Theages

Outline

The divisions follow the argument. References are to Stephanus pages and sections, which stand in the margins of both pages of the text.

I. Demodocus’ request (121a–122b)

121a Demodocus asks Socrates for a private word, “if you have leisure”; Socrates is “in fact at leisure anyway”, and they withdraw “into the stoa of Zeus Eleutherios”.

121b–c The farmer’s image: “all things that grow fare in the same way”; planting is easy and tending hard, and “the planting of this son here—whether one should name it planting or begetting—has proved the easiest thing of all, but his rearing has been troublesome”.

121c–d The boy “desires, Socrates, so he says, to become wise”. Boys of his own age and deme have unsettled him, and he thinks fit that his father should “pay money to one of the sophists, who will make him wise”.

122a The father thinks it best to obey him, “lest perhaps, coming to be with someone when I am not there, he be corrupted”, and asks Socrates’ advice.

II. What does the boy desire? (122b–123b)

122b–c Advice, Socrates says, “is indeed said to be a sacred thing”; they must first agree “what exactly we think this is about which we are deliberating”.

122c–d Socrates changes it a little: they must begin by “finding out thoroughly what it is that he desires”.

122d–e The boy’s name is Theages, “befitting the sacred”. He desires to become wise, and calls wise “those who have knowledge”.

122e–123b He was taught letters, the cithara and wrestling, and thinks he still lacks some knowledge; his father, he says, “is not willing to introduce me to anyone”.

III. The wisdom by which one rules (123b–124b)

123b–d If he desired the wisdom of piloting or of charioteering, he could name it; the wisdom he desires has a name: “What other name, Socrates, would anyone say it has but wisdom?”

123d–e Charioteering is the wisdom by which “we know how to rule a team of horses”, piloting that by which we rule ships. Theages’ wisdom is “the one by which we rule men”, but not medicine, music or gymnastics.

124a–b It is “the one by which we rule those in the city”, not farming or carpentry, but “the one by which we rule all these, and the farmers themselves, and the carpenters, and all the craftsmen, and private persons, and women and men”.

IV. Tyrants (124c–125b)

124c–d Aegisthus in Argos, Peleus in Phthia, Periander in Corinth, Archelaus in Macedonia and Hippias in Athens ruled “these same people”.

124d–e Bakis, the Sibyl and Amphilytus have the title “oracle-singers”; Hippias and Periander the title “Tyrants”. “Then this is what you say you desire?” “It seems so, at any rate, from what I said.”

124e–125b “You rascal!” The boy has been blaming his father for not sending him to “some tyrant-teacher”, and the father is reproached; “shall we deliberate together, you and I, to whose house we should send him, and by being with whom he would become a wise tyrant?”

V. “Wise are tyrants by being with the wise” (125b–126a)

125b–d Socrates quotes the line he gives to Euripides and varies it on farmers, cooks and wrestlers: “Those wise in what do you mean, Euripides?” “Why, by Zeus, I do not know.”

125d–e “These are just the things that Anacreon said Callicrite knew”; she “knows tyrannical things”. “You have long been mocking me, Socrates, and joking with me.”

125e–126a Theages would pray to be a tyrant over all men, “and still more, perhaps, to become a god”, but desires to rule “not by force, at least, nor as the tyrants do, but over those who are willing”, like Themistocles, Pericles and Cimon.

VI. The statesmen as teachers (126a–127a)

126a–c As one who would become a clever horseman goes to those skilled in horsemanship, and one who would become wise in javelin-throwing to those skilled in javelin-throwing, a would-be statesman should go to “these statesmen, who are themselves clever at the affairs of the city”.

126d Theages has heard Socrates’ own argument: “the sons of these statesmen are no better than the sons of the shoemakers”.

126d–127a A son who desired to become a painter and slighted the painters would leave his father at a loss; Socrates and the father will introduce Theages to whichever statesman he wishes, “and he will be with you for nothing”.

VII. Theages chooses Socrates (127a–128c)

127a “Are you not one of the fine and good men too? For if you were willing to be with me, that suffices, and I look for no one else.”

127b–d Demodocus begs: “there is nothing I would think a greater godsend than if this boy were pleased with being with you”; he will offer “both myself and what is mine, as much your own as can be”.

127d–128b Socrates wonders at the request: Demodocus is older and has “ruled in many offices”; Prodicus, Gorgias and Polus teach for fees; and Socrates knows “nothing except a certain small subject, the things of love”.

128b–c Theages: “Socrates hardly seems to me willing any longer to spend time with me”; those who were with him “appear better than all those they were worse than before”.

VIII. The daimonic sign (128c–129e)

128c–d “Do you know, then, what this is, son of Demodocus?” Theages answers that, if Socrates wishes, he too will become such as those men are; Socrates: “there is something daimonic that has accompanied me by a divine lot, beginning in my childhood. It is a voice”.

128d–129a Charmides and the stadion race at Nemea: “In the midst of your speaking the voice of the daimonic has come to me; no, do not train.”

129a–c Timarchus, who said he was going to his death “because I was not willing to obey Socrates”: at the drinking party the voice twice held him back, and the third time he slipped away unnoticed.

129c–d The army in Sicily; Sannion, “gone now with Thrasyllus on campaign, straight for Ephesus and Ionia”.

IX. Being with Socrates (129e–130e)

129e–130a The power of the daimonic “has all power also over being with those who spend time with me”: it opposes many; many are with him and are not benefited; some “make progress quickly, at once”, and of these some keep the benefit and many lose it when they keep away.

130a–c Aristides son of Lysimachus made progress, went on campaign, and came back to find Thucydides son of Melesias with Socrates: “And yet I myself too,” he said, “am in a laughable state, Socrates.”

130c–e He lost his power “little by little”; “I never learned anything from you, as you yourself know; but I made progress whenever I was with you”, most “when I sat beside you, keeping hold of you and touching you”. “But now,” he said, “all that state has drained away.”

130e “Such, then, Theages, is our being with one another: if it is dear to the god, you will make very great progress, and quickly; if not, not.”

X. The trial agreed (131a)

131a Theages proposes to “make trial of this daimonic thing by being with one another”, and, if it does not allow them, to deliberate at once whether to be with someone else or to “try to soothe the divine itself that comes to you with prayers and sacrifices”. Demodocus: “Theages speaks well.” Socrates: “Well, if it seems we should do so, let us do so.”