tom (10) compels us to learn, and to which indeed we owe our
knowledge of life, have all been learned by means of speech (11) and
reason; and if there be any other noble learning which a man may learn,
it is this same reason whereby he learns it; and the best teachers are
those who have the freest command of thought and language, and those
that have the best knowledge of the most serious things are the most
brilliant masters of disputation. Again, have you not observed that
whenever this city of ours fits out one of her choruses--such as that,
for instance, which is sent to Delos (12)--there is nothing elsewhere
from any quarter of the world which can compete with it; nor will you
find in any other state collected so fair a flower of manhood as in
Athens? (13)

(10) Cf Arist. "Rhet." ii. 12, {oi neoi pepaideuntai upo tou nomou
monon}.

(11) {dia logou}.

(12) See Thuc. iii. 104; and below, IV. viii. 2.

(13) See references ap. Schneider and Kuhner; "Symp." iv. 17.

Hipp. You say truly.

Soc. But for all that, it is not in sweetness of voice that the
Athenians differ from the rest of the world so much, nor in stature of
body or strength of limb, but in ambition and that love of honour (14)
which most of all gives a keen edge to the spirit in the pursuit of
things lovely and of high esteem.

(14) See below, v. 3; Dem. "de Cor." 28 foll.

Hipp. That, too, is a true saying.

Soc. Do you not think, then, that if a man devoted himself to our
cavalry also, here in Athens, we should far outstrip the rest of the
world, whether in the furnishing of arms and horses, or in orderliness
of battle-array, or in eager hazardous encounter with the foe, if only
we could persuade ourselves that by so doing we should obtain honour and
distinction?

Hipp. It is reasonable to think so.

Soc. Have no hesitation, therefore, but try to guide your men into this
path, (15) whence you yourself, and through you your fellow-citizens,
will reap advantage.

(15) Or, "to conduct which will not certainly fail of profit to
yourself or through you to..."

Yes, in good sooth, I will try (he answered).

IV

At another time, seeing Nicomachides on his way back from the
elections (of magistrates), (1) he asked him: Who are elected generals,
Nicomachides?

(1) Cf. "Pol. Ath." i. 3; Aristot. "Ath. Pol." 44. 4; and Dr. Sandys'
note ad loc. p. 165 of his edition.

And he: Is it not just like them, these citizens of Athe