Pagina 680 de 1391

He roared out to the whole company: What folly, Socrates, has

taken possession of you all? And why, sillybillies, do you knock

under to one another? I say that if you want really to know what

justice is, you should not only ask but answer, and you should

not seek honour to yourself from the refutation of an opponent,

but have your own answer; for there is many a one who can ask and

cannot answer. And now I will not have you say that justice is

duty or advantage or profit or gain or interest, for this sort of

nonsense will not do for me; I must have clearness and accuracy.

I was panic-stricken at his words, and could not look at him

without trembling. Indeed I believe that if I had not fixed my

eye upon him, I should have been struck dumb: but when I saw his

fury rising, I looked at him first, and was therefore able to

reply to him.