ou so much
joy as a good friend; that you pride yourself no less on the fine deeds
of those you love than on your own; and on their good things equally
with your own; that you never weary of plotting and planning to procure
them a rich harvest of the same; and lastly, that you have discovered
a man's virtue is to excel his friends in kindness and his foes in
hostility. If I am authorised thus to report of you, I think you will
find me a serviceable fellow-hunter in the quest of friends, which is
the conquest of the good.

Cri. Why this appeal to me?--as if you had not free permission to say
exactly what you like about me.

Soc. No; that I deny, on the authority of Aspasia. (25) I have it from
her own lips. "Good matchmakers," she said tome, "were clever hands at
cementing alliances between people, provided the good qualities they
vouched for were truthfully reported; but when it came to their telling
lies, for her part she could not compliment them. (26) Their poor
deluded dupes ended by hating each other and the go-betweens as well."
Now I myself am so fully persuaded of the truth of this that I feel it
is not in my power to say aught in your praise which I cannot say with
truth.

(25) Aspasia, daughter of Axiochus, of Miletus. See "Econ." iii. 14;
Plat. "Menex." 235 E; Aesch. Socrat. ap. Cic. "de Invent." I.
xxxi. 51. See Grote, "H. G." vi. 132 foll.; Cobet, "Pros. Xen."

(26) Reading {ouk ethelein epainein}, or if {ouk ophelein epainousas}
with Kuhner transl. "Good matchmakers, she told me, have to
consult truth when reporting favourably of any one: then indeed
they are terribly clever at bringing people together: whereas
false flatterers do no good; their dupes," etc.

Cri. Really, Socrates, you are a wonderfully good friend to me--in so
far as I have any merit which will entitle me to win a friend, you will
lend me a helping hand, it seems; otherwise you would rather not forge
any petty fiction for my benefit.

Soc. But tell me, how shall I assist you best, think you? By praising
you falsely or by persuading you to try to be a good man? Or if it is
not plain to you thus, look at the matter by the light of some examples.
I wish to introduce you to a shipowner, or to make him your friend: I
begin by singing your praises to him falsely thus, "You will find him a
good pilot"; he catches at the phrase, and entrusts his ship to you,
who have no notion of guiding a vessel. What can you exp