24c10–26b7

Question 1

καί μοι δεῦρο, ὦ Μέλητε, εἰπέ· ἄλλο τι ἢ περὶ πλείστου ποιῇ ὅπως ὡς βέλτιστοι οἱ νεώτεροι ἔσονται;

Ἔγωγε.

Ἴθι δή νυν εἰπὲ τούτοις, τίς αὐτοὺς βελτίους ποιεῖ; δῆλον γὰρ ὅτι οἶσθα, μέλον γέ σοι. τὸν μὲν γὰρ διαφθείροντα ἐξευρών, | ὡς φῄς, ἐμέ, εἰσάγεις τουτοισὶ καὶ κατηγορεῖς· τὸν δὲ δὴ βελτίους ποιοῦντα ἴθι εἰπὲ καὶ μήνυσον αὐτοῖς τίς ἐστιν. —Ὁρᾷς, ὦ Μέλητε, ὅτι σιγᾷς καὶ οὐκ ἔχεις εἰπεῖν; καίτοι οὐκ αἰσχρόν σοι δοκεῖ εἶναι καὶ ἱκανὸν τεκμήριον οὗ δὴ ἐγὼ λέγω, ὅτι σοι οὐδὲν μεμέληκεν; ἀλλ’ εἰπέ, ὠγαθέ, | τίς αὐτοὺς ἀμείνους ποιεῖ;

Answer 1

Come over here to me, Mel, and tell me. Don’t you think the thing of most importance is that the young men should be the best as possible?

Yes.

Come now, tell these people, who makes them better? For it is clear that you know, it is important to you. After you had found out who had corrupted them, me, as you say, you lead me in front of these people and accuse me. Now, come on and tell me who makes them better and reveal who it is to them. You see, Mel, that you are silent and have nothing to say? And furthermore, it does not seem to be shameful to you and sufficient proof of what I’m saying, namely that nothing is a concern to you? So tell me, my good man, who makes them better?

Question 2

Οἱ νόμοι.

Ἀλλ’ οὐ τοῦτο ἐρωτῶ, ὦ βέλτιστε, ἀλλὰ τίς ἄνθρωπος, ὅστις πρῶτον καὶ αὐτὸ τοῦτο οἶδε, τοὺς νόμους;

Οὗτοι, ὦ Σώκρατες, οἱ δικασταί.

Πῶς λέγεις, ὦ Μέλητε; οἵδε τοὺς νέους παιδεύειν οἷοί τέ | εἰσι καὶ βελτίους ποιοῦσιν;

Μάλιστα.
Πότερον ἅπαντες, ἢ οἱ μὲν αὐτῶν, οἱ δ’ οὔ;

Ἅπαντες.

Εὖ γε νὴ τὴν Ἥραν λέγεις καὶ πολλὴν ἀφθονίαν τῶν ὠφελούντων. τί δὲ δή; οἱ δὲ ἀκροαταὶ βελτίους ποιοῦσιν ἢ οὔ; |

Καὶ οὗτοι.

Τί δέ, οἱ βουλευταί;

Καὶ οἱ βουλευταί. |

Ἀλλ’ ἄρα, ὦ Μέλητε, μὴ οἱ ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, οἱ ἐκκλησιασταί, διαφθείρουσι τοὺς νεωτέρους; ἢ κἀκεῖνοι βελτίους ποιοῦσιν ἅπαντες;

Answer 2

The laws.

But I did not ask that, most excellent sir, what men, first and foremost, know the laws themselves?

These men, Soc, the jurymen.

What do you mean? Are these men able to educate the youths and make them better?

Absolutely.
Is it all of them, or some of them or none of them?

All of them.

Very good, by Hera! You’re saying that there is an abundance of helpful people. But what then? Do the audience make them better or no?

Yes, and them.

What about the assembly?

Yes, and the assembly.

Surely, Mel, you don’t mean that those in the assembly, the assemblymen corrupt the youth? Or do all others make them better?

Question 3

Κἀκεῖνοι.

Πάντες ἄρα, ὡς ἔοικεν, Ἀθηναῖοι καλοὺς κἀγαθοὺς ποιοῦσι πλὴν ἐμοῦ, | ἐγὼ δὲ μόνος διαφθείρω. οὕτω λέγεις;

Πάνυ σφόδρα ταῦτα λέγω.

Answer 3

All men.

All Athenians, it seems, make them finer and better except me, I alone corrupt them. Is this what you mean?

Altogether, that’s exactly what I’m saying.