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Plato

Theages

Ancient Greek with an independent English translation.

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TheagesTheages · 123d–123e

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Theages · 123d–123e

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Ancient Greek

p. 10

ΣΩ. Οὐκοῦν καὶ ἡ ἡνιοχεία σοφία ἐστίν; ἢ ἀμαθία δοκεῖ σοι εἶναι;

ΘΕ. Οὐκ ἔμοιγε.

ΣΩ. Ἀλλὰ σοφία;

ΘΕ. Ναί.

ΣΩ. Ἧι τί χρώμεθα; οὐχ ᾗ ἵππων ἐπιστάμεθα ζεύγους ἄρχειν;

ΘΕ. Ναί.

ΣΩ. Οὐκοῦν καὶ ἡ κυβερνητικὴ σοφία ἐστίν;

ΘΕ. Ἔμοιγε δοκεῖ.

ΣΩ. Ἆρ’ οὐχ αὕτη ᾗ πλοίων ἐπιστάμεθα ἄρχειν;

ΘΕ. Αὕτη μὲν οὖν.

ΣΩ. Ἧς δὲ δὴ σὺ ἐπιθυμεῖς ἡ σοφία τίς ἐστιν; ᾗ τίνος 123e ἐπιστάμεθα ἄρχειν;

ΘΕ. Ἐμοὶ μὲν δοκεῖ, ᾗ τῶν ἀνθρώπων.

ΣΩ. Μῶν ᾗ τῶν καμνόντων;

ΘΕ. Οὐ δῆτα.

ΣΩ. Ἰατρικὴ γὰρ αὕτη ἐστίν· ἦ γάρ;

ΘΕ. Ναί.

ΣΩ. Ἀλλ’ ᾗ τῶν ᾀδόντων ἐπιστάμεθα ἐν τοῖς χοροῖς ἄρχειν;

ΘΕ. Οὔ.

ΣΩ. Μουσικὴ γὰρ αὕτη γε;

ΘΕ. Πάνυ γε.

ΣΩ. Ἀλλ’ ᾗ τῶν γυμναζομένων ἐπιστάμεθα ἄρχειν;

ΘΕ. Οὔ.

ΣΩ. Γυμναστικὴ γὰρ αὕτη γε;

ΘΕ. Ναί.

ΣΩ. Ἀλλ’ ᾗ τῶν τί ποιούντων; προθυμοῦ εἰπεῖν ὥσπερ ἐγὼ σοὶ τὰ ἔμπροσθεν.

10

Theages

p. 11

Soc. Then is charioteering also wisdom? Or does it seem to you to be stupidity?1

Theag. Not to me.

Soc. Wisdom, then?

Theag. Yes.

Soc. What do we use it for? Is it not that by which we know how to rule a team of horses?

Theag. Yes.

Soc. Then is piloting also wisdom?

Theag. I think so.

Soc. Is it not that by which we know how to rule ships?

Theag. That one, yes.

Soc. And the wisdom you desire: what is it? The one by which 123e we know how to rule what?

Theag. To my mind, the one by which we rule men.

Soc. Surely not the one by which we rule the sick?

Theag. No indeed.

Soc. For that is medicine; isn’t that so?

Theag. Yes.

Soc. Then the one by which we know how to rule the singers in the choruses?

Theag. No.

Soc. For that, surely, is music?

Theag. Certainly.

Soc. Then the one by which we know how to rule those who exercise?

Theag. No.

Soc. For that, surely, is gymnastics?

Theag. Yes.

Soc. Then the one by which we rule those doing what? Do your best to say it, as I did the earlier ones for you.

11

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.