MENO: What do you mean?
SOCRATES: No wonder; but I will try to get nearer SOCRATES: I mean as I might say about anything; if I can, for you know that all things have a com-that a round, for example, is ‘a figure’ and not mon notion. Suppose now that some one asked simply ‘figure,’ and I should adopt this mode you the question which I asked before: Meno, he of speaking, because there are other figures.
would say, what is figure? And if you answered MENO: Quite right; and that is just what I am
‘roundness,’ he would reply to you, in my way saying about virtue—that there are other virtues of speaking, by asking whether you would say as well as justice.
that roundness is ‘figure’ or ‘a figure;’ and SOCRATES: What are they? tell me the names of you would answer ‘a figure.’
them, as I would tell you the names of the other MENO: Certainly.
figures if you asked me.
SOCRATES: And for this reason—that there are MENO: Courage and temperance and wisdom and other figures?
magnanimity are virtues; and there are many others.
MENO: Yes.
SOCRATES: Yes, Meno; and again we are in the SOCRATES: And if he proceeded to ask, What same case: in searching after one virtue we have other figures are there? you would have told him.
found many, though not in the same way as be-MENO: I should.
fore; but we have been unable to find the com-SOCRATES: And if he similarly asked what colour mon virtue which runs through them all.
is, and you answered whiteness, and the ques-MENO: Why, Socrates, even now I am not able to tioner rejoined, Would you say that whiteness is follow you in the attempt to get at one common colour or a colour? you would reply, A colour, be-notion of virtue as of other things.
cause there are other colours as well.