Dialogue

 1  Meno|        that he does not as yet know what virtue is, and has
 2  Meno|        object that he does not know the meaning of the word ‘
 3  Meno|       or into what he does not know? This is a sophistical puzzle,
 4  Meno|       he professes a desire to know ‘what virtue is’ first.
 5  Meno|  neither enquire into what you know nor into what you do not
 6  Meno|       nor into what you do not know;’ to which Socrates replies
 7  Meno|    their history, so far as we know it; there can be no other.
 8  Meno|        which becomes those who know, and is the style in which
 9  Meno|         For I literally do not know what virtue is, and much
10  Meno|      confess with shame that I know literally nothing about
11  Meno|      virtue; and when I do not know the ‘quid’ of anything how
12  Meno|    quid’ of anything how can I know the ‘quale’? How, if I knew
13  Meno|      in saying that you do not know what virtue is? And am I
14  Meno|     And I dare say that he did know, and that you know what
15  Meno|      he did know, and that you know what he said: please, therefore,
16  Meno|      virtue of a man—he should know how to administer the state,
17  Meno|       s virtue, if you wish to know about that, may also be
18  Meno|       That is what I desire to know, Meno; tell me what is the
19  Meno|      definition of them all, I know not what to say, but that
20  Meno|       nearer if I can, for you know that all things have a common
21  Meno|   understand what you want, or know what you are saying; he
22  Meno|        to say that he does not know what colour is, any more
23  Meno|      you talking, and he would know that you are a fair creature
24  Meno|         to be good; or do they know that they are evil and yet
25  Meno|     possesses them, or does he know that they will do him harm?~
26  Meno|      them good, and others who know that they will do them harm.~
27  Meno|    that they will do them good know that they are evils?~MENO:
28  Meno|      to the possessor of them, know that they will be hurt by
29  Meno|       by them?~MENO: They must know it.~SOCRATES: And must they
30  Meno|     told me and I must already know the whole of virtue, and
31  Meno|       can any one who does not know virtue know a part of virtue?~
32  Meno|       who does not know virtue know a part of virtue?~MENO:
33  Meno|    really torpid, and I do not know how to answer you; and though
34  Meno|        simile about you. For I know that all pretty young gentlemen
35  Meno|    perplexed myself. And now I know not what virtue is, and
36  Meno|  although you did once perhaps know before you touched me. However,
37  Meno|     into that which you do not know? What will you put forth
38  Meno|        want, how will you ever know that this is the thing which
39  Meno|        thing which you did not know?~SOCRATES: I know, Meno,
40  Meno|      did not know?~SOCRATES: I know, Meno, what you mean; but
41  Meno|   about that which he does not know; for if he knows, he has
42  Meno|        cannot; for he does not know the very subject about which
43  Meno| SOCRATES: Tell me, boy, do you know that a figure like this
44  Meno|        I do.~SOCRATES: And you know that a square figure has
45  Meno|   SOCRATES: And does he really know?~MENO: Certainly not.~SOCRATES:
46  Meno|      eight feet; and I want to know whether you still say that
47  Meno|     Indeed, Socrates, I do not know.~SOCRATES: Do you see, Meno,
48  Meno|       recollection? He did not know at first, and he does not
49  Meno|      at first, and he does not know now, what is the side of
50  Meno|       the idea that he did not know, and had desired to know?~
51  Meno|       know, and had desired to know?~MENO: I think not, Socrates.~
52  Meno|    just now saying, he did not know?~MENO: True.~SOCRATES: But
53  Meno| SOCRATES: Then he who does not know may still have true notions
54  Meno|      of that which he does not know?~MENO: He has.~SOCRATES:
55  Meno|      different forms, he would know as well as any one at last?~
56  Meno|  taught him all this? You must know about him, if, as you say,
57  Meno|      recollect what you do not know, or rather what you do not
58  Meno|       and no use in seeking to know what we do not know;—that
59  Meno| seeking to know what we do not know;—that is a theme upon which
60  Meno|   about that which he does not know, shall you and I make an
61  Meno|       of which I do not as yet know the nature. At any rate,
62  Meno|  hypothesis. And we too, as we know not the nature and qualities
63  Meno|     thought the most likely to know. Here at the moment when
64  Meno|      honour their parents, and know when to receive and when
65  Meno| Socrates?~SOCRATES: You surely know, do you not, Anytus, that
66  Meno|   people who profess that they know how to do men good, do you
67  Meno|      cannot believe you; for I know of a single man, Protagoras,
68  Meno|       dear friend, how can you know whether a thing is good
69  Meno|   Quite well; I am sure that I know what manner of men these
70  Meno|      acquainted with them, you know about them. But I am not
71  Meno|      and Xanthippus.~ANYTUS: I know.~SOCRATES: And you know,
72  Meno|        know.~SOCRATES: And you know, also, that he taught them
73  Meno|  Athens, as I believe that you know.~SOCRATES: O Meno, think
74  Meno|  himself. But some day he will know what is the meaning of defamation,
75  Meno|     had never been and did not know, might be a good guide also,
76  Meno|      things which I profess to know, but this is most certainly
77  Meno|    many things truly, but they know not what they say.~MENO:
78  Meno|        God. But we shall never know the certain truth until,