“Laches” - Plato
LACHES: How flying?
ken, they turned upon them like cavalry, and won the battle of Plataea.
SOCRATES: Why, as the Scythians are said to fight, flying as well as pursuing; and as Homer says in LACHES: That is true.
praise of the horses of Aeneas, that they knew ‘how to pursue, and fly quickly hither and thither’; and SOCRATES: That was my meaning when I said he passes an encomium on Aeneas himself, as hav-that I was to blame in having put my question badly, ing a knowledge of fear or flight, and calls him ‘an and that this was the reason of your answering badly.
author of fear or flight.’
For I meant to ask you not only about the courage of heavy-armed soldiers, but about the courage of LACHES: Yes, Socrates, and there Homer is right: cavalry and every other style of soldier; and not for he was speaking of chariots, as you were speak-only who are courageous in war, but who are coura-ing of the Scythian cavalry, who have that way of geous in perils by sea, and who in disease, or in fighting; but the heavy-armed Greek fights, as I say, poverty, or again in politics, are courageous; and remaining in his rank.
not only who are courageous against pain or fear, but mighty to contend against desires and pleasures, SOCRATES: And yet, Laches, you must except the either fixed in their rank or turning upon their en-Lacedaemonians at Plataea, who, when they came emy. There is this sort of courage—is there not, upon the light shields of the Persians, are said not Laches?
to have been willing to stand and fight, and to have fled; but when the ranks of the Persians were bro-LACHES: Certainly, Socrates.