Book 3, Chapter 1

Aspirants to honour and distinction ¹ derived similar help from Socrates, who in each case stimulated in them a persevering assiduity towards their several aims, as the following narratives tend to show. He had heard on one occasion of the arrival in Athens of Dionysodorus, ² who professed to teach the whole duty of a general. ³ Accordingly he remarked to one of those who were with him—a young man whose anxiety to obtain the office of Strategos ⁴ was no secret to him:

People seeking honor and distinction ¹ received similar help from Socrates. He encouraged each of them to pursue their goals with steady effort, as the following stories suggest. On one occasion, he heard that Dionysodorus ² had arrived in Athens. Dionysodorus claimed to teach everything a general needed to know. ³ Socrates therefore spoke to one of the young men with him. Socrates knew that the young man was eager to become a Strategos. ⁴ He said:

Soc. It would be monstrous on the part of any one who sought to become a general ⁵ to throw away the slightest opportunity of learning the duties of the office. Such a person, I should say, would deserve to be fined and punished by the state far more than the charlatan who without having learnt the art of a sculptor undertakes a contract to carve a statue. Considering that the whole fortunes of the state are entrusted to the general during a war, with all its incidental peril, it is only reasonable to anticipate that great blessings or great misfortunes will result in proportion to the success or bungling of that officer. I appeal to you, young sir, do you not agree that a candidate who, while taking pains to be elected neglects to learn the duties of the office, would richly deserve to be fined?

Soc. It would be outrageous for anyone seeking to become a general ⁵ to miss even the smallest opportunity to learn the job. I think the state should fine and punish such a person far more severely than a fraud who takes a contract to carve a statue without learning the sculptor’s art. In war, with all its dangers, the general is entrusted with the entire fate of the state. So it is only reasonable to expect great benefits or great disasters, depending on the general’s success or incompetence. Tell me, young sir, don’t you agree that a candidate who works hard to get elected but neglects to learn the job deserves a hefty fine?

With arguments like these he persuaded the young man to go and take lessons. After he had gone through the course he came back, and Socrates proceeded playfully to banter him.

With arguments like these, Socrates persuaded the young man to take lessons. After completing the course, the young man returned, and Socrates playfully teased him.

Soc. Behold our young friend, sirs, as Homer says of Agamemnon, of mein majestical, ⁶ so he; does he not seem to move more majestically, like one who has studied to be a general? Of course, just as a man who has learned to play the harp is a harper, even if he never touch the instrument, or as one who has studied medicine is a physician, though he does not practise, so our friend here from this time forward is now and ever shall be a general, even though he does not receive a vote at the elections. But the dunce who has not the science is neither general nor doctor, no, not even if the whole world appointed him. But (he proceeded, turning to the youth), in case any of us should ever find ourselves captain or colonel ⁷ under you, to give us some smattering of the science of war, what did the professor take as the starting-point of his instruction in generalship? Please inform us.

Soc. Look at our young friend, gentlemen. As Homer says of Agamemnon, he has a majestic bearing. ⁶ Doesn’t he seem to walk more majestically, like someone who has studied to be a general? Of course, a man who has learned to play the harp is a harpist, even if he never touches the instrument. And someone who has studied medicine is a doctor, even if he does not practice. In the same way, our friend here is now a general and always will be, even if he gets no votes in an election. But a fool who lacks the knowledge is neither a general nor a doctor, even if the whole world appoints him. But, he continued, turning to the young man, any of us might someday serve under you as a captain or colonel. ⁷ So, to give us some idea of the art of war, tell us: where did the professor begin his lessons in generalship?

Then the young man: He began where he ended; he taught me tactics ⁸—tactics and nothing else.

Then the young man said: He began where he ended. He taught me tactics ⁸, tactics and nothing else.

Yet surely (replied Socrates) that is only an infinitesimal part of generalship. A general ⁹ must be ready in furnishing the material of war: in providing the commissariat for his troops; quick in devices, he must be full of practical resource; nothing must escape his eye or tax his endurance; he must be shrewd, and ready of wit, a combination at once of clemency and fierceness, of simplicity and of insidious craft; he must play the part of watchman, of robber; now prodigal as a spendthrift, and again close-fisted as a miser, the bounty of his munificence must be equalled by the narrowness of his greed; impregnable in defence, a very dare-devil in attack—these and many other qualities must he possess who is to make a good general and minister of war; they must come to him by gift of nature or through science. No doubt it is a grand thing also to be a tactician, since there is all the difference in the world between an army properly handled in the field and the same in disorder; just as stones and bricks, woodwork and tiles, tumbled together in a heap are of no use at all, but arrange them in a certain order—at bottom and atop materials which will not crumble or rot, such as stones and earthen tiles, and in the middle between the two put bricks and woodwork, with an eye to architectural principle, ¹⁰ and finally you get a valuable possession—to wit, a dwelling-place.

