Dialogue

  1 Lache|           fathers.~At their request, Nicias and Laches have accompanied
  2 Lache|          acquire the accomplishment. Nicias and Laches are quite willing
  3 Lache|            Socrates is also known to Nicias, to whom he had introduced
  4 Lache|            he is younger than either Nicias or Laches, prefers to wait
  5 Lache|             a characteristic manner. Nicias, the tactician, is very
  6 Lache|            or discover anything. But Nicias and Laches are older and
  7 Lache|          remain;—in this showing, as Nicias says, how little he knows
  8 Lache|              about their past lives. Nicias has often submitted to this
  9 Lache|               if he could only tell.~Nicias is now appealed to; and
 10 Lache|              intelligence?’ to which Nicias replies, ‘Intelligence of
 11 Lache|              or a god.~Again, (2) in Nicias’ way of speaking, the term ‘
 12 Lache|              them. The characters of Nicias and Laches are indicated
 13 Lache|         armour. The more enlightened Nicias is quite ready to accept
 14 Lache|              with the refinements of Nicias.~In the discussion of the
 15 Lache|           dialectic of Socrates; and Nicias appears from the other side
 16 Lache|            to approximate to that of Nicias, are worthy of attention.~
 17 Lache|      exhibits one aspect of courage; Nicias the other. The perfect image
 18 Lache|              Thucydides. Their sons. Nicias, Laches, Socrates.~LYSIMACHUS:
 19 Lache|              man fighting in armour, Nicias and Laches, but we did not
 20 Lache|        common duty. I will tell you, Nicias and Laches, even at the
 21 Lache|           you agree to our proposal.~NICIAS: As far as I am concerned,
 22 Lache|             glad.~LACHES: Certainly, Nicias; and I quite approve of
 23 Lache|               Certainly, Lysimachus.~NICIAS: That I have the means of
 24 Lache|           time of life, Socrates and Nicias and Laches, fall out of
 25 Lache|             well as to you. Suppose, Nicias, that one or other of you
 26 Lache|           one or other of you begin.~NICIAS: I have no objection, Socrates;
 27 Lache|         should not like to maintain, Nicias, that any kind of knowledge
 28 Lache|             to be a good: and if, as Nicias and as the teachers of the
 29 Lache|         something in such an art, as Nicias asserts, but I tell you
 30 Lache|         Laches has voted one way and Nicias another, I should like to
 31 Lache|            had a teacher of the art.~NICIAS: Why, Socrates, is not the
 32 Lache|            in armour?~SOCRATES: Yes, Nicias; but there is also a prior
 33 Lache|          medicine or about the eyes?~NICIAS: About the eyes.~SOCRATES:
 34 Lache|         horse and not of the bridle?~NICIAS: True.~SOCRATES: And in
 35 Lache|            end and not of the means?~NICIAS: Certainly.~SOCRATES: And
 36 Lache|              which you have in view?~NICIAS: Most true.~SOCRATES: And
 37 Lache|            end is the soul of youth?~NICIAS: Yes.~SOCRATES: And we are
 38 Lache|            And therefore, Laches and Nicias, as Lysimachus and Melesias,
 39 Lache|           should not be surprised if Nicias or Laches may have discovered
 40 Lache|             you to detain Laches and Nicias, and question them. I would
 41 Lache|            kind. But you, Laches and Nicias, should each of you tell
 42 Lache|       Socrates, my friends; but you, Nicias and Laches, must determine
 43 Lache|             comply with our request.~NICIAS: I see very clearly, Lysimachus,
 44 Lache|     LYSIMACHUS: Why do you say that, Nicias?~NICIAS: Because you seem
 45 Lache|             do you say that, Nicias?~NICIAS: Because you seem not to
 46 Lache|              I have but one feeling, Nicias, or (shall I say?) two feelings,
 47 Lache|             place, and find out from Nicias and Laches what we want
 48 Lache|       conclusions.~SOCRATES: Let us, Nicias and Laches, comply with
 49 Lache|        SOCRATES: And shall we invite Nicias to join us? he may be better
 50 Lache|           that.~SOCRATES: Come then, Nicias, and do what you can to
 51 Lache|             you think about courage.~NICIAS: I have been thinking, Socrates,
 52 Lache|          lips.~SOCRATES: What is it, Nicias?~NICIAS: I have often heard
 53 Lache|        SOCRATES: What is it, Nicias?~NICIAS: I have often heard you
 54 Lache|              That is certainly true, Nicias.~NICIAS: And therefore if
 55 Lache|              certainly true, Nicias.~NICIAS: And therefore if the brave
