Dialogue

 1 Phileb|     companions, that Socrates shall answer his own questions, as well
 2 Phileb|        difficulties and he gives no answer to them. His mode of speaking
 3 Phileb|          opposites was a sufficient answer to them. He will leave them
 4 Phileb|            they? He is requested to answer the question himself. That
 5 Phileb|     moderate and immoderate? We may answer the question by an illustration:
 6 Phileb|             is the true one? we may answer: All of them—moral sense,
 7 Phileb|            Philebus, we can give no answer to the question, ‘What is
 8 Phileb|       included under it? Perhaps we answer, ‘The subjective feeling
 9 Phileb|          Indeed he is, and you must answer him.~SOCRATES: I will; but
10 Phileb|         have already arrived at the answer to the question which, as
11 Phileb|      previous discussion desires an answer is, how they are one and
12 Phileb|          consider which of us shall answer him; there may be something
13 Phileb|    ridiculous in my being unable to answer, and therefore imposing
14 Phileb|          neither of us were able to answer, the result methinks would
15 Phileb|           not as yet any sufficient answer to give; let us not imagine
16 Phileb|             but if we are unable to answer, do you answer, as you have
17 Phileb|            unable to answer, do you answer, as you have promised. Consider,
18 Phileb|           Certainly.~SOCRATES: Then answer.~PROTARCHUS: Ask.~SOCRATES:
19 Phileb|      eligible?~PROTARCHUS: I cannot answer you, Socrates; the argument
20 Phileb|           dear Protarchus, and your answer reminds me that such an
21 Phileb|           you a question before you answer?~PHILEBUS: Let me hear.~
22 Phileb|             still I must beg you to answer the question.~PROTARCHUS:
23 Phileb|              Protarchus, propose to answer in my place?~PROTARCHUS:
24 Phileb|         Socrates.~SOCRATES: Yet the answer is easy, since all philosophers
25 Phileb|           which does not deserve an answer.~SOCRATES: Right; and you
26 Phileb|       SOCRATES: And they furnish an answer to my enquiry; for they
27 Phileb|          think that you now have my answer.~PROTARCHUS: I have indeed,
28 Phileb|           the puzzle if we find the answer.~PROTARCHUS: A fair retort;
29 Phileb|        which he may guess the right answer, saying as if in a whisper
30 Phileb|      PROTARCHUS: Exactly.~SOCRATES: Answer me another question.~PROTARCHUS:
31 Phileb|        similar phenomena?’ You must answer for them.~PROTARCHUS: The
32 Phileb|              You, Protarchus, shall answer these severe gentlemen as
33 Phileb|             severe gentlemen as you answer me.~PROTARCHUS: By all means,
34 Phileb|           we must be careful in our answer, or we shall come to grief.~
35 Phileb|      because we might be tempted to answer, ‘When we are in health.’~
36 Phileb|            Yes, that is the natural answer.~SOCRATES: Well, but are
37 Phileb|          you do or not, Protarchus. Answer now, and tell me whether
38 Phileb|         PROTARCHUS: Ask, and I will answer.~SOCRATES: I assume that
39 Phileb|          PROTARCHUS: Why do you not answer yourself, Socrates?~SOCRATES:
40 Phileb|             Certainly.~SOCRATES: My answer is, that all things instrumental,
41 Phileb|           how, Protarchus, shall we answer the enquiry?~PROTARCHUS:
42 Phileb|        enormous.~SOCRATES: Then the answer will be the easier.~PROTARCHUS:
43 Phileb|           judgment; and this is the answer which, upon your authority,
44 Phileb| misinterpretation?~PROTARCHUS: What answer?~SOCRATES: That there are
45 Phileb|           Let us boldly return this answer to the masters of whom you
46 Phileb|           of pleasure and wisdom to answer for themselves.~PROTARCHUS:
47 Phileb|           that they would certainly answer as follows:~PROTARCHUS:
48 Phileb|           How?~SOCRATES: They would answer, as we said before, that
49 Phileb|        respect.~PROTARCHUS: And our answer will be:—In that ye have
50 Phileb|     pleasure, pause awhile and make answer to yourself—as to whether