194a
Soc.
That which enjoins endurance. And, if you please, let us too be steadfast and enduring in our inquiry, so as not to be ridiculed by courage herself for failing to be courageous in our search for her, when we might perchance find after all that this very endurance is courage.
Lach.
For my part I am ready, Socrates, to continue without faltering; and yet I am unaccustomed to discussions of this sort. But a certain ambitious ardour has got hold of me at hearing what has been said,
194b
and I am truly vexed at finding myself unable to express offhand what I think. For I feel that I conceive in thought what courage is, but somehow or other she has given me the slip for the moment, so that I fail to lay hold of her in speech and state what she is.
Soc.
Well, my dear sir, the good huntsman must follow the hounds and not give up the chase.
Lach.
Yes, indeed, by all means.
Soc.
Then do you agree to our inviting Nicias here to join in our hunt? He may be more resourceful than we are.
194c
Lach.
I agree, of course.
Soc.
Come now, Nicias, and use what powers you have to assist your friends, who are caught in a storm of argument and are quite perplexed. You see the perplexity of our case; you must now tell us what you think courage is, and so at once set us free from our perplexity and give your own thoughts the stability of speech.
Nic.
Well, for some time I have been thinking, Socrates, that you two are not defining courage in the right way; for you are not acting upon an admirable remark which I have formerly heard you make.
Soc.
What is that, Nicias?
194d
Nic.
I have often heard you say that every man is good in that wherein he is wise, and bad in that wherein he is unlearned.
Soc.
Well, that is true, Nicias, I must say.
Nic.
And hence, if the brave man is good, clearly he must be wise.
Soc.
Do you hear him, Laches?
Lach.
I do, without understanding very well what he says.
Soc.
But I think I understand it: our friend appears to me to mean that courage is a kind of wisdom.
Lach.
What kind of wisdom, Socrates?
194e
Soc.
Well, will you put that question to your friend here?
Lach.
I do.
Soc.
Come now, tell him, Nicias, what kind of wisdom courage may be, by your account. Not that, I presume, of flute-playing.
Nic.
Not at all.
Soc.
Nor yet that of harping.
Nic.
Oh, no.
Soc.
But what is this knowledge then, or of what?
Lach.
I must say you question him quite correctly, Socrates, so let him just tell us what he thinks it is.
Laches. Plato. Walter Rangeley Maitland Lamb (Translator). Cambridge, MA. 1924.
Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.
Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.