CHAPTER XXXIV.

KLEITOPHON.

Persons and circumstances of Kleitophon 413

Conversation of Sokrates with Kleitophon alone: he alludes to observations of an unfavourable character recently made by Kleitophon, who asks permission to explain _ib._

Explanation given. Kleitophon expresses gratitude and admiration for the benefit which he has derived from long companionship with Sokrates 414

The observations made by Sokrates have been most salutary and stimulating in awakening ardour for virtue. Arguments and analogies commonly used by Sokrates _ib._

But Sokrates does not explain what virtue is, nor how it is to be attained. Kleitophon has had enough of stimulus, and now wants information how he is to act 415

Questions addressed by Kleitophon with this view, both to the companions of Sokrates and to Sokrates himself 416

Replies made by the friends of Sokrates unsatisfactory _ib._

None of them could explain what the special work of justice or virtue was 417

Kleitophon at length asked the question from Sokrates himself. But Sokrates did not answer clearly. Kleitophon believes that Sokrates knows, but will not tell 417

Kleitophon is on the point of leaving Sokrates and going to Thrasymachus. But before leaving he addresses one last entreaty, that Sokrates will speak out clearly and explicitly 418

Remarks on the Kleitophon. Why Thrasyllus placed it in the eighth Tetralogy immediately before the Republic, and along with Kritias, the other fragment 419

Kleitophon is genuine, and perfectly in harmony with a just theory of Plato 420

It could not have been published until after Plato's death _ib._

Reasons why the Kleitophon was never finished. It points out the defects of Sokrates, just as he himself confesses them in the Apology 421

The same defects also confessed in many of the Platonic and Xenophontic dialogues 422

Forcible, yet respectful, manner in which these defects are set forth in the Kleitophon. Impossible to answer them in such a way as to hold out against the negative Elenchus of a Sokratic pupil 423

The Kleitophon represents a point of view which many objectors must have insisted on against Sokrates and Plato 424

The Kleitophon was originally intended as a first book of the Republic, but was found too hard to answer. Reasons why the existing first book was substituted _ib._