Theages

Name: Theages
Author: Plato

Ancient Greek with an independent English translation.

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TheagesTheages · 126e–127c

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Theages · 126e–127c

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Ancient Greek

p. 22

μανθάνειν; ἢ τοὺς αὐλητάς, βουλόμενος αὐλητὴς γενέσθαι, ἢ τοὺς κιθαριστάς; ἔχοις ἂν αὐτῷ ὅτι χρῷο καὶ ὅποι πέμποις ἄλλοσε μὴ ἐθέλοντα παρὰ τούτων μανθάνειν;

ΘΕ. Μὰ Δία οὐκ ἔγωγε.

127aΣΩ. Νῦν οὖν ταὐτὰ ταῦτα αὐτὸς πρὸς τὸν πατέρα ποιῶν θαυμάζεις, καὶ μέμφῃ εἰ ἀπορεῖ ὅτι σοι χρήσηται καὶ ὅποι πέμποι; ἐπεὶ Ἀθηναίων γε τῶν καλῶν κἀγαθῶν τὰ πολιτικὰ ὅτῳ ἂν βούλῃ συστήσομέν σε, ὅς σοι προῖκα συνέσται· καὶ ἅμα μὲν ἀργύριον οὐκ ἀναλώσεις, ἅμα δὲ πολὺ μᾶλλον εὐδοκιμήσεις παρὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἢ ἄλλῳ τῳ συνών.

ΘΕ. Τί οὖν, ὦ Σώκρατες; οὐ καὶ σὺ τῶν καλῶν κἀγαθῶν εἰ ἀνδρῶν; εἰ γὰρ σύ μοι ἐθέλοις συνεῖναι, ἐξαρκεῖ καὶ οὐδένα ἄλλον ζητῶ.

127bΣΩ. Τί τοῦτο λέγεις, Θέαγες;

ΔΗ. Ὦ Σώκρατες, οὐ μέντοι κακῶς λέγει, καὶ ἅμα μὲν ἐμοὶ χαριῇ· ὡς ἐγὼ οὐκ ἔσθ’ ὅτι τούτου μεῖζον ἂν ἕρμαιον ἡγησαίμην, ἢ εἰ οὗτός τε ἀρέσκοιτο τῇ σῇ συνουσίᾳ καὶ σὺ ἐθέλοις τούτῳ συνεῖναι. καὶ μέντοι καὶ αἰσχύνομαι λέγειν ὡς σφόδρα βούλομαι. ἀλλ’ ἐγὼ ἀμφοτέρων ὑμῶν δέομαι, σέ τ’ ἐθέλειν τούτῳ συνεῖναι καὶ σὲ μὴ ζητεῖν ἄλλῳ μηδενὶ συγγενέσθαι ἢ Σωκράτει· καί με πολλῶν καὶ φοβερῶν ἀπαλ127cλάξετε φροντίδων. ὡς νῦν πάνυ φοβοῦμαι ὑπὲρ τούτου μή τινι ἄλλῳ ἐντύχῃ οἵῳ τοῦτον διαφθεῖραι.

ΘΕ. Μηκέτι νῦν, ὦ πάτερ, ὑπέρ γ’ ἐμοῦ φοβοῦ, εἴπερ οἷός τ’ εἶ πεῖσαι τοῦτον τὴν ἐμὴν συνουσίαν προσδέξασθαι.

ΔΗ. Πάνυ καλῶς λέγεις. ὦ Σώκρατες, πρὸς σὲ δ’ ἂν ἤδη εἴη ὁ μετὰ τοῦτο λόγος· ἐγὼ γάρ σοι ἕτοιμός εἰμι, ὡς διὰ βραχέων εἰπεῖν, καὶ ἐμὲ καὶ τὰ ἐμὰ ὡς οἷόν τε οἰκειό-

Theages

p. 23

to learn from them? Or the flute-players, wishing to become a flute-player, or the cithara-players? Would you find anything to do with him, or anywhere else to send him, if he were not willing to learn from these?

Theag. Not I, by Zeus.

Soc. 127a Now, then, when you are doing these very same things yourself towards your father, do you wonder, and blame him, if he is at a loss what to do with you and where to send you? For of the Athenians who are fine and good in the affairs of the city we will introduce you to whichever you wish, and he will be with you for nothing; and at the same time you will not spend money, and at the same time you will be much more highly thought of among the many than if you were with anyone else.

Theag. What then, Socrates? Are you not one of the fine and good men too?¹ For if you were willing to be with me, that suffices, and I look for no one else.

Soc. 127b What do you mean by this, Theages?

Dem. Socrates, he certainly does not speak badly, and at the same time you will be doing me a favor; for there is nothing I would think a greater godsend² than if this boy were pleased with being with you, and you were willing to be with him. Indeed, I am ashamed even to say how much I wish it. But I beg you both: you, to be willing to be with him, and you, not to seek to come to be with anyone else than Socrates; and you will free me from many fearful 127c worries. For as it is I am very much afraid for him, lest he meet with someone else of a kind to corrupt him.

Theag. Do not be afraid any longer now, father, for me at least, if indeed you are able to persuade him to accept being with me.

Dem. You speak very well. Socrates, the talk from here on would now be addressed to you; for I am ready, to put it briefly, both myself and what is mine, as much your own as can be,

About This Reading Edition

Demodocus asks Socrates how his son Theages can become wise. Their conversation turns from political ambition and the sophists to Socrates’ divine sign and the uncertain benefits of keeping his company. This complete edition presents the dialogue, 121a–131a, across seventeen Greek–English page pairs, with an introduction, Key Words of the Dialogue, an outline, glossary, critical apparatus, and thirty-nine translator’s notes. The dialogue is transmitted among Plato’s works; its authorship remains disputed.

Historical Text and Translation

The Greek follows John Burnet’s Platonis Opera, volume III (Oxford, 1903; second impression, corrected, 1909), printed at Oxford by Horace Hart. The supplied edition checks the Perseus Digital Library transcription against the photographed pages and preserves Burnet’s speaker names, verse quotations, editorial signs, and critical apparatus. The companion PDF retains the printed lineation and complete page layout.

About Diotimos Editions

Diotimos Editions prepared this independent English translation directly from the Greek. Each English dialogue page translates the Greek page opposite it, with Stephanus references in the margin and all thirty-nine translator’s notes attached to their passages. The introduction and Key Words of the Dialogue precede the text; the Outline, Editorial Note, Glossary of Key Terms, and Note on this Edition follow it.

Rights

The ancient Greek work and Burnet’s printed edition are in the public domain. The Perseus digital Greek transcription and its modifications are attributed to the Perseus Digital Library, Tufts University, and reused under CC BY-SA 4.0. The independent English translation and Diotimos editorial matter are © 2026 Diotimos Editions.