Plato and the Other Companions of Sokrates, 3rd ed. Volume 2
CHAPTER XVI.
ERASTÆ OR ANTERASTÆ--RIVALES.
Erastæ--subject and persons of the dialogue--dramatic introduction--interesting youths in the palæstra 111
Two rival Erastæ--one of them literary, devoted to philosophy--the other gymnastic, hating philosophy _ib._
Question put by Sokrates--What is philosophy? It is the perpetual accumulation of knowledge, so as to make the largest sum total 112
In the case of the body, it is not the maximum of exercise which does good, but the proper, measured quantity. For the mind also, it is not the maximum of knowledge, but the measured quantity which is good. Who is the judge to determine this measure? _ib._
No answer given. What is the best conjecture? Answer of the literary Erastes. A man must learn that which will yield to him the greatest reputation as a philosopher--as much as will enable him to talk like an intelligent critic, though not to practise 113
The philosopher is one who is second-best in several different arts--a Pentathlus--who talks well upon each _ib._
On what occasions can such second-best men be useful? There are always regular practitioners at hand, and no one will call in the second-best man when he can have the regular practitioner 114
Philosophy cannot consist in multiplication of learned acquirements _ib._
Sokrates changes his course of examination--questions put to show that there is one special art, regal and political, of administering and discriminating the bad from the good 115
In this art the philosopher must not only be second-best, competent to talk--but he must be a fully qualified practitioner, competent to act _ib._
Close of the dialogue--humiliation of the literary Erastes 116
Remarks--animated manner of the dialogue _ib._
Definition of philosophy--here sought for the first time--Platonic conception of measure--referee not discovered 117
View taken of the second-best critical talking man, as compared with the special proficient and practitioner 118
Plato's view--that the philosopher has a province special to himself, distinct from other specialties--dimly indicated--regal or political art 119
Philosopher--the supreme artist controlling other artists 120