e connections and endeavour to enforce the
lesson that it is to their own interests to be friends not foes. [23]...
We are present to assist a general in court; [24] we are called upon to
censure some one; or defend some other charged unjustly; or to prosecute
a third who has received an honour which he ill deserves. It frequently
occurs in our debates [25] that there is some course which we strongly
favour: naturally we sound its praises; or some other, which we
disapprove of: no less naturally we point out its defects.

[22] Or, "One member of my household appears as plaintiff, another as
defendant. I must listen and cross-question."

[23] The "asyndeton" would seem to mark a pause, unless some words
have dropped out. See the commentators ad loc.

[24] The scene is perhaps that of a court-martial (cf. "Anab." V.
viii.; Dem. "c. Timocr." 749. 16). (Al. cf. Sturz, "Lex." s.v. "we
are present (as advocates) and censure some general"), or more
probably, I think, that of a civil judicial inquiry of some sort,
conducted at a later date by the Minister of Finance ({to stratego
to epi tas summorias eremeno}).

[25] Or, "Or again, a frequent case, we sit in council" (as members of
the Boule). See Aristot. "Pol." iv. 15.

He paused, then added: Things have indeed now got so far, Socrates, that
several times I have had to stand my trial and have judgment passed upon
me in set terms, what I must pay or what requital I must make. [26]

[26] See "Symp." v. 8. Al. {dielemmenos} = "to be taken apart and have
..."

And at whose bar (I asked) is the sentence given? That point I failed to
catch. [27]

[27] Or, "so dull was I, I failed to catch the point."

Whose but my own wife's? (he answered).

And, pray, how do you conduct your own case? (I asked). [28]

[28] See "Mem." III. vii. 4; Plat. "Euth." 3 E.

Not so ill (he answered), when truth and interest correspond, but when
they are opposed, Socrates, I have no skill to make the worse appear the
better argument. [29]

[29] See Plat. "Apol." 19-23 D; Aristoph. "Clouds," 114 foll.

Perhaps you have no skill, Ischomachus, to make black white or falsehood
truth (said I). [30]

[30] Or, "It may well be, Ischomachus, you cannot manufacture
falsehood into truth." Lit. "Like enough you cannot make an
untruth true."

XII

But (I continued presently), perhaps I am preventing you from going, as
you long have wished to d