Minos (Full Text)

Plato’s Minos #

Translated from the Greek by Walter Lamb


Σωκράτης. ὁ νόμος ἡμῖν τί ἐστιν;
Սոկրատէս. Օրէն մեզ զի՞նչ է։
Socrates: Tell me, what is law?
Ἑταῖρος. ὁποῖον καὶ ἐρωτᾷς τῶν νόμων;
Companion: To what kind of law does your question refer?
Σωκράτης. τί δʼ; ἔστιν ὅτι διαφέρει νόμος νόμου κατʼ αὐτὸ τοῦτο, κατὰ τὸ νόμος εἶναι; σκόπει γὰρ δὴ ὃ τυγχάνω ἐρωτῶν σε. ἐρωτῶ γάρ, ὥσπερ εἰ ἀνηρόμην τί ἐστιν χρυσός, εἴ με ὡσαύτως ἀνήρου ὁποῖον καὶ λέγω χρυσόν, οἴομαί σε οὐκ ἂν ὀρθῶς ἐρέσθαι. οὐδὲν γάρ που διαφέρει οὔτε χρυσὸς bχρυσοῦ οὔτε λίθος λίθου κατά γε τὸ λίθος εἶναι καὶ κατὰ τὸ χρυσός· οὕτω δὲ οὐδὲ νόμος που νόμου οὐδὲν διαφέρει, ἀλλὰ πάντες εἰσὶν ταὐτόν. νόμος γὰρ ἕκαστος αὐτῶν ἐστιν ὁμοίως, οὐχ ὁ μὲν μᾶλλον, ὁ δʼ ἧττον· τοῦτο δὴ αὐτὸ ἐρωτῶ, τὸ πᾶν τί ἐστιν νόμος. εἰ οὖν σοι πρόχειρον, εἰπέ.
Socrates: What! Is there any difference between law and law, in this particular point of being law? For just consider what is the actual question I am putting to you. It is as though I had asked, what is gold: if you had asked me in the same manner, to what kind of gold I refer, I think your question would have been incorrect. For I presume there is no difference between gold and gold, or between stone and stone, in point of being gold or stone; and so neither does law differ at all from law, I suppose, but they are all the same thing. For each of them is law alike, not one more so, and another less. That is the particular point of my question—what is law as a whole? So if you are ready, tell me.
Ἑταῖρος. τί οὖν ἄλλο νόμος εἴη ἄν, ὦ Σώκρατες, ἀλλʼ ἢ τὰ νομιζόμενα;
Companion: Well, what else should law be, Socrates, but things loyally accepted?
Σωκράτης. ἦ καὶ λόγος σοι δοκεῖ εἶναι τὰ λεγόμενα, ἢ ὄψις τὰ ὁρώμενα, ἢ ἀκοὴ τὰ ἀκουόμενα; ἢ ἄλλο μὲν λόγος, ἄλλο δὲ τὰ λεγόμενα· καὶ ἄλλο μὲν ὄψις, ἄλλο δὲ τὰ ὁρώμενα· καὶ ἄλλο μὲν ἀκοή, ἄλλο δὲ τὰ ἀκουόμενα, καὶ ἄλλο δὴ νόμος, ἄλλο δὲ τὰ νομιζόμενα; οὕτως ἢ πῶς σοι δοκεῖ;
Socrates: And so speech, you think, is the things that are spoken, or sight the things seen, or hearing the things heard? Or is speech something distinct from the things spoken, sight something distinct from the things seen, and hearing something distinct from the things heard; and so law is something distinct from things loyally accepted? Is this so, or what is your view?
Ἑταῖρος. ἄλλο μοι νῦν ἐφάνη.
Companion: I find it now to be something distinct.
Σωκράτης. οὐκ ἄρα νόμος ἐστὶν τὰ νομιζόμενα.
Socrates: Then law is not things loyally accepted.
Ἑταῖρος. οὔ μοι δοκεῖ.
Ընկեր. Ոչ ինձ թուի։
Companion: I think not.
Σωκράτης. τί δῆτʼ ἂν εἴη νόμος; ἐπισκεψώμεθʼ αὐτὸ ὧδε. εἴ τις ἡμᾶς τὰ νυνδὴ λεγόμενα ἀνήρετο, ἐπειδὴ ὄψει φατὲ τὰ ὁρώμενα ὁρᾶσθαι, τίνι ὄντι τῇ ὄψει ὁρᾶται; ἀπεκρινάμεθʼ ἂν αὐτῷ ὅτι αἰσθήσει ταύτῃ τῇ διὰ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν δηλούσῃ τὰ πράγματα· εἰ δʼ αὖ ἤρετο ἡμᾶς, τί δέ; ἐπειδὴ ἀκοῇ τὰ ἀκουόμενα ἀκούεται, τίνι ὄντι τῇ ἀκοῇ; ἀπεκρινάμεθʼ ἂν αὐτῷ ὅτι αἰσθήσει ταύτῃ τῇ διὰ τῶν ὤτων δηλούσῃ ἡμῖν τὰς φωνάς. οὕτω τοίνυν καὶ εἰ ἀνέροιτο ἡμᾶς, ἐπειδὴ νόμῳ τὰ νομιζόμενα νομίζεται, τίνι ὄντι τῷ νόμῳ νομίζεται; πότερον αἰσθήσει τινὶ ἢ δηλώσει, ὥσπερ τὰ μανθανόμενα μανθάνεται δηλούσῃ τῇ ἐπιστήμῃ, ἢ εὑρέσει τινί, ὥσπερ τὰ εὑρισκόμενα εὑρίσκεται, οἷον τὰ μὲν ὑγιεινὰ καὶ νοσώδη ἰατρικῇ, ἃ δὲ οἱ θεοὶ διανοοῦνται, ὥς φασιν οἱ μάντεις, μαντικῇ; ἡ γάρ που τέχνη ἡμῖν εὕρεσίς ἐστιν τῶν πραγμάτων· ἦ γάρ;
