CONTENTS.
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Grote, George
CHAPTER XII.
ALKIBIADES I. AND II.
Situation supposed in the dialogue. Persons — Sokrates and Alkibiades
Exorbitant hopes and political ambition of Alkibiades
Questions put by Sokrates, in reference to Alkibiades in his intended function as adviser of the Athenians. What does he intend to advise them upon? What has he learnt, and what does he know?
ib.
Alkibiades intends to advise the Athenians on questions of war and peace. Questions of Sokrates thereupon. We must fight those whom it is better to fight — to what standard does better refer? To just and unjust
How, or from whom, has Alkibiades learnt to discern or distinguish Just and Unjust? He never learnt it from any one ; he always knew it, even as a boy
Answer amended. Alkibiades learnt it from the multitude, as he learnt to speak Greek. — The multitude cannot teach just and unjust, for they are at variance among themselves about it. Alkibiades is going to advise the Athenians about what he does not know himself
Answer farther amended. The Athenians do not generally debate about just or unjust — which they consider plain to every one — but about expedient and inexpedient, which are not coincident with just and unjust. But neither does Alkibiades know the expedient. He asks Sokrates to explain. Sokrates declines: he can do nothing but question
Comment on the preceding — Sokratic method — the respondent makes the discoveries for himself
ib.
Alkibiades is brought to admit that whatever is just, is good, honourable, expedient: and that whoever acts honourably, both does well, and procures for himself happiness thereby. Equivocal reasoning of Sokrates
Humiliation of Alkibiades. Other Athenian statesmen are equally ignorant. But the real opponents, against whom Alkibiades is to measure himself, are, the kings of Sparta and Persia. Eulogistic description of those kings. To match them, Alkibiades must make himself as good as possible
But good — for what end, and under what circumstances? Abundant illustrative examples
Alkibiades, puzzled and humiliated, confesses his ignorance. Encouragement given by Sokrates. It is an advantage to make such discovery in youth
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Platonic Dialectic — its actual effect — its anticipated effect — applicable to the season of youth
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Know Thyself — Delphian maxim — its urgent importance — What is myself? My mind is myself
ib.
I cannot know myself, except by looking into another mind. Self-knowledge is temperance. Temperance and Justice are the conditions both of happiness and of freedom
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Alkibiades feels himself unworthy to be free, and declares that he will never quit Sokrates
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Second Alkibiades — situation supposed
ib.
Danger of mistake in praying to the Gods for gifts which may prove mischievous. Most men are unwise. Unwise is the generic word: madmen, a particular variety under it
ib.
Relation between a generic term, and the specific terms comprehended under it, was not then familiar
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