en good and bad things: your knowledge may be relied upon so far?

Why, yes, to be sure (replied the youth); for without that much
discernment I should indeed be worse than any slave. (46)

(46) Lit. "if I did not know even that."

Come then (said he), do you give me an explanation of the things so
termed.

That is fortunately not hard (replied the youth). First of all, health
in itself I hold to be a good, and disease in itself an evil; and in the
next place the sources of either of those aforenamed, meats and drinks,
and habits of life, (47) I regard as good or evil according as they
contribute either to health or to disease.

(47) Or, "pursuits and occupations"; "manners and customs."

Soc. Then health and disease themselves when they prove to be sources of
any good are good, but when of any evil, evil?

And when (asked he), can health be a source of evil, or disease a source
of good?

Why, bless me! often enough (replied Socrates). In the event, for
instance, of some ill-starred expedition or of some disastrous voyage
or other incident of the sort, of which veritably there are enough to
spare--when those who owing to their health and strength take a part
in the affair are lost; whilst those who were left behind--as hors de
combat, on account of ill-health of other feebleness--are saved.

Euth. Yes, you are right; but you will admit that there are advantages
to be got from strength and lost through weakness.

Soc. Even so; but ought we to regard those things which at one moment
benefit and at another moment injure us in any strict sense good rather
than evil?

Euth. No, certainly not, according to that line of argument. But wisdom,
(48) Socrates, you must on your side admit, is irrefragably a good;
since there is nothing which or in which a wise man would not do better
than a fool.

(48) See above, III. ix. 5. Here {sophia} is not = {sophrosune}.

Soc. What say you? Have you never heard of Daedalus, (49) how he was
seized by Minos on account of his wisdom, and forced to be his slave,
and robbed of fatherland and freedom at one swoop? and how, while
endeavouring to make his escape with his son, he caused the boy's
death without effecting his own salvation, but was carried off among
barbarians and again enslaved?

(49) See Ovid. "Met." viii. 159 foll., 261 foll.; Hygin. "Fab." 39,
40; Diod. Sic. iv. 79; Paus. vii. 4. 6.

Yes, I know the old story (he answered). (50)

(50) Or, "Ah yes, of co