a poison the property of which is to
drive those who take it mad.

[12] "A dose of henbane, 'hogs'-bean,' so called." Diosc. 4. 69; 6.
15; Plut. "Demetr." xx. (Clough, v. 114).

Soc. Let money then, Critobulus, if a man does not know how to use it
aright--let money, I say, be banished to the remote corners of the earth
rather than be reckoned as wealth. [13] But now, what shall we say of
friends? If a man knows how to use his friends so as to be benefited by
them, what of these?

[13] Or, "then let it be relegated... and there let it lie in the
category of non-wealth."

Crit. They are wealth indisputably, and in a deeper sense than cattle
are, if, as may be supposed, they are likely to prove of more benefit to
a man than wealth of cattle.

Soc. It would seem, according to your argument, that the foes of a man's
own household after all may be wealth to him, if he knows how to turn
them to good account? [14]

[14] Vide supra.

Crit. That is my opinion, at any rate.

Soc. It would seem, it is the part of a good economist [15] to know how
to deal with his own or his employer's foes so as to get profit out of
them?

[15] "A good administrator of an estate."

Crit. Most emphatically so.

Soc. In fact, you need but use your eyes to see how many private
persons, not to say crowned heads, do owe the increase of their estates
to war.

Crit. Well, Socrates, I do not think, so far, the argument could be
improved on; [16] but now comes a puzzle. What of people who have got
the knowledge and the capital [17] required to enhance their fortunes,
if only they will put their shoulders to the wheel; and yet, if we are
to believe our senses, that is just the one thing they will not do, and
so their knowledge and accomplishments are of no profit to them? Surely
in their case also there is but one conclusion to be drawn, which is,
that neither their knowledge nor their possessions are wealth.

[16] Or, "Thanks, Socrates. Thus far the statement of the case would
seem to be conclusive--but what are we to make of this? Some
people..."

[17] Lit. "the right kinds of knowledge and the right starting-points."

Soc. Ah! I see, Critobulus, you wish to direct the discussion to the
topic of slaves?

Crit. No indeed, I have no such intention--quite the reverse. I want to
talk about persons of high degree, of right noble family [18] some of
them, to do them justice. These are the people I have in my mind's eye