Spending time and the limits of instruction

Use in the book

At 128b Theages complains that Socrates no longer seems willing to spend time with him. He interprets the preceding disclaimers as joking and presents his own readiness as settled. What he wants is access to Socrates, on the evidence of others’ apparent improvement. Socrates’ reply separates willingness and time together from control over the outcome.

The sequence at 129e is especially instructive. Socrates speaks of the associations of people “spending time with me”, then says some cannot benefit while spending time with him, and consequently he cannot spend time with them. Duration or attendance cannot overcome divine opposition. Other companions may remain without benefiting. The account does not specify that these failures result from too few hours, inattentiveness or deficient fees.

Aristides had made much progress “in a short time” while staying with Socrates. A military expedition interrupts the association. On returning he finds Thucydides spending time with Socrates in his place. The shared expression makes the two young men comparable as companions, but their particular stories differ: Aristides reports loss during absence, whereas Thucydides has just quarrelled with Socrates in discussion. Nothing in the verb itself establishes that either had enrolled in a course or completed a syllabus.

The narrative deliberately juxtaposes time spent with the absence of identifiable teaching. Aristides says he never learned anything from Socrates, yet he progressed whenever he was with him. Time in company is a condition within his remembered experience; the dialogue does not show it to be a universally sufficient cause. The firm benefit retained by some absent companions also prevents a simple rule that improvement always requires uninterrupted attendance.

Places to read

1. 128bἐμοὶ συνδιατρίβειν — Theages wants Socrates to spend time with him
2. 129eτῶν μετ’ ἐμοῦ συνδιατριβόντων — time together supplies the context of the daimonic power’s influence
3. 129eμετ’ ἐμοῦ διατρίβουσιν; τούτοις συνδιατρίβειν — both simple and compound verbs occur in the account of blocked benefit
4. 130aὅσον ἂν μετ’ ἐμοῦ χρόνον ὦσιν — some improve only during continued presence
5. 130aδιατρίβων … ἐν ὀλίγῳ χρόνῳ — Aristides’ former progress was large and rapid
6. 130aμετ’ ἐμοῦ διατρίβοντα Θουκυδίδην — Thucydides is another companion, not a named successor in an office

Translation in this edition

“Spend time” and “spend time with” are kept apart from “being with”. The variation makes available a practical distinction between duration in company and the association considered as a relation. It does not impose a rigid technical opposition between two kinds of Socratic school.

Spend time — διατρίβειν

Spend time. To pass time in someone’s company; here Aristides’ stay with Socrates during his rapid improvement. Attested: διατρίβων (130a). Spending time and the limits of instruction.

Spend time with — συνδιατρίβειν

Spend time with. To spend time jointly with another; Theages initially takes Socrates’ willingness to do so as the decisive issue. Attested: συνδιατρίβειν (128b). Spending time and the limits of instruction.

Time; period — χρόνος

Time; period. A duration; some companions’ progress depends on the period for which they remain with Socrates. Attested: χρόνον (130a). Spending time and the limits of instruction.