Soc.
In running, then, he who does bad acts involuntarily is worse than he who does them voluntarily?
Hipp.
Yes, in running.
Soc.
And how is it in wrestling? Which is the better wrestler, he who is thrown voluntarily, or involuntarily?
Hipp.
He who is thrown voluntarily, as it seems.
Soc.
But is it worse and more disgraceful in a wrestling match to be thrown or to throw one’s opponent?
Hipp.
To be thrown.
Soc.
In wrestling also, then, he who performs bad and disgraceful acts voluntarily is a better wrestler than he who performs them involuntarily.
Hipp.
So it seems.
Soc.
And how is it in every other bodily exercise? Is not he who is the better man in respect to his body able to perform both kinds of acts, the strong and the weak, the disgraceful and the fine,
374b
so that whenever he performs bad acts of a bodily kind, he who is the better man in respect to his body does them voluntarily, but he who is worse does them involuntarily?
Hipp.
That seems to be the case in matters of strength also.
Soc.
And how about grace, Hippias? Does not the better body take ugly and bad postures voluntarily, and the worse body involuntarily? Or what is your opinion?
Hipp.
That is my opinion.
Soc.
Then ungracefulness when voluntary is associated with excellence of the body,
374c
but when involuntary with faultiness.
Hipp.
Apparently.
Soc.
And what do you say about the voice? Which do you say is the better? That which sings out of tune voluntarily, or involuntarily?
Hipp.
That which does it voluntarily.
Soc.
And that which does it involuntarily is the worse?
Hipp.
Yes.
Soc.
Would you choose to possess good or bad things?
Hipp.
Good ones.
Soc.
Would you, then, choose to possess feet that limp voluntarily, or involuntarily?
Hipp.
Voluntarily.
Soc.
But is not a limp faultiness and ungracefulness of the feet?
Hipp.
Yes.
Soc.
Well, is not dimness of sight faultiness of the eyes?
Hipp.
Yes.
Soc.
Which eyes, then, would you choose to possess and live with? Those with which one would see dimly and incorrectly voluntarily, or involuntarily?
Hipp.
Those with which one would do so voluntarily.
Soc.
Those parts, then, of yourself which voluntarily act badly you consider better than those which do so involuntarily?
Hipp.
Yes; that is, in matters of that sort.
Soc.
Well, then, one statement embraces all alike, such as ears and nose and mouth and all the senses
374e
—that those which act badly involuntarily are undesirable because they are bad, and those which do so voluntarily are desirable because they are good.
Hipp.
I think so.
Soc.
Well now, which instruments are better to have to do with, those with which a man does bad work voluntarily, or involuntarily? For instance, is a rudder better with which a man will involuntarily steer badly, or one with which he will do so voluntarily?
Hipp.
One with which he will do so voluntarily.
Soc.
And is not the same true of a bow and a lyre and flutes and all the rest?
Hippias Minor. Plato. Harold North Fowler (Translator), ed. Walter Rangeley Maitland Lamb. Cambridge, MA. 1926.
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