[6] Plato, Kleitoph. p. 408 C. τούτων γὰρ τούς τι μάλιστα εἶναι δοξαζομένους ὑπὸ σοῦ πρώτους ἐπανηρώτων, πυνθανόμενος τίς ὁ μετὰ ταῦτ’ εἴη λόγος, καὶ κατὰ σὲ τρόπον τινὰ ὑποτείνων αὐτοῖς, &c.
[7] Plato, Kleitophon, p. 408 D-E. ἢ δεῖ τὸν Σωκράτην καὶ ἀλλήλους ἡμᾶς τὸ μετὰ τοῦτ’ ἐπανερωτᾷν, ὁμολογήσαντας τοῦτ’ αὐτὸ ἀνθρώπῳ πρακτέον εἶναι. Τί τοὐντεῦθεν; πῶς ἄρχεσθαι δεῖν φαμὲν δικαιοσύνης περὶ μαθήσεως;
Questions addressed by Kleitophon with this view, both to the companions of Sokrates and to Sokrates himself.
The ablest of your companions answered me (continues Kleitophon), that the art to which you were wont to allude was no other than Justice itself. I told him in reply — Do not give me the mere name, but tell me what Justice is.[8] In the medical art there are two distinct results contemplated and achieved: one, that of keeping up the succession of competent physicians — another that of conferring or preserving health: this last, Health, is not the art itself, but the work accomplished by the art. Just so, the builder’s art, has for its object the house, which is its work — and the keeping up the continuity of builders, which is its teaching. Tell me in the same manner respecting the art called Justice. Its teaching province is plain enough — to maintain the succession of just men: but what is its working province? what is the work which the just man does for us?
[8] Plato, Kleitoph. p. 409 A. εἰπόντος δὲ μοῦ, Μή μοι τὸ ὄνομα μόνον εἰπῇς, ἀλλὰ ὦδε — Ἰατρική πού τις λέγεται τέχνη, &c,
Replies made by the friends of Sokrates unsatisfactory.
To this question your friend replied (explaining Justice) — it is The Advantageous. Another man near him said, The Proper: a third said, The Profitable: a fourth, The Gainful.[9] I pursued the inquiry by observing, that these were general names equally applicable in other arts, and to something different in each. Every art aims at what is proper, advantageous, profitable, gainful, in its own separate department: but each can farther describe to you what that department is. Thus the art of the carpenter is, to perform well, properly, advantageously, profitably, &c., in the construction of wooden implements, &c. That is the special work of the carpenter’s art: now tell me, what is the special work, corresponding thereunto, of the art called Justice?
[9] Plato, Kleitoph. 409 B. τὸ δ’ ἕτερον, ὃ δύναται ποιεῖν ἡμῖν ἔργον ὁ δίκαιος, τί τοῦτό φαμεν; εἶπε. Οὗτος μέν, ὡς οἶμαι, τὸ συμφέρον ἀπεκρίνατο· ἄλλος δέ, τὸ δέον· ἕτερος δέ, τὸ ὠφέλιμον· ὁ δέ, τὸ λυσιτελοῦν. ἐπανῄειν δὴ ἐγὼ λέγων ὅτι κἀκεῖνά γε ὀνόματα ταῦτ’ ἐστὶν ἐν ἑκάστῃ τῶν τεχνῶν, ὀρθῶς πράττειν, λυσιτελοῦντα, ὠφέλιμα, καὶ τἄλλα τὰ τοιαῦτα· ἀλλὰ πρὸς ὅ, τι ταῦτα πάντα τείνει, ἐρεῖ τὸ ἴδιον ἑκάστῃ τέχνῃ, &c.
None of them could explain what the special work of justice or virtue was.
At length one of your most accomplished companions, Sokrates, answered me — That the special work peculiar to Justice was, to bring about friendship in the community.[10] Being farther interrogated, he said — That friendship was always a good, never an evil: That the so-called friendships between children, and between animals, mischievous rather than otherwise, were not real friendships, and ought not to bear the name: That the only genuine friendship was, sameness of reason and intelligence: not sameness of opinion, which was often hurtful — but knowledge and reason agreeing, in different persons.[11]