Read Apology By Plato Online

22/66 


As little foundation is there for the report that I am a teacher, 
and take money; this accusation has no more truth in it than the 
other. Although, if a man were really able to instruct mankind, to 
receive money for giving instruction would, in my opinion, be an 
honour to him. There is Gorgias of Leontium, and Prodicus of 
Ceos, and Hippias of Elis, who go the round of the cities, and are 
able to persuade the young men to leave their own citizens by 
whom they might be taught for nothing, and come to them whom 
they not only pay, but are thankful if they may be allowed to pay 

them. There is at this time a Parian philosopher residing in Athens, 
of whom I have heard; and I came to hear of him in this way:— I 
came across a man who has spent a world of money on the Soph- 
ists, Callias, the son of Hipponicus, and knowing that he had sons, 
I asked him: 'Callias,' I said, 'if your two sons were foals or calves, 
there would be no difficulty in finding some one to put over them; 
we should hire a trainer of horses, or a farmer probably, who would 
improve and perfect them in their own proper virtue and excel- 
lence; but as they are human beings, whom are you thinking of pla- 
cing over them? Is there any one who understands human and 
political virtue? You must have thought about the matter, for you 
have sons; is there any one?' 'There is,' he said. 'Who is he?' said I; 
'and of what country? and what does he charge?’ 'Evenus the Pari- 
an,' he replied; 'he is the man, and his charge is five minae.' Happy 
is Evenus, I said to myself, if he really has this wisdom, and teaches 
at such a moderate charge. Had I the same, I should have been very 
proud and conceited; but the truth is that I have no knowledge of 
the kind. 

I dare say, Athenians, that some one among you will reply, 'Yes, 
Socrates, but what is the origin of these accusations which are 
brought against you; there must have been something strange 
which you have been doing? All these rumours and this talk about 
you would never have arisen if you had been like other men: tell us, 

then, what is the cause of them, for we should be sorry to judge