATES:——If，then，youwentindoors，andseeinghim，didnotknowhim，butthoughtthathewassomeoneelse，wouldyouventuretoslayhim？
ALCIBIADES:Mostdecidedlynot（itseemstome）。（ThesewordsareomittedinseveralMSS。）
SOCRATES:Foryoudesignedtokill，notthefirstwhooffered，butPericleshimself？
ALCIBIADES:Certainly。
SOCRATES:Andifyoumademanyattempts，andeachtimefailedtorecognizePericles，youwouldneverattackhim？
ALCIBIADES:Never。
SOCRATES:Well，butifOrestesinlikemannerhadnotknownhismother，doyouthinkthathewouldeverhavelaidhandsuponher？
ALCIBIADES:No。
SOCRATES:Hedidnotintendtoslaythefirstwomanhecameacross，noranyoneelse’smother，butonlyhisown？
ALCIBIADES:True。
SOCRATES:Ignorance，then，isbetterforthosewhoareinsuchaframeofmind，andhavesuchideas？
ALCIBIADES:Obviously。
SOCRATES:Youacknowledgethatforsomepersonsincertaincasestheignoranceofsomethingsisagoodandnotanevil，asyouformerlysupposed？
ALCIBIADES:Ido。
SOCRATES:Andthereisstillanothercasewhichwillalsoperhapsappearstrangetoyou，ifyouwillconsiderit？（Thereadingishereuncertain。）
ALCIBIADES:Whatisthat，Socrates？
SOCRATES:Itmaybe，inshort，thatthepossessionofallthesciences，ifunaccompaniedbytheknowledgeofthebest，willmoreoftenthannotinjurethepossessor。Considerthematterthus:——Mustwenot，whenweintendeithertodoorsayanything，supposethatweknoworoughttoknowthatwhichweproposesoconfidentlytodoorsay？
ALCIBIADES:Yes，inmyopinion。
SOCRATES:Wemaytaketheoratorsforanexample，whofromtimetotimeadviseusaboutwarandpeace，orthebuildingofwallsandtheconstructionofharbours，whethertheyunderstandthebusinessinhand，oronlythinkthattheydo。Whateverthecity，inaword，doestoanothercity，orinthemanagementofherownaffairs，allhappensbythecounseloftheorators。
ALCIBIADES:True。
SOCRATES:Butnowseewhatfollows，ifIcan（makeitcleartoyou）。
（Somewordsappeartohavedroppedouthere。）Youwoulddistinguishthewisefromthefoolish？
ALCIBIADES:Yes。
SOCRATES:Themanyarefoolish，thefewwise？
ALCIBIADES:Certainly。
SOCRATES:Andyouuseboththeterms，’wise’and’foolish，’inreferencetosomething？
ALCIBIADES:Ido。
SOCRATES:Wouldyoucallapersonwisewhocangiveadvice，butdoesnotknowwhetherorwhenitisbettertocarryouttheadvice？
ALCIBIADES:Decidedlynot。
SOCRATES:Noragain，Isuppose，apersonwhoknowstheartofwar，butdoesnotknowwhetheritisbettertogotowarorforhowlong？
ALCIBIADES:No。
SOCRATES:Nor，oncemore，apersonwhoknowshowtokillanotherortotakeawayhispropertyortodrivehimfromhisnativeland，butnotwhenitisbettertodosoorforwhomitisbetter？
ALCIBIADES:Certainlynot。
SOCRATES:Buthewhounderstandsanythingofthekindandhasatthesametimetheknowledgeofthebestcourseofaction:——andthebestandtheusefularesurelythesame？——
ALCIBIADES:Yes。
SOCRATES:——Suchanone，Isay，weshouldcallwiseandausefuladviserbothofhimselfandofthecity。Whatdoyouthink？
ALCIBIADES:Iagree。
SOCRATES:Andifanyoneknowshowtorideortoshootwiththebowortoboxortowrestle，ortoengageinanyothersortofcontestortodoanythingwhateverwhichisinthenatureofanart，——whatdoyoucallhimwhoknowswhatisbestaccordingtothatart？Doyounotspeakofonewhoknowswhatisbestinridingasagoodrider？
ALCIBIADES:Yes。
SOCRATES:Andinasimilarwayyouspeakofagoodboxeroragoodflute—
playeroragoodperformerinanyotherart？
ALCIBIADES:True。
SOCRATES:Butisitnecessarythatthemanwhoiscleverinanyoftheseartsshouldbewisealsoingeneral？Oristhereadifferencebetweenthecleverartistandthewiseman？
ALCIBIADES:Allthedifferenceintheworld。
SOCRATES:Andwhatsortofastatedoyouthinkthatwouldbewhichwascomposedofgoodarchersandflute—playersandathletesandmastersinotherarts，andbesidesthemofthoseothersaboutwhomwespoke，whoknewhowtogotowarandhowtokill，aswellasoforatorspuffedupwithpoliticalpride，butinwhichnotoneofthemallhadthisknowledgeofthebest，andtherewasnoonewhocouldtellwhenitwasbettertoapplyanyoftheseartsorinregardtowhom？