“Yet surely,” Socrates replied, “that is only a tiny part of being a general. A general ⁹ must be ready to supply the materials of war and provisions for his troops. He must think quickly and be full of practical resourcefulness. Nothing must escape his notice or strain his endurance. He must be shrewd and quick-witted, both merciful and fierce, straightforward and cunning. He must act as a watchman and as a robber. At times he must be as extravagant as a spendthrift, at others as tight-fisted as a miser. His generosity must be matched by his greed. He must be impossible to defeat in defense and a daredevil in attack. These and many other qualities are needed by anyone who would be a good general and leader in war. He must have them by nature or acquire them through study. “Being skilled in tactics is also a fine thing. After all, there is a world of difference between an army handled properly in the field and the same army in disorder. Just so, stones, bricks, timber, and tiles are useless when thrown together in a heap. But arrange them in a certain order, following the principles of building, ¹⁰ and you get something valuable: a home. Put materials that will not crumble or rot, such as stones and clay tiles, at the bottom and the top. Then put bricks and timber between them.”

The simile is very apt, Socrates ¹¹ (replied the youth), for in battle, too, the rule is to draw up the best men in front and rear, with those of inferior quality between, where they may be led on by the former and pushed on by the hinder.

“That comparison is very fitting, Socrates ¹¹,” the young man replied. “In battle, too, the practice is to place the best men at the front and rear. The less capable men are placed between them, where the men in front may lead them forward and those behind may push them on.”

Soc. Very good, no doubt, if the professor taught you to distinguish good and bad; but if not, where is the use of your learning? It would scarcely help you, would it, to be told to arrange coins in piles, the best coins at top and bottom and the worst in the middle, unless you were first taught to distinguish real from counterfeit.

Soc. That is certainly useful if the professor taught you to distinguish good from bad. But if not, what use is your learning? Suppose you were told to arrange coins in piles, with the best coins at the top and bottom and the worst in the middle. That would hardly help you unless you were first taught to tell real coins from counterfeits, would it?

The Youth. Well no, upon my word, he did not teach us that, so that the task of distinguishing between good and bad must devolve on ourselves.

The Youth. Well, no, he really didn't teach us that. So we have to distinguish between good and bad ourselves.

Soc. Well, shall we see, then, how we may best avoid making blunders between them?

Soc. Well, shall we see how we can best avoid making mistakes between them?

I am ready (replied the youth).

I am ready, the young man replied.

Soc. Well then! Let us suppose we are marauders, and the task imposed upon us is to carry off some bullion; it will be a right disposition of our forces if we place in the vanguard those who are the greediest of gain? ¹²

Soc. All right! Suppose we are raiders, and our task is to carry off some bullion. Would it be the right way to arrange our forces to put those most eager for gain at the front? ¹²

The Youth. I should think so.

The Youth. I think so.

Soc. Then what if there is danger to be faced? Shall the vanguard consist of men who are greediest of honour?

Soc. Then what if there is danger to face? Should the men most eager for honor lead the way?

The Youth. It is these, at any rate, who will face danger for the sake of praise and glory. ¹³ Fortunately such people are not hid away in a corner; they shine forth conspicuous everywhere, and are easy to be discovered.

The Youth. These are the people, at least, who will face danger for praise and glory. ¹³ Fortunately, such people do not hide away in a corner. They stand out everywhere and are easy to find.

Soc. But tell me, did he teach you how to draw up troops in general, or specifically where and how to apply each particular kind of tactical arrangement?

Soc. But tell me, did he teach you how to arrange troops in general? Or did he teach you specifically where and how to use each kind of formation?

The Youth. Nothing of the sort.

The Youth. Nothing like that.

Soc. And yet there are and must be innumerable circumstances in which the same ordering of march or battle will be out of place.

Soc. And yet there are, and must be, countless situations where the same formation is unsuitable for marching or battle.

The Youth. I assure you he did not draw any of these fine distinctions.

The Youth. I assure you, he made none of those fine distinctions.

He did not, did not he? (he answered). Bless me! Go back to him again, then, and ply him with questions; if he really has the science, and is not lost to all sense of shame, he will blush to have taken your money and then to have sent you away empty.

“He didn’t, did he?” he answered. “Good heavens! Go back to him and keep asking him questions. If he really knows the subject and has any sense of shame left, he’ll be embarrassed. After all, he took your money and sent you away with nothing.”