Piloting and charioteering

Use in the book

Piloting is Socrates' first hypothetical model for an intelligible request for further wisdom (123b). If Theages wanted the wisdom by which people pilot ships, he could name it and explain what his father had failed to arrange. The example simultaneously identifies an educational object and a potential source: those from whom he could become wise in it.

Charioteering follows through the same verb of piloting (123c). The repeated wording places ships and chariots side by side, although their materials and techniques differ. At this stage the analogy's work is modest and useful: the same broad desire to be wise can be differentiated by the task one wants to perform. It does not yet make a claim about political sovereignty.

When Theages supplies only “wisdom” as the name of his actual goal, Socrates asks whether charioteering too is wisdom, rather than stupidity (123d). The concession prevents the generic term from distinguishing the desired competence. He then reformulates both examples through knowing how to rule: a team of horses in one case, ships in the other. That linguistic move makes possible the next question, what the boy's wisdom is to rule.

The passage therefore has two argumentative stages. Naming crafts demonstrates that “wisdom” needs qualification; describing their direction as rule permits extension of the question to human groups. A reader should not treat the second stage as already proven by the first. Steering vehicles and governing human beings can share a verb without being identical in authority, consent, or moral responsibility.

The distinction becomes decisive when Theages eventually introduces willing citizens at 126a. Ships do not consent to their pilot, and a team is not a city. The dialogue itself does not stop to formulate this limitation of the analogy, but its later correction shows why specifying only what is ruled was insufficient. The examples remain clarifying cases of expertise; they are not a self-sufficient theory of legitimate political leadership.

Places to read

1. 123bτὰ πλοῖα κυβερνῶσιν; κυβερνητικήν — Piloting ships supplies the first named wisdom
2. 123cτὰ ἅρματα κυβερνῶσιν; ἡνιοχικήν — The same verb introduces chariots and their competence
3. 123dἡ ἡνιοχεία σοφία ἐστίν — Charioteering is explicitly counted as wisdom
4. 123dἵππων … ζεύγους ἄρχειν — The craft rules a team of horses
5. 123dπλοίων ἐπιστάμεθα ἄρχειν — The pilot's competence is reformulated as knowing how to rule ships

Translation in this edition

Note 8 expressly draws attention to kybernan being used for chariots as well as ships. The translation retains “pilot” in both places. The apparatus at 123d records ἡνιοχεία in T and W against ἡνιοχία in B; the former is the printed noun and belongs in an exact attestation register.

Charioteering — ἡνιοχεία (hēniocheia)

ἡνιοχεία (hēniocheia)

Charioteering. The printed noun for the activity that counts as wisdom. Attested: ἡνιοχεία (123d). Piloting and charioteering.

Charioteering — ἡνιοχική (hēniochikē)

ἡνιοχική (hēniochikē)

Charioteering. The adjectival name supplied for expertise at directing chariots. Attested: ἡνιοχικήν (123c). Piloting and charioteering.

Chariots — ἅρμα (harma)

ἅρμα (harma)

Chariots. A second object of the repeated verb pilot. Attested: ἅρματα (123c). Piloting and charioteering.

Horses — ἵππος (hippos) · ἵππων (123d).

ἵππος (hippos)

Horses. The animals forming the charioteer's team. Attested: ἵππων (123d). Piloting and charioteering.

Pilot — κυβερνᾶν (kybernan)

κυβερνᾶν (kybernan)

Pilot. The activity by which the first hypothetical expertise is identified. Attested: κυβερνῶσιν (123b). Piloting and charioteering.

Piloting — κυβερνητική (kybernētikē)

κυβερνητική (kybernētikē)

Piloting. The name expected for the ship-directing competence. Attested: κυβερνητικήν (123b). Piloting and charioteering.

Ships — πλοῖον (ploion)

πλοῖον (ploion)

Ships. The objects directed by the pilot's wisdom. Attested: πλοῖα (123b). Piloting and charioteering.

Team — ζεῦγος (zeugos)

ζεῦγος (zeugos)

Team. The paired or yoked horses whose direction specifies charioteering. Attested: ζεύγους (123d). Piloting and charioteering.

Use — χρῆσθαι (chrēsthai) · χρώμεθα (123d).

χρῆσθαι (chrēsthai)

Use. Socrates asks what task the recognized wisdom serves. Attested: χρώμεθα (123d). Piloting and charioteering.