No, Euthydemus answers. An architect? No. And so in like
manner with other practical skills,--the geometrician's, astronomer's,
professional reciter's. None of these he discovers is what Euthydemus
aims at. He hopes to become a great politician and statesman. Then of
course he hopes to be a just man himself? Euthydemus flatters himself
he is that already. "But," says Socrates, "there must be certain acts
which are the proper products of justice, as of other functions or
skills?"--"No doubt."--"Then of course you can tell us what {117} those
acts or products are?"--"Of course I can, and the products of injustice
as well."--"Very good; then suppose we write down in two opposite
columns what acts are products of justice and what of injustice."--"I
agree," says Euthydemus.--"Well now, what of falsehood? In which
column shall we put it?"--"Why, of course in the unjust column."--"And
cheating?"--"In the same column."--"And stealing?"--"In it too."--"And
enslaving?"--"Yes."--"Not one of these can go to the just
column?"--"Why, that would be an unheard-of thing."

"Well but," says Socrates, "suppose a general has to deal with some
enemy of his country that has done it great wrong; if he conquer and
enslave this enemy, is that wrong?"--"Certainly not."--"If he carries
off the enemy's goods or cheats him in his strategy, what about these
acts?"--"Oh, of course they are quite right. But I thought you were
talking about deceiving or ill-treating friends."--"Then in some cases
we shall have to put these very same acts in both columns?"--"I suppose
so."

"Well, now, suppose we confine ourselves to friends. Imagine a general
with an army under him discouraged and disorganised. Suppose he tells
them that reserves are coming up, and by cheating them into this belief
he saves them from their discouragement, and enables them to win a
victory. What about this cheating of one's friends?"--"Why, I {118}
suppose we shall have to put this too on the just side."--"Or suppose a
lad needs medicine, but refuses to take it, and his father cheats him
into the belief that it is something nice, and getting him to take it,
saves his life; what about that cheat?"--"That will have to go to the
just side too."--"Or suppose you find a friend in a desperate frenzy,
and steal his sword from him, for fear he should kill himself; what do
you say to that theft?"--"That will have to go there too."--"But I
thought you said there must be no cheating