ALCIBIADES:Ishouldcallsuchastatebad，Socrates。
SOCRATES:Youcertainlywouldwhenyousaweachofthemrivallingtheotherandesteemingthatofthegreatestimportanceinthestate，’Whereinhehimselfmostexcelled。’（Euripides，Antiope。）
——Imeanthatwhichwasbestinanyart，whilehewasentirelyignorantofwhatwasbestforhimselfandforthestate，because，asIthink，hetruststoopinionwhichisdevoidofintelligence。Insuchacaseshouldwenotberightifwesaidthatthestatewouldbefullofanarchyandlawlessness？
ALCIBIADES:Decidedly。
SOCRATES:Butoughtwenotthen，thinkyou，eithertofancythatweknoworreallytoknow，whatweconfidentlyproposetodoorsay？
ALCIBIADES:Yes。
SOCRATES:Andifapersondoesthatwhichheknowsorsupposesthatheknows，andtheresultisbeneficial，hewillactadvantageouslybothforhimselfandforthestate？
ALCIBIADES:True。
SOCRATES:Andifhedothecontrary，bothheandthestatewillsuffer？
ALCIBIADES:Yes。
SOCRATES:Well，andareyouofthesamemind，asbefore？
ALCIBIADES:Iam。
SOCRATES:Butwereyounotsayingthatyouwouldcallthemanyunwiseandthefewwise？
ALCIBIADES:Iwas。
SOCRATES:Andhavewenotcomebacktoouroldassertionthatthemanyfailtoobtainthebestbecausetheytrusttoopinionwhichisdevoidofintelligence？
ALCIBIADES:Thatisthecase。
SOCRATES:Itisgood，then，forthemany，iftheyparticularlydesiretodothatwhichtheyknoworsupposethattheyknow，neithertoknownortosupposethattheyknow，incaseswhereiftheycarryouttheirideasinactiontheywillbelosersratherthangainers？
ALCIBIADES:Whatyousayisverytrue。
SOCRATES:DoyounotseethatIwasreallyspeakingthetruthwhenI
affirmedthatthepossessionofanyotherkindofknowledgewasmorelikelytoinjurethantobenefitthepossessor，unlesshehadalsotheknowledgeofthebest？
ALCIBIADES:Idonow，ifIdidnotbefore，Socrates。
SOCRATES:Thestateorthesoul，therefore，whichwishestohavearightexistencemustholdfirmlytothisknowledge，justasthesickmanclingstothephysician，orthepassengerdependsforsafetyonthepilot。Andifthesouldoesnotsetsailuntilshehaveobtainedthisshewillbeallthesaferinthevoyagethroughlife。Butwhensherushesinpursuitofwealthorbodilystrengthoranythingelse，nothavingtheknowledgeofthebest，somuchthemoreisshelikelytomeetwithmisfortune。Andhewhohastheloveoflearning（Or，readingpolumatheian，’abundantlearning。’），andisskilfulinmanyarts，anddoesnotpossesstheknowledgeofthebest，butisundersomeotherguidance，willmake，ashedeserves，asorryvoyage:——
hewill，Ibelieve，hurrythroughthebriefspaceofhumanlife，pilotlessinmid—ocean，andthewordswillapplytohiminwhichthepoetblamedhisenemy:——
’……Fullmanyathingheknew;
Butknewthemallbadly。’（Afragmentfromthepseudo—Homericpoem，’Margites。’）
ALCIBIADES:Howintheworld，Socrates，dothewordsofthepoetapplytohim？Theyseemtometohavenobearingonthepointwhatever。
SOCRATES:Quitethecontrary，mysweetfriend:onlythepoetistalkinginriddlesafterthefashionofhistribe。Forallpoetryhasbynatureanenigmaticalcharacter，anditisbynomeanseverybodywhocaninterpretit。Andif，moreover，thespiritofpoetryhappentoseizeonamanwhoisofabegrudgingtemperanddoesnotcaretomanifesthiswisdombutkeepsittohimselfasfarashecan，itdoesindeedrequireanalmostsuperhumanwisdomtodiscoverwhatthepoetwouldbeat。YousurelydonotsupposethatHomer，thewisestandmostdivineofpoets，wasunawareoftheimpossibilityofknowingathingbadly:foritwasnolessapersonthanhewhosaidofMargitesthat’heknewmanythings，butknewthemallbadly。’Thesolutionoftheriddleisthis，Iimagine:——By’badly’Homermeant’bad’and’knew’standsfor’toknow。’Putthewordstogether;——themetrewillsuffer，butthepoet’smeaningisclear;——’Margitesknewallthesethings，butitwasbadforhimtoknowthem。’And，obviously，ifitwasbadforhimtoknowsomanythings，hemusthavebeenagood—for—
