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You are a philosopher, Thrasymachus, I replied, and well know

that if you ask a person what numbers make up twelve, taking care

to prohibit him whom you ask from answering twice six, or three

times four, or six times two, or four times three, 'for this sort

of nonsense will not do for me,'-then obviously, if that is your

way of putting the question, no one can answer you. But suppose

that he were to retort, 'Thrasymachus, what do you mean? If one

of these numbers which you interdict be the true answer to the

question, am I falsely to say some other number which is not the

right one?-is that your meaning?'-How would you answer him?

Just as if the two cases were at all alike! he said.

Why should they not be? I replied; and even if they are not, but

only appear to be so to the person who is asked, ought he not to

say what he thinks, whether you and I forbid him or not?

I presume then that you are going to make one of the interdicted

answers?