Soc.
So please do me a favour and do not refuse to cure my soul; for you will be doing me much more good if you cure my soul of ignorance, than if you were to cure my body of disease.
373a
Now if you choose to deliver a long speech, I tell you beforehand that you would not cure me—for I could not follow you—but if you are willing to answer me, as you did just now, you will do me a great deal of good, and I think you yourself will not be injured, either. And I might fairly call upon you also, son of Apemantus, for help; for you stirred me up to converse with Hippias; so now, if Hippias is unwilling to answer me, ask him in my behalf to do so.
Eud.
Well, Socrates, I imagine Hippias will need no asking from us;
373b
for that is not what he announced; he announced that he would not avoid the questioning of any man. How is that, Hippias? Is not that what you said?
Hipp.
Yes, I did; but Socrates, Eudicus, always makes confusion in arguments, and seems to want to make trouble.
Soc.
Most excellent Hippias, I do not do these voluntarily at all—for then I should be wise and clever, according to you—but involuntarily, so forgive me; for you say,
1
too, that he who does evil involuntarily ought to be forgiven.
Eud.
And do not refuse, Hippias; but for our sake, and also because of your previous announcements, answer any questions Socrates asks you.
Hipp.
Well, I will answer since you request it. Ask whatever questions you like.
Soc.
I certainly have a great desire, Hippias, to investigate what we are just at present talking about, namely which are better, those who err voluntarily or those who err involuntarily. Now I think the best way to go at the investigation is this. Just answer. Do you call some one a good runner?
Hipp.
I do.
Soc.
And a bad one?
Hipp.
Yes.
Soc.
Now, he who runs well is a good runner, and he who runs badly a bad one; is it not so?
Hipp.
Yes.
Soc.
Then does not he who runs slowly run badly, and he who runs fast run well?
Hipp.
Yes.
Soc.
In a race, then, and in running, rapidity is a good thing, and slowness an evil.
Hipp.
Why, of course.
Soc.
Which, then, is the better runner, he who runs slowly voluntarily or he who does so involuntarily?
Hipp.
He who does it voluntarily.
Soc.
Well, then, is not running doing something?
Hipp.
Yes, it is doing.
Soc.
And if doing, is it not also performing some act?
Hipp.
Yes.
Soc.
Then he who runs badly performs a bad and disgraceful act in a race?
Hipp.
Yes, a bad act of course.
Soc.
But he runs badly who runs slowly?
Hipp.
Yes.
Soc.
Then the good runner performs this bad and disgraceful act voluntarily, and the bad runner involuntarily?
Hipp.
So it seems.
Hippias Minor. Plato. Harold North Fowler (Translator), ed. Walter Rangeley Maitland Lamb. Cambridge, MA. 1926.
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