nothing，unlesstheargumenthasplayedusfalse。
ALCIBIADES:ButIdonotthinkthatithas，Socrates:atleast，iftheargumentisfallacious，itwouldbedifficultformetofindanotherwhichIcouldtrust。
SOCRATES:Andyouarerightinthinkingso。
ALCIBIADES:Well，thatismyopinion。
SOCRATES:Buttellme，byHeaven:——youmustseenowthenatureandgreatnessofthedifficultyinwhichyou，likeothers，haveyourpart。Foryouchangeaboutinalldirections，andnevercometorestanywhere:whatyouoncemoststronglyinclinedtosuppose，youputasideagainandquitealteryourmind。IftheGodtowhoseshrineyouaregoingshouldappearatthismoment，andaskbeforeyoumadeyourprayer，’Whetheryouwoulddesiretohaveoneofthethingswhichwementionedatfirst，orwhetherheshouldleaveyoutomakeyourownrequest:’——whatineithercase，thinkyou，wouldbethebestwaytotakeadvantageoftheopportunity？
ALCIBIADES:Indeed，Socrates，Icouldnotansweryouwithoutconsideration。Itseemstometobeawildthing（TheHomericwordmargosissaidtobehereemployedinallusiontothequotationfromthe’Margites’whichSocrateshasjustmade;butitisnotusedinthesensewhichithasinHomer。）tomakesucharequest;amanmustbeverycarefullestheprayforevilundertheideathatheisaskingforgood，whenshortlyafterhemayhavetorecallhisprayer，and，asyouweresaying，demandtheoppositeofwhatheatfirstrequested。
SOCRATES:AndwasnotthepoetwhosewordsIoriginallyquotedwiserthanweare，whenhebadeus（prayGod）todefendusfromevileventhoughweaskedforit？
ALCIBIADES:Ibelievethatyouareright。
SOCRATES:TheLacedaemonians，too，whetherfromadmirationofthepoetorbecausetheyhavediscoveredtheideaforthemselves，arewonttooffertheprayeralikeinpublicandprivate，thattheGodswillgiveuntothemthebeautifulaswellasthegood:——nooneislikelytohearthemmakeanyfurtherpetition。Andyetuptothepresenttimetheyhavenotbeenlessfortunatethanothermen;oriftheyhavesometimesmetwithmisfortune，thefaulthasnotbeenduetotheirprayer。Forsurely，asIconceive，theGodshavepowereithertograntourrequests，ortosendusthecontraryofwhatweask。
AndnowIwillrelatetoyouastorywhichIhaveheardfromcertainofourelders。ItchancedthatwhentheAtheniansandLacedaemonianswereatwar，ourcitylosteverybattlebylandandseaandnevergainedavictory。TheAtheniansbeingannoyedandperplexedhowtofindaremedyfortheirtroubles，decidedtosendandenquireattheshrineofAmmon。Theirenvoyswerealsotoask，’WhytheGodsalwaysgrantedthevictorytotheLacedaemonians？’’We，’（theyweretosay，）’offerthemmoreandfinersacrificesthananyotherHellenicstate，andadorntheirtempleswithgifts，asnobodyelsedoes;moreover，wemakethemostsolemnandcostlyprocessionstothemeveryyear，andspendmoremoneyintheirservicethanalltherestoftheHellenesputtogether。ButtheLacedaemonianstakenothoughtofsuchmatters，andpaysolittlerespecttotheGodsthattheyhaveahabitofsacrificingblemishedanimalstothem，andinvariouswaysarelesszealousthanweare，althoughtheirwealthisquiteequaltoours。’Whentheyhadthusspoken，andhadmadetheirrequesttoknowwhatremedytheycouldfindagainsttheevilswhichtroubledthem，theprophetmadenodirectanswer，——clearlybecausehewasnotallowedbytheGodtodoso;——buthesummonedthemtohimandsaid:’ThussaithAmmontotheAthenians:\"ThesilentworshipoftheLacedaemonianspleasethmebetterthanalltheofferingsoftheotherHellenes。\"’SuchwerethewordsoftheGod，andnothingmore。Heseemstohavemeantby’silentworship’theprayeroftheLacedaemonians，whichisindeedwidelydifferentfromtheusualrequestsoftheHellenes。FortheyeitherbringtothealtarbullswithgildedhornsormakeofferingstotheGods，andbegatrandomforwhattheyneed，goodorbad。When，therefore，theGodshearthemusingwordsofillomentheyrejectthesecostlyprocessionsandsacrificesoftheirs。
Andweought，Ithink，tobeverycarefulandconsiderwellwhatweshouldsayandwhatleaveunsaid。Homer，too，willfurnishuswithsimilarstories。ForhetellsushowtheTrojansinmakingtheirencampment，’Offeredupwholehecatombstotheimmortals，’
andhowthe’sweetsavour’wasborne’totheheavensbythewinds;
’ButtheblessedGodswereaverseandreceiveditnot。
ForexceedinglydidtheyhatetheholyIlium，BothPriamandthepeopleofthespear—skilledking。’
Sothatitwasinvainforthemtosacrificeandoffergifts，seeingthattheywerehatefultotheGods，whoarenot，likevileusurers，tobegainedoverbybribes。AnditisfoolishforustoboastthatwearesuperiortotheLacedaemoniansbyreasonofourmuchworship。TheideaisinconceivablethattheGodshaveregard，nottothejusticeandpurityofoursouls，buttocostlyprocessionsandsacrifices，whichmenmaycelebrateyearafteryear，althoughtheyhavecommittedinnumerablecrimesagainsttheGodsoragainsttheirfellow—menorthestate。FortheGods，asAmmonandhisprophetdeclare，arenoreceiversofgifts，andtheyscornsuchunworthyservice。WhereforealsoitwouldseemthatwisdomandjusticeareespeciallyhonouredbothbytheGodsandbymenofsense;andtheyarethewisestandmostjustwhoknowhowtospeakandacttowardsGodsandmen。ButIshouldliketohearwhatyouropinionisaboutthesematters。
ALCIBIADES:Iagree，Socrates，withyouandwiththeGod，whom，indeed，itwouldbeunbecomingformetooppose。
SOCRATES:Doyounotremembersayingthatyouwereingreatperplexity，lestperchanceyoushouldaskforevil，supposingthatyouwereaskingforgood？
ALCIBIADES:Ido。
SOCRATES:Yousee，then，thatthereisariskinyourapproachingtheGodinprayer，lesthaplyheshouldrefuseyoursacrificewhenhehearstheblasphemywhichyouutter，andmakeyoupartakeofotherevilsaswell。
Thewisestplan，therefore，seemstomethatyoushouldkeepsilence;foryour’highmindedness’——tousethemildesttermwhichmenapplytofolly——
willmostlikelypreventyoufromusingtheprayeroftheLacedaemonians。
YouhadbetterwaituntilwefindouthowweshouldbehavetowardstheGodsandtowardsmen。
ALCIBIADES:AndhowlongmustIwait，Socrates，andwhowillbemyteacher？Ishouldbeverygladtoseetheman。
SOCRATES:Itishewhotakesanespecialinterestinyou。Butfirstofall，Ithink，thedarknessmustbetakenawayinwhichyoursoulisnowenveloped，justasAtheneinHomerremovesthemistfromtheeyesofDiomedethat’HemaydistinguishbetweenGodandmortalman。’
Afterwardsthemeansmaybegiventoyouwherebyyoumaydistinguishbetweengoodandevil。Atpresent，Ifear，thisisbeyondyourpower。
ALCIBIADES:Onlyletmyinstructortakeawaytheimpediment，whetheritpleaseshimtocallitmistoranythingelse！Icarenotwhoheis;butI
amresolvedtodisobeynoneofhiscommands，ifIamlikelytobethebetterforthem。
SOCRATES:Andsurelyhehasawondrouscareforyou。
ALCIBIADES:Itseemstobealtogetheradvisabletoputoffthesacrificeuntilheisfound。
SOCRATES:Youareright:thatwillbesaferthanrunningsuchatremendousrisk。
ALCIBIADES:Buthowshallwemanage，Socrates？——AtanyrateIwillsetthiscrownofmineuponyourhead，asyouhavegivenmesuchexcellentadvice，andtotheGodswewilloffercrownsandperformtheothercustomaryriteswhenIseethatdayapproaching:norwillitbelonghence，iftheysowill。
SOCRATES:Iacceptyourgift，andshallbereadyandwillingtoreceivewhateverelseyoumayproffer。EuripidesmakesCreonsayintheplay，whenhebeholdsTeiresiaswithhiscrownandhearsthathehasgaineditbyhisskillasthefirst—fruitsofthespoil:——
’AnauspiciousomenIdeemthyvictor’swreath:
Forwellthouknowestthatwaveandstormoppressus。’
AndsoIcountyourgifttobeatokenofgood—fortune;forIaminnolessstressthanCreon，andwouldfaincarryoffthevictoryoveryourlovers。