Plato - Laches, or Courage.pdf - Plato - most of his works (this time with full content) - the.prodigy.society

380 BC

LACHES OR COURAGE

by Plato

translated by Benjamin Jowett

PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE: LYSIMACHUS, son of Aristides; MELESIAS, son

of Thucydides; THEIR SONS; NICIAS; LACHES; SOCRATES.

Lys. You have seen the exhibition of the man fighting in armour,

Nicias and Laches, but we did not tell you at the time the reason

why my friend Melesias and I asked you to go with us and see him. I

think that we may as well confess what this was, for we certainly

ought not to have any reserve with you. The reason was, that we were

intending to ask your advice. Some laugh at the very notion of

advising others, and when they are asked will not say what they think.

They guess at the wishes of the person who asks them, and answer

according to his, and not according to their own, opinion. But as we

know that you are good judges, and will say exactly what you think, we

have taken you into our counsels. The matter about which I am making

all this preface is as follows: Melesias and I have two sons; that

is his son, and he is named Thucydides, after his grandfather; and

this is mine, who is also called after his grandfather, Aristides.

Now, we are resolved to take the greatest care of the youths, and

not to let them run about as they like, which is too often the way

with the young, when they are no longer children, but to begin at once

and do the utmost that we can for them. And knowing you to have sons

of your own, we thought that you were most likely to have attended

to their training and improvement, and, if perchance you have not

attended to them, we may remind you that you ought to have done so,

and would invite you to assist us in the fulfillment of a common duty.

I will tell you, Nicias and Laches, even at the risk of being tedious,

how we came to think of this. Melesias and I live together, and our

sons live with us; and now, as I was saying at first, we are going

to confess to you. Both of us often talk to the lads about the many

noble deeds which our own fathers did in war and peace-in the

management of the allies, and in the administration of the city; but

neither of us has any deeds of his own which he can show. The truth is

that we are ashamed of this contrast being seen by them, and we

blame our fathers for letting us be spoiled in the days of our

youth, while they were occupied with the concerns of others; and we

urge all this upon the lads, pointing out to them that they will not

grow up to honour if they are rebellious and take no pains about

themselves; but that if they take pains they may, perhaps, become

worthy of the names which they bear. They, on their part, promise to

comply with our wishes; and our care is to discover what studies or

pursuits are likely to be most improving to them. Some one commended

to us the art of fighting in armour, which he thought an excellent

accomplishment for a young man to learn; and he praised the man

whose exhibition you have seen, and told us to go and see him. And

we determined that we would go, and get you to accompany us; and we

were intending at the same time, if you did not object, to take

counsel with you about the education of our sons. That is the matter

which we wanted to talk over with you; and we hope that you will

give us your opinion about this art of fighting in armour, and about

any other studies or pursuits which may or may not be desirable for

a young man to learn. Please to say whether you agree to our proposal.

Nic. As far as I am concerned, Lysimachus and Melesias, I applaud

your purpose, and will gladly assist you; and I believe that you,

Laches, will be equally glad.

La. Certainly, Nicias; and I quite approve of the remark which

Lysimachus made about his own father and the father of Melesias, and

which is applicable, not only to them, but to us, and to every one who

is occupied with public affairs. As he says, such persons are too

apt to be negligent and careless of their own children and their

private concerns. There is much truth in that remark of yours,

Lysimachus. But why, instead of consulting us, do you not consult

our friend Socrates about the education of the youths? He is of the

same deme with you, and is always passing his time in places where the

youth have any noble study or pursuit, such as you are enquiring

after.

Lys. Why, Laches, has Socrates ever attended to matters of this

sort?

La. Certainly, Lysimachus.

Nic. That I have the means of knowing as well as Laches; for quite

lately he supplied me with a teacher of music for my sons,-Damon,

the disciple of Agathocles, who is a most accomplished man in every

way, as well as a musician, and a companion of inestimable value for

young men at their age.