 56 Lache|             SOCRATES: Tell him then, Nicias, what you mean by this wisdom;
 57 Lache|        wisdom which plays the flute?~NICIAS: Certainly not.~SOCRATES:
 58 Lache|         wisdom which plays the lyre?~NICIAS: No.~SOCRATES: But what
 59 Lache|            this knowledge or wisdom.~NICIAS: I mean to say, Laches,
 60 Lache|          SOCRATES: That is just what Nicias denies.~LACHES: Yes, that
 61 Lache|              instead of abusing him?~NICIAS: Laches does not want to
 62 Lache|             same.~LACHES: Very true, Nicias; and you are talking nonsense,
 63 Lache|              same as the courageous?~NICIAS: Not at all.~LACHES: No
 64 Lache|               What is Laches saying, Nicias? He appears to be saying
 65 Lache|             something of importance.~NICIAS: Yes, he is saying something,
 66 Lache|              true.~SOCRATES: How so?~NICIAS: Why, because he does not
 67 Lache|          certainly so in my opinion.~NICIAS: And do you think that the
 68 Lache|               LACHES: Certainly not.~NICIAS: And do you suppose that
 69 Lache|              live is better? And yet Nicias, would you allow that you
 70 Lache|           soothsayer nor courageous?~NICIAS: What! do you mean to say
 71 Lache|             Indeed I do: who but he?~NICIAS: Much rather I should say
 72 Lache|             I cannot understand what Nicias would be at, Socrates; for
 73 Lache|              should not. But perhaps Nicias is serious, and not merely
 74 Lache|              SOCRATES: Then tell me, Nicias, or rather tell us, for
 75 Lache|            grounds of hope and fear?~NICIAS: I do.~SOCRATES: And not
 76 Lache|             is what you were saying?~NICIAS: I was.~SOCRATES: Then this
 77 Lache|             could not be courageous.~NICIAS: I think not.~SOCRATES:
 78 Lache|               SOCRATES: Clearly not, Nicias; not even such a big pig
 79 Lache|              truly good. And I hope, Nicias, that you will tell us whether
 80 Lache|               to deny their courage.~NICIAS: Why, Laches, I do not call
 81 Lache|       acknowledges to be courageous.~NICIAS: Not so, Laches, but do
 82 Lache|             view which is implied in Nicias’ definition of courage is
 83 Lache|               but I must beg of you, Nicias, to begin again. You remember
 84 Lache|              to be a part of virtue.~NICIAS: Very true.~SOCRATES: And
 85 Lache|          together are called virtue.~NICIAS: Certainly.~SOCRATES: Do
 86 Lache|          Would you not say the same?~NICIAS: Certainly.~SOCRATES: Well
 87 Lache|           SOCRATES: That is my view, Nicias; the terrible things, as
 88 Lache|            do you not agree with me?~NICIAS: I agree.~SOCRATES: And
 89 Lache|             things you call courage?~NICIAS: Precisely.~SOCRATES: And
 90 Lache|          myself as to a third point.~NICIAS: What is that?~SOCRATES:
 91 Lache|       correct.~SOCRATES: And do you, Nicias, also acknowledge that the
 92 Lache|            future, present, or past?~NICIAS: Yes, indeed Socrates; that
 93 Lache|          fearful and of the hopeful?~NICIAS: Yes.~SOCRATES: And the
 94 Lache|              goods and future evils?~NICIAS: True.~SOCRATES: And the
 95 Lache|           the future or at any time?~NICIAS: That is true.~SOCRATES:
 96 Lache|           and past, and of any time?~NICIAS: That, as I suppose, is
 97 Lache|         answer which you have given, Nicias, includes only a third part
 98 Lache|        alteration in your statement?~NICIAS: I agree, Socrates.~SOCRATES:
 99 Lache|          deal both with gods or men.~NICIAS: I think, Socrates, that
100 Lache|             say.~SOCRATES: But then, Nicias, courage, according to this
101 Lache|            only, will be all virtue?~NICIAS: It would seem so.~SOCRATES:
102 Lache|              of the parts of virtue?~NICIAS: Yes, that was what we were
103 Lache| contradiction with our present view?~NICIAS: That appears to be the
104 Lache|            the case.~SOCRATES: Then, Nicias, we have not discovered
105 Lache|          discovered what courage is.~NICIAS: We have not.~LACHES: And
106 Lache|              LACHES: And yet, friend Nicias, I imagined that you would
107 Lache|              by the wisdom of Damon.~NICIAS: I perceive, Laches, that
108 Lache|               You are a philosopher, Nicias; of that I am aware: nevertheless
109 Lache|         would have asked him myself.~NICIAS: To that I quite agree,
110 Lache|    Lysimachus.~LYSIMACHUS: He ought, Nicias: for certainly I would do
111 Lache|              I had a knowledge which Nicias and Laches have not, then