Socrates: Now what can law be? Let us consider it in this way. Suppose someone had asked us about what was stated just now: Since you say it is by sight that things seen are seen, what is this sight whereby they are seen? Our answer to him would have been: That sensation which shows objects by means of the eyes. And if he had asked us again: Well then, since it is by hearing that things heard are heard, what is hearing? Our answer to him would have been: That sensation which shows us sounds by means of the ears. In the same way then, suppose he should also ask us: Since it is by law that loyally accepted things are so accepted, what is this law whereby they are so accepted? Is it some sensation or showing, as when things learnt are learnt by knowledge showing them, or some discovery, as when things discovered are discovered—for instance, the causes of health and sickness by medicine, or the designs of the gods, as the prophets say, by prophecy; for art is surely our discovery of things, is it not?
Ἑταῖρος. πάνυ γε.
Ընկեր. Յոյժ իսկ։
Companion: Certainly.
Σωκράτης. τί οὖν ἂν τούτων ὑπολάβοιμεν μάλιστα τὸν νόμον εἶναι;
Socrates: Then what thing especially of this sort shall we surmise law to be?
Ἑταῖρος. τὰ δόγματα ταῦτα καὶ ψηφίσματα, ἔμοιγε δοκεῖ. τί γὰρ ἂν ἄλλο τις φαίη νόμον εἶναι; ὥστε κινδυνεύει, ὃ σὺ ἐρωτᾷς, τὸ ὅλον τοῦτο, νόμος, δόγμα πόλεως εἶναι.
Companion: Our resolutions and decrees, I imagine: for how else can one describe law? So that apparently the whole thing, law, as you put it in your question, is a city’s resolution.
Σωκράτης. δόξαν, ὡς ἔοικε, λέγεις πολιτικὴν τὸν νόμον.
Socrates: State opinion, it seems, is what you call law.
Ἑταῖρος. ἔγωγε.
Ընկեր. Ես իսկ։
Companion: I do.
Σωκράτης. καὶ ἴσως καλῶς λέγεις· τάχα δὲ ὧδε ἄμεινον εἰσόμεθα. λέγεις τινὰς σοφούς;
Socrates: And perhaps you are right: but I fancy we shall get a better knowledge in this way. You call some men wise?
Ἑταῖρος. ἔγωγε.
Ընկեր. Այո՛։
Companion: I do.
Σωκράτης. οὐκοῦν οἱ σοφοί εἰσιν σοφίᾳ σοφοί;
Socrates: And the wise are wise by wisdom?
Ἑταῖρος. ναί.
Ընկեր. Յոյժ իսկ։
Companion: Yes.
Σωκράτης. τί δέ; οἱ δίκαιοι δικαιοσύνῃ δίκαιοι;
Socrates: And again, the just are just by justice?
Ἑταῖρος. πάνυ γε.
Ընկեր. Այո։
Companion: Certainly.
Σωκράτης. οὐκοῦν καὶ οἱ νόμιμοι νόμῳ νόμιμοι;
Socrates: And so the law-abiding are law-abiding by law?
Ἑταῖρος. ναί.
Ընկեր. Այո։
Companion: Yes.
Σωκράτης. οἱ δὲ ἄνομοι ἀνομίᾳ ἄνομοι;
Socrates: And the lawless are lawless by lawlessness?
Ἑταῖρος. ναί.
Ընկեր. Այո։
Companion: Yes.
Σωκράτης. οἱ δὲ νόμιμοι δίκαιοι;
Socrates: And the law-abiding are just?
Ἑταῖρος. ναί.
Ընկեր. Այո։
Companion: Yes.
Σωκράτης. οἱ δὲ ἄνομοι ἄδικοι;
Socrates: And the lawless are unjust?
Ἑταῖρος. ἄδικοι.
Companion: Unjust.
Σωκράτης. οὐκοῦν κάλλιστον ἡ δικαιοσύνη τε καὶ ὁ νόμος;
Socrates: And justice and law are most noble?
Ἑταῖρος. οὕτως.
Ընկեր. Այդպէս։
Companion: That is so.
Σωκράτης. αἴσχιστον δὲ