Simon's Life

I. Simon was an Athenian, a leather-cutter. He, whenever Socrates came into his workshop and conversed, used to make memorandums of all his sayings that he recollected.

I. Simon was an Athenian leather cutter. Whenever Socrates came to his workshop and talked with him, Simon wrote down all the sayings he could remember.

II. And from this circumstance, people have called his dialogues leathern ones. But he has written thirty-three which, however, are all combined in one volume:—On the Gods; on the Good; on the Honourable; what the Honourable is; the first Dialogue on Justice; the second Dialogue on Justice; on Virtue, showing that it is not to be taught; the first Dialogue on Courage; the second; the third; on Laws; on the Art of Guiding the People; on Honour; on Poetry; on Good Health; on Love; on Philosophy; on Knowledge; on Music; on Poetry; on what the Honourable is; on Teaching; on Conversation; on Judgment; on the Existent; on Number; on Diligence; on Activity; on Covetousness; on Insolence; on the Honourable; Some also add to these dialogues; on taking Counsel; on Reason or Suitableness; on doing Harm.

II. Because of this, people have called his dialogues leathern. But he wrote thirty-three dialogues, all collected in one volume. Their titles are: On the Gods, On the Good, On the Honorable, What the Honorable Is, the first dialogue On Justice, the second dialogue On Justice, On Virtue, showing that it cannot be taught, the first dialogue On Courage, the second, the third, On Laws, On the Art of Guiding the People, On Honor, On Poetry, On Good Health, On Love, On Philosophy, On Knowledge, On Music, On Poetry, On What the Honorable Is, On Teaching, On Conversation, On Judgment, On the Existent, On Number, On Diligence, On Activity, On Greed, On Insolence, and On the Honorable. Some also add these dialogues: On Taking Counsel, On Reason or Suitableness, and On Doing Harm.

III. He is, as some people say, the first writer who reduced the conversations of Socrates into the form of dialogues. And when Pericles offered to provide for him, and invited him to come to him, he said that he would not sell his freedom of speech.

III. Some say he was the first writer to turn Socrates' conversations into dialogues. Pericles offered to support him and invited him to come to him. He replied that he would not sell his freedom of speech.

IV. There was also another Simon, who wrote a treatise on Oratorical Art. And another, who was a physician in the time of Seleucus Nicanor. And another, who was a statuary.

IV. Another Simon wrote a treatise on the art of public speaking. Another was a physician in the time of Seleucus Nicanor. Another was a sculptor.