for the body in the way that we do food and drink and
bedding and houses,--if without these we could satisfy the wants of the
body, they would be of no use to us for that purpose?

ERYXIAS: They would not.

SOCRATES: They would no longer be regarded as wealth, because they are
useless, whereas that would be wealth which enabled us to obtain what
was useful to us?

ERYXIAS: O Socrates, you will never be able to persuade me that gold
and silver and similar things are not wealth. But I am very strongly of
opinion that things which are useless to us are not wealth, and that the
money which is useful for this purpose is of the greatest use; not that
these things are not useful towards life, if by them we can procure
wealth.

SOCRATES: And how would you answer another question? There are persons,
are there not, who teach music and grammar and other arts for pay, and
thus procure those things of which they stand in need?

ERYXIAS: There are.

SOCRATES: And these men by the arts which they profess, and in exchange
for them, obtain the necessities of life just as we do by means of gold
and silver?

ERYXIAS: True.

SOCRATES: Then if they procure by this means what they want for the
purposes of life, that art will be useful towards life? For do we not
say that silver is useful because it enables us to supply our bodily
needs?

ERYXIAS: We do.

SOCRATES: Then if these arts are reckoned among things useful, the arts
are wealth for the same reason as gold and silver are, for, clearly,
the possession of them gives wealth. Yet a little while ago we found it
difficult to accept the argument which proved that the wisest are the
wealthiest. But now there seems no escape from this conclusion. Suppose
that we are asked, 'Is a horse useful to everybody?' will not our reply
be, 'No, but only to those who know how to use a horse?'

ERYXIAS: Certainly.

SOCRATES: And so, too, physic is not useful to every one, but only to
him who knows how to use it?

ERYXIAS: True.

SOCRATES: And the same is the case with everything else?

ERYXIAS: Yes.

SOCRATES: Then gold and silver and all the other elements which are
supposed to make up wealth are only useful to the person who knows how
to use them?

ERYXIAS: Exactly.

SOCRATES: And were we not saying before that it was the business of a
good man and a gentleman to know where and how anything should be used?

ERYXIAS: Yes.

SOCRATES: The good and gentle, therefore will alone h