Demodocus and paternal responsibility

Use in the book

Demodocus both opens the dialogue and supports its final arrangement. He is introduced through agricultural experience and anxiety about rearing, then describes the conflict generated by his son's educational ambition. His stated priority is safety rather than saving money. Because outright restraint is failing, he chooses to make the introduction himself rather than let his son associate with someone unaccompanied (121a–122a2). The adjustment is an exercise of care under limited control.

The son supplies another perspective. He accuses his father of pretending not to know what he wants and of refusing introductions (123a). Socrates initially gives both parties a hearing. Later he adopts a comic accusatory posture toward the father for not procuring a tyrant-teacher (125a), then asks the son to imagine facing the same predicament with a child of his own (126d–127a2). The hypothetical reverses their positions and makes paternal perplexity intelligible without simply vindicating every refusal.

When Theages selects Socrates, Demodocus is intensely relieved and offers himself and his resources in support of the arrangement (127b–d2). Socrates acknowledges that no sensible father could be more earnest about anything than his son's becoming as good as possible. This acknowledgment keeps the paternal concern serious even within the comedy.

Socrates' following argument also changes the reader's picture of the father. Demodocus is older, has held many important offices for Athens, and receives exceptional honor from his fellow Anagyrasians (127e). He is thus no merely unsophisticated farmer standing outside civic accomplishment. Socrates asks why someone possessing those qualifications should expect less capacity to educate a good citizen than the Socrates in whom neither interlocutor sees these distinctions. Yet the father's experience does not by itself settle the question of transmissibility, already raised against eminent statesmen and their sons.

Demodocus finally asks Socrates to stop opposing the boy's proposal (131a). The father has not disappeared from the educational relationship, but neither has he solved it through authority. His trajectory links responsibility, willingness to seek counsel, and acceptance of uncertainty. The dialogue establishes these actions; it does not establish that every historical Demodocus named in another work is the same man.

Places to read

1. 121cἡ τοῦ ὑέος τουτουΐ — The son present before the speakers grounds the farming comparison
2. 122bὦ Δημόδοκε — Socrates addresses the father while defining their consultation
3. 123aοὐκ ἐθέλει με οὐδενὶ συστῆσαι — The son's complaint about refused introductions
4. 127dὑπὲρ ὑέος αὑτοῦ ὅπως ὡς βέλτιστος ἔσται — Socrates recognizes the father's proper concern
5. 127eὑπὸ Ἀναγυρασίων τε τῶν δημοτῶν — The father's honor among his fellow demesmen

Translation in this edition

The introduction and note 26 cautiously compare the Athenian general Demodocus in Thucydides 4.75.1, describing the identification as possible. Note 1 supplies the relationship to Paralius reported in the Apology. These are external contextual notices, not additional speeches or biographical facts proven by Theages itself.

Best — κράτιστος (kratistos)

κράτιστος (kratistos)

Best. The father judges that a supervised concession now offers the best available course. Attested: κράτιστον (122a). Demodocus and paternal responsibility.

Demodocus — Δημόδοκος (Dēmodokos)

Δημόδοκος (Dēmodokos)

Demodocus. The father who seeks counsel, then participates in clarifying his son's educational desire. Attested: Δημόδοκε (122b). Demodocus and paternal responsibility.

Father — πατήρ (patēr)

πατήρ (patēr)

Father. The person whom Theages expects to find an educative associate. Attested: πατέρα (122e). Demodocus and paternal responsibility.

Find — ἐξευρίσκειν (exeuriskein)

ἐξευρίσκειν (exeuriskein)

Find. The practical task assigned to the father: securing a suitable man to be with. Attested: ἐξευρεῖν (122e). Demodocus and paternal responsibility.

Held back — κατέχειν (katechein)

κατέχειν (katechein)

Held back. The father's formerly successful restraint of his son's plans. Attested: κατεῖχον (122a). Demodocus and paternal responsibility.

Introduce — συνιστάναι (synistanai) · συστήσω (122a).

συνιστάναι (synistanai)

Introduce. The father intends to broker an introduction rather than teach the additional skill himself. Attested: συστήσω (122a). Demodocus and paternal responsibility.

Introduce — συνιστάναι (synistanai) · συστῆσαι (123a).

συνιστάναι (synistanai)

Introduce. The action Theages says his father refuses to perform. Attested: συστῆσαι (123a). Demodocus and paternal responsibility.

Introduce — συνιστάναι (synistanai) · συνιστάναι (123b).

συνιστάναι (synistanai)

Introduce. The father would connect the boy with people from whom he could acquire the skill. Attested: συνιστάναι (123b). Demodocus and paternal responsibility.

Lad — μειρακίσκος (meirakiskos)

μειρακίσκος (meirakiskos)

Lad. Socrates' age-marked description of the son before asking him directly. Attested: μειρακίσκος (122c). Demodocus and paternal responsibility.

Makes trouble — πράγματα παρέχειν (pragmata parechein)

πράγματα παρέχειν (pragmata parechein)

Makes trouble. The son's repeated pressure on his father for educational provision. Attested: πράγματα παρέχει (121d). Demodocus and paternal responsibility.

No longer able — οἷός τε (hoios te)

οἷός τε (hoios te)

No longer able. The father acknowledges the failure of his previous means of restraint. Attested: οὐκέτι οἷός τέ εἰμι (122a). Demodocus and paternal responsibility.

Obey or yield — πείθεσθαι (peithesthai)

πείθεσθαι (peithesthai)

Obey or yield. Demodocus proposes complying with the boy rather than continuing ineffective resistance. Attested: πείθεσθαι (122a). Demodocus and paternal responsibility.

Send — πέμπειν (pempein)

πέμπειν (pempein)

Send. The father's proposed role in directing his son to an instructor. Attested: πέμπειν (125a). Demodocus and paternal responsibility.

Son — ὑός (hyos)

ὑός (hyos)

Son. The child whose production and rearing ground the comparison; the printed form belongs to the variant ὑός. Attested: ὑέος (121c). Demodocus and paternal responsibility.

Soothing — παραμυθεῖσθαι (paramytheisthai)

παραμυθεῖσθαι (paramytheisthai)

Soothing. Persuasive reassurance used by the father to restrain the son, not control of the divine. Attested: παραμυθούμενος (122a). Demodocus and paternal responsibility.

Thinking fit — ἀξιοῦν (axioun)

ἀξιοῦν (axioun)

Thinking fit. The son makes a normative demand that his father provide care and money. Attested: ἀξιῶν (121d). Demodocus and paternal responsibility.

Young man — νεανίσκος (neaniskos)

νεανίσκος (neaniskos)

Young man. The son is addressed as a young person whose own answer is now required. Attested: νεανίσκῳ (122d). Demodocus and paternal responsibility.

Thinking his father ought to act (contextual phrase)

121d: ἀξιῶν ἐπιμεληθῆναί με ἑαυτοῦ. Theages thinks fit that his father should take care of him. The participle axiōn reports the boy's expectation or demand; it does not independently adjudicate what Demodocus owes. Socrates repeats the formulation to the boy at 122e. The inquiry will ask what kind of care the demand actually specifies. See Demodocus and Desire.

Ashamed to say how much he wants it (contextual phrase)

127b: αἰσχύνομαι λέγειν ὡς σφόδρα βούλομαι. The father is embarrassed by the intensity of his wish. The construction does not say the wish itself is shameful or that he has confessed wrongdoing. Paired with his plea to both parties and later offer of resources, it makes his dependence and earnestness visible. See Demodocus and Money fees and resources.