Lys. Those who have reached my time of life, Socrates and Nicias and

Laches, fall out of acquaintance with the young, because they are

generally detained at home by old age; but you, O son of Sophroniscus,

should let your fellow demesman have the benefits of any advice

which you are able to give. Moreover I have a claim upon you as an old

friend of your father; for I and he were always companions and

friends, and to the hour of his death there never was a difference

between us; and now it comes back to me, at the mention of your

name, that I have heard these lads talking to one another at home, and

often speaking of Socrates in terms of the highest praise; but I

have never thought to ask them whether the son of Sophroniscus was the

person whom they meant. Tell me, my boys, whether this is the Socrates

of whom you have often spoken?

Son. Certainly, father, this is he.

Lys. I am delighted to hear, Socrates, that you maintain the name of

your father, who was a most excellent man; and I further rejoice at

the prospect of our family ties being renewed.

La. Indeed, Lysimachus, you ought not to give him up; for I can

assure you that I have seen him maintaining, not only his father's,

but also his country's name. He was my companion in the retreat from

Delium, and I can tell you that if others had only been like him,

the honour of our country would have been upheld, and the great defeat

would never have occurred.

Lys. That is very high praise which is accorded to you, Socrates, by

faithful witnesses and for actions like those which they praise. Let

me tell you the pleasure which I feel in hearing of your fame; and I

hope that you will regard me as one of your warmest friends. You ought

to have visited us long ago, and made yourself at home with us; but

now, from this day forward, as we have at last found one another

out, do as I say-come and make acquaintance with me, and with these

young men, that I may continue your friend, as I was your father's.

I shall expect you to do so, and shall venture at some future time

to remind you of your duty. But what say you of the matter of which we

were beginning to speak-the art of fighting in armour? Is that a

practice in which the lads may be advantageously instructed?

Soc. I will endeavour to advise you, Lysimachus, as far as I can

in this matter, and also in every way will comply with your wishes;

but as I am younger and not so experienced, I think that I ought

certainly to hear first what my elders have to say, and to learn of

them, and if I have anything to add, then I may venture to give my

opinion to them as well as to you. Suppose, Nicias, that one or

other of you begin.

Nic. I have no objection, Socrates; and my opinion is that the

acquirement of this art is in many ways useful to young men. It is

an advantage to them that among the favourite amusements of their

leisure hours they should have one which tends to improve and not to

injure their bodily health. No gymnastics could be better or harder

exercise; and this, and the art of riding, are of all arts most

befitting to a freeman; for they only who are thus trained in the

use of arms are the athletes of our military profession, trained in

that on which the conflict turns. Moreover in actual battle, when

you have to fight in a line with a number of others, such an

acquirement will be of some use, and will be of the greatest

whenever the ranks are broken and you have to fight singly, either

in pursuit, when you are attacking some one who is defending

himself, or in flight, when you have to defend yourself against an

assailant. Certainly he who possessed the art could not meet with

any harm at the hands of a single person, or perhaps of several; and

in any case he would have a great advantage. Further, this sort of

skill inclines a man to the love of other noble lessons; for every man

who has learned how to fight in armour will desire to learn the proper

arrangement of an army, which is the sequel of the lesson: and when he

has learned this, and his ambition is once fired, he will go on to

learn the complete art of the general. There is no difficulty in

seeing that the knowledge and practice of other military arts will

be honourable and valuable to a man; and this lesson may be the

beginning of them. Let me add a further advantage, which is by no

means a slight one,-that this science will make any man a great deal

more valiant and self-possessed in the field. And I will not disdain

to mention, what by some may he thought to be a small matter;-he

will make a better appearance at the right time; that is to say, at

the time when his appearance will strike terror into his enemies. My

opinion then, Lysimachus, is, as I say, that the youths should be

instructed in this art, and for the reasons which I have given. But

Laches may take a different view; and I shall be very glad to hear

what he has to say.

La. I should not like to maintain, Nicias, that any kind of

knowledge is not to be learned; for all knowledge appears to be a

good: and if, as Nicias and as the teachers of the art affirm, this

use of arms is really a species of knowledge, then it ought to be

learned; but if not, and if those who profess to teach it are

deceivers only; or if it be knowledge, but not of a valuable sort,

then what is the use of learning it? I say this, because I think

that if it had been really valuable, the Lacedaemonians, whose whole

life is passed in finding out and practising the arts which give

them an advantage over other nations in war, would have discovered

this one. And even if they had not, still these professors of the

art would certainly not have failed to discover that of all the

Hellenes the Lacedaemonians have the greatest interest in such

matters, and that a master of the art who was honoured among them

would be sure to make his fortune among other nations, just as a

tragic poet would who is honoured among ourselves; which is the reason

why he who fancies that he can write a tragedy does not go about

itinerating in the neighbouring states, but rushes straight, and

exhibits at Athens; and this is natural. Whereas I perceive that these

fighters in armour regard Lacedaemon as a sacred inviolable territory,

which they do not touch with the point of their foot; but they make

a circuit of the neighbouring states, and would rather exhibit to

any others than to the Spartans; and particularly to those who would

themselves acknowledge that they are by no means first-rate in the

arts of war. Further, Lysimachus, I have encountered a good many of

these gentlemen in actual service, and have taken their measure, which

I can give you at once; for none of these masters of fence have ever

been distinguished in war,-there has been a sort of fatality about

them; while in all other arts the men of note have been always those

who have practised the art, they appear to be a most unfortunate

exception. For example, this very Stesilaus, whom you and I have

just witnessed exhibiting in all that crowd and making such great

professions of his powers, I have seen at another time making, in

sober truth, an involuntary exhibition of himself, which was a far

better spectacle. He was a marine on board a ship which struck a

transport vessel, and was armed with a weapon, half spear half scythe;

the singularity of this weapon was worthy of the singularity of the

man. To make a long story short, I will only tell you what happened to

this notable invention of the scythe-spear. He was fighting, and the

scythe was caught in the rigging of the other ship, and stuck fast;

and he tugged, but was unable to get his weapon free. The two ships

were passing one another. He first ran along his own ship holding on

to the spear; but as the other ship passed by and drew him after as he

was holding on, he let the spear slip through his hand until he

retained only the end of the handle. The people in the transport

clapped their hands, and laughed at his ridiculous figure; and when

some one threw a stone, which fell on the deck at his feet, and he

quitted of the scythe-spear, the crew of his own trireme also burst

out laughing; they could not refrain when they beheld the weapon

waving in the air, suspended from the transport. Now I do not deny

that there may be something in such an art, as Nicias asserts, but I

tell you my experience; and, as I said at first, whether this be an

art of which the advantage is so slight, or not an art at all, but

only an imposition, in either case such an acquirement is not worth

having. For my opinion is, that if the professor of this art be a

coward, he will be likely to become rash, and his character will be

only more notorious; or if he be brave, and fail ever so little, other

men will be on the watch, and he will be greatly traduced; for there

is a jealousy of such pretenders; and unless a man be preeminent in

valour, he cannot help being ridiculous, if he says that he has this

sort of skill. Such is my judgment, Lysimachus, of the desirableness

of this art; but, as I said at first, ask Socrates, and do not let him

go until he has given you his opinion of the matter.

Lys. I am going to ask this favour of you, Socrates; as is the

more necessary because the two councillors disagree, and some one is

in a manner still needed who will decide between them. Had they

agreed, no arbiter would have been required. But as Laches has voted

one way and Nicias another, I should like to hear with which of our

two friends you agree.

Soc. What, Lysimachus, are you going to accept the opinion of the

majority?

Lys. Why, yes, Socrates; what else am I to do?

Soc. And would you do so too, Melesias? If you were deliberating

about the gymnastic training of your son, would you follow the

advice of the majority of us, or the opinion of the one who had been

trained and exercised under a skilful master?

Mel. The latter, Socrates; as would surely be reasonable.

Soc. His one vote would be worth more than the vote of all us four?

Mel. Certainly.

Soc. And for this reason, as I imagine,-because a good decision is

based on knowledge and not on numbers?

Mel. To be sure.

Soc. Must we not then first of all ask, whether there is any one

of us who has knowledge of that about which we are deliberating? If

there is, let us take his advice, though he be one only, and not

mind the rest; if there is not, let us seek further counsel. Is this a

slight matter about which you and Lysimachus are deliberating? Are you

not risking the greatest of your possessions? For children are your

riches; and upon their turning out well or ill depends the whole order

of their father's house.

Mel. That is true.

Soc. Great care, then, is required in this matter?

Mel. Certainly.

Soc. Suppose, as I was just now saying, that we were considering, or

wanting to consider, who was the best trainer. Should we not select

him who knew and had practised the art, and had the best teachers?

Mel. I think that we should.

Soc. But would there not arise a prior question about the nature

of the art of which we want to find the masters?

Mel. I do not understand.

Soc. Let me try to make my meaning plainer then. I do not think that

we have as yet decided what that is about which we are consulting,

when we ask which of us is or is not skilled in the art, and has or

has not had a teacher of the art.

Nic. Why, Socrates, is not the question whether young men ought or

ought not to learn the art of fighting in armour?

Soc. Yes, Nicias; but there is also a prior question, which I may

illustrate in this way: When a person considers about applying a

medicine to the eyes, would you say that he is consulting about the

medicine or about the eyes?

Nic. About the eyes.

Soc. And when he considers whether he shall set a bridle on a

horse and at what time, he is thinking of the horse and not of the

bridle?

Nic. True.

Soc. And in a word, when he considers anything for the sake of

another thing, he thinks of the end and not of the means?

Nic. Certainly.

Soc. And when you call in an adviser, you should see whether he

too is skilful in the accomplishment of the end which you have in

view?

Nic. Most true.

Soc. And at present we have in view some knowledge, of which the end

is the soul of youth?

Nic. Yes.

Soc. And we are enquiring, Which of us is skilful or successful in

the treatment of the soul, and which of us has had good teachers?

La. Well but, Socrates; did you never observe that some persons, who

have had no teachers, are more skilful than those who have, in some

things?

Soc. Yes, Laches, I have observed that; but you would not be very

willing to trust them if they only professed to be masters of their

art, unless they could show some proof of their skill or excellence in

one or more works.

La. That is true.

Soc. And therefore, Laches and Nicias, as Lysimachus and Melesias,

in their anxiety to improve the minds of their sons, have asked our

advice about them, we too should tell them who our teachers were, if

we say that we have had any, and prove them to be in the first place

men of merit and experienced trainers of the minds of youth and also

to have been really our teachers. Or if any of us says that he has

no teacher, but that he has works of his own to show; then he should

point out to them what Athenians or strangers, bond or free, he is

generally acknowledged to have improved. But if he can show neither

teachers nor works, then he should tell them to look out for others;

and not run the risk of spoiling the children of friends, and

thereby incurring the most formidable accusation which can be

brought against any one by those nearest to him. As for myself,

Lysimachus and Melesias, I am the first to confess that I have never

had a teacher of the art of virtue; although I have always from my

earliest youth desired to have one. But I am too poor to give money to

the Sophists, who are the only professors of moral improvement; and to

this day I have never been able to discover the art myself, though I

should not be surprised if Nicias or Laches may have discovered or

learned it; for they are far wealthier than I am, and may therefore

have learnt of others. And they are older too; so that they have had

more time to make the discovery. And I really believe that they are

able to educate a man; for unless they had been confident in their own

knowledge, they would never have spoken thus decidedly of the pursuits

which are advantageous or hurtful to a young man. I repose

confidence in both of them; but I am surprised to find that they

differ from one another. And therefore, Lysimachus, as Laches

suggested that you should detain me, and not let me go until I

answered, I in turn earnestly beseech and advise you to detain

Laches and Nicias, and question them. I would have you say to them:

Socrates avers that he has no knowledge of the matter-he is unable

to decide which of you speaks truly; neither discoverer nor student is

Plato - Laches, or Courage.pdf

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