vi. 15.

[25] It appears, then, that the Xenophontean Socrates has {episteme}
of a sort.

[26] Or, "a series of resemblances," "close parallels," reading
{epideiknus}: or if with Breit. {apodeiknus}, transl. "by proving
such or such a thing is like some other thing known to me
already."

Isch. Do you suppose if I began to question you concerning money and its
quality, [27] I could possibly persuade you that you know the method to
distinguish good from false coin? Or could I, by a string of questions
about flute-players, painters, and the like, induce you to believe that
you yourself know how to play the flute, or paint, and so forth?

[27] Lit. "whether it is good or not."

Soc. Perhaps you might; for have you not persuaded me I am possessed of
perfect knowledge of this art of husbandry, [28] albeit I know that no
one ever taught this art to me?

[28] Or, "since you actually succeeded in persuading me I was
scientifically versed in," etc. See Plat. "Statesm." 301 B;
"Theaet." 208 E; Aristot. "An. Post." i. 6. 4; "Categ." 8. 41.

Isch. Ah! that is not the explanation, Socrates. The truth is what
I told you long ago and kept on telling you. Husbandry is an art so
gentle, so humane, that mistress-like she makes all those who look on
her or listen to her voice intelligent [29] of herself at once. Many
a lesson does she herself impart how best to try conclusions with her.
[30] See, for instance, how the vine, making a ladder of the nearest
tree whereon to climb, informs us that it needs support. [31] Anon it
spreads its leaves when, as it seems to say, "My grapes are young, my
clusters tender," and so teaches us, during that season, to screen and
shade the parts exposed to the sun's rays; but when the appointed moment
comes, when now it is time for the swelling clusters to be sweetened
by the sun, behold, it drops a leaf and then a leaf, so teaching us to
strip it bare itself and let the vintage ripen. With plenty teeming, see
the fertile mother shows her mellow clusters, and the while is nursing
a new brood in primal crudeness. [32] So the vine plant teaches us how
best to gather in the vintage, even as men gather figs, the juiciest
first. [33]

[29] Or, "gives them at once a perfect knowledge of herself."

[30] Lit. "best to deal with her," "make use of her."

[31] Lit. "teaches us to prop it."

[32] Lit. "yet immature."

[33] Or, "first one and then another as it swells." Cf