“Laches” - Plato
NICIAS: Certainly.
SOCRATES: That is my view, Nicias; the terrible things, as I should say, are the evils which are fu-SOCRATES: Do you agree with me about the parts?
ture; and the hopeful are the good or not evil things For I say that justice, temperance, and the like, are which are future. Do you or do you not agree with all of them parts of virtue as well as courage. Would me?
you not say the same?
NICIAS: I agree.
NICIAS: Certainly.
SOCRATES: And the knowledge of these things SOCRATES: Well then, so far we are agreed. And you call courage?
now let us proceed a step, and try to arrive at a similar agreement about the fearful and the hope-NICIAS: Precisely.
ful: I do not want you to be thinking one thing and myself another. Let me then tell you my own opin-SOCRATES: And now let me see whether you agree ion, and if I am wrong you shall set me right: in my with Laches and myself as to a third point.
opinion the terrible and the hopeful are the things which do or do not create fear, and fear is not of the NICIAS: What is that?
present, nor of the past, but is of future and expected evil. Do you not agree to that, Laches?
SOCRATES: I will tell you. He and I have a notion LACHES: Yes, Socrates, entirely.
that there is not one knowledge or science of the past, another of the present, a third of what is likely 39
“Laches” - Plato
to be best and what will be best in the future; but NICIAS: Yes, indeed Socrates; that is my opinion.
that of all three there is one science only: for example, there is one science of medicine which is SOCRATES: And courage, my friend, is, as you concerned with the inspection of health equally in say, a knowledge of the fearful and of the hopeful?
all times, present, past, and future; and one science of husbandry in like manner, which is concerned NICIAS: Yes.
with the productions of the earth in all times. As to the art of the general, you yourselves will be my SOCRATES: And the fearful, and the hopeful, are witnesses that he has an excellent foreknowledge of admitted to be future goods and future evils?
the future, and that he claims to be the master and not the servant of the soothsayer, because he knows NICIAS: True.
better what is happening or is likely to happen in war: and accordingly the law places the soothsayer SOCRATES: And the same science has to do with under the general, and not the general under the the same things in the future or at any time?
soothsayer. Am I not correct in saying so, Laches?
NICIAS: That is true.
LACHES: Quite correct.
SOCRATES: Then courage is not the science which SOCRATES: And do you, Nicias, also acknowl-is concerned with the fearful and hopeful, for they edge that the same science has understanding of are future only; courage, like the other sciences, is the same things, whether future, present, or past?
concerned not only with good and evil of the fu-40
“Laches” - Plato
ture, but of the present and past, and of any time?
all, and he would know which were dangers and which were not, and guard against them whether NICIAS: That, as I suppose, is true.
they were supernatural or natural; and he would provide the good, as he would know how to deal SOCRATES: Then the answer which you have both with gods or men.
given, Nicias, includes only a third part of courage; but our question extended to the whole nature of NICIAS: I think, Socrates, that there is a great courage: and according to your view, that is, ac-deal of truth in what you say.
cording to your present view, courage is not only the knowledge of the hopeful and the fearful, but SOCRATES: But then, Nicias, courage, according seems to include nearly every good and evil with-to this new definition of yours, instead of being a out reference to time. What do you say to that al-part of virtue only, will be all virtue?
teration in your statement?
NICIAS: It would seem so.
NICIAS: I agree, Socrates.
SOCRATES: But we were saying that courage is SOCRATES: But then, my dear friend, if a man one of the parts of virtue?
knew all good and evil, and how they are, and have been, and will be produced, would he not be per-NICIAS: Yes, that was what we were saying.
fect, and wanting in no virtue, whether justice, or temperance, or holiness? He would possess them SOCRATES: And that is in contradiction with our 41
“Laches” - Plato
present view?
will be of no consequence. You certainly appear to me very like the rest of the world, looking at your NICIAS: That appears to be the case.
neighbour and not at yourself. I am of opinion that enough has been said on the subject which we have SOCRATES: Then, Nicias, we have not discovered been discussing; and if anything has been imper-what courage is.
fectly said, that may be hereafter corrected by the help of Damon, whom you think to laugh down, NICIAS: We have not.
although you have never seen him, and with the help of others. And when I am satisfied myself, I LACHES: And yet, friend Nicias, I imagined that will freely impart my satisfaction to you, for I think you would have made the discovery, when you were that you are very much in want of knowledge.
so contemptuous of the answers which I made to Socrates. I had very great hopes that you would LACHES: You are a philosopher, Nicias; of that I have been enlightened by the wisdom of Damon.
am aware: nevertheless I would recommend Lysimachus and Melesias not to take you and me NICIAS: I perceive, Laches, that you think noth-as advisers about the education of their children; ing of having displayed your ignorance of the na-but, as I said at first, they should ask Socrates and ture of courage, but you look only to see whether I not let him off; if my own sons were old enough, I have not made a similar display; and if we are both would have asked him myself.
equally ignorant of the things which a man who is good for anything should know, that, I suppose, NICIAS: To that I quite agree, if Socrates is willing 42
“Laches” - Plato
to take them under his charge. I should not wish and under these circumstances, let me offer you a for any one else to be the tutor of Niceratus. But I piece of advice (and this need not go further than observe that when I mention the matter to him he ourselves). I maintain, my friends, that every one recommends to me some other tutor and refuses of us should seek out the best teacher whom he can himself. Perhaps he may be more ready to listen to find, first for ourselves, who are greatly in need of you, Lysimachus.
one, and then for the youth, regardless of expense or anything. But I cannot advise that we remain as LYSIMACHUS: He ought, Nicias: for certainly I we are. And if any one laughs at us for going to would do things for him which I would not do for school at our age, I would quote to them the au-many others. What do you say, Socrates—will you thority of Homer, who says, that comply? And are you ready to give assistance in the improvement of the youths?
‘Modesty is not good for a needy man.’
SOCRATES: Indeed, Lysimachus, I should be very Let us then, regardless of what may be said of us, wrong in refusing to aid in the improvement of any-make the education of the youths our own education.
body. And if I had shown in this conversation that I had a knowledge which Nicias and Laches have LYSIMACHUS: I like your proposal, Socrates; and not, then I admit that you would be right in invit-as I am the oldest, I am also the most eager to go to ing me to perform this duty; but as we are all in the school with the boys. Let me beg a favour of you: same perplexity, why should one of us be preferred Come to my house to-morrow at dawn, and we will to another? I certainly think that no one should; advise about these matters. For the present, let us 43
“Laches” - Plato
make an end of the conversation.
SOCRATES: I will come to you to-morrow, If you wish to view more of Lysimachus, as you propose, God willing.
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