“Laches” - Plato
LACHES: I should say that courage is a sort of LACHES: True.
endurance of the soul, if I am to speak of the universal nature which pervades them all.
SOCRATES: And is anything noble which is evil and hurtful?
SOCRATES: But that is what we must do if we are to answer the question. And yet I cannot say that LACHES: I ought not to say that, Socrates.
every kind of endurance is, in my opinion, to be deemed courage. Hear my reason: I am sure, Laches, SOCRATES: Then you would not admit that sort that you would consider courage to be a very noble of endurance to be courage—for it is not noble, but quality.
courage is noble?
LACHES: Most noble, certainly.
LACHES: You are right.
SOCRATES: And you would say that a wise en-SOCRATES: Then, according to you, only the wise durance is also good and noble?
endurance is courage?
LACHES: Very noble.
LACHES: True.
SOCRATES: But what would you say of a foolish SOCRATES: But as to the epithet ‘wise,’—wise in endurance? Is not that, on the other hand, to be what? In all things small as well as great? For ex-regarded as evil and hurtful?
ample, if a man shows the quality of endurance in 28
“Laches” - Plato
spending his money wisely, knowing that by spend-such a one who endures with all this wisdom and ing he will acquire more in the end, do you call him preparation, that he, or some man in the opposing courageous?
army who is in the opposite circumstances to these and yet endures and remains at his post, is the LACHES: Assuredly not.
braver?
SOCRATES: Or, for example, if a man is a physi-LACHES: I should say that the latter, Socrates, cian, and his son, or some patient of his, has in-was the braver.
flammation of the lungs, and begs that he may be allowed to eat or drink something, and the other is SOCRATES: But, surely, this is a foolish endur-firm and refuses; is that courage?
ance in comparison with the other?
LACHES: No; that is not courage at all, any more LACHES: That is true.
than the last.
SOCRATES: Then you would say that he who in SOCRATES: Again, take the case of one who en-an engagement of cavalry endures, having the dures in war, and is willing to fight, and wisely cal-knowledge of horsemanship, is not so courageous culates and knows that others will help him, and as he who endures, having no such knowledge?
that there will be fewer and inferior men against him than there are with him; and suppose that he LACHES: So I should say.
has also advantages of position; would you say of 29
“Laches” - Plato
SOCRATES: And he who endures, having a knowl-who do the same things, having the skill to do them.
edge of the use of the sling, or the bow, or of any other art, is not so courageous as he who endures, LACHES: That is true.
not having such a knowledge?
SOCRATES: But foolish boldness and endurance LACHES: True.
appeared before to be base and hurtful to us.
SOCRATES: And he who descends into a well, and LACHES: Quite true.
dives, and holds out in this or any similar action, having no knowledge of diving, or the like, is, as SOCRATES: Whereas courage was acknowledged you would say, more courageous than those who to be a noble quality.
have this knowledge?
LACHES: True.
LACHES: Why, Socrates, what else can a man say?
SOCRATES: And now on the contrary we are say-SOCRATES: Nothing, if that be what he thinks.
ing that the foolish endurance, which was before held in dishonour, is courage.
LACHES: But that is what I do think.
LACHES: Very true.
SOCRATES: And yet men who thus run risks and endure are foolish, Laches, in comparison of those SOCRATES: And are we right in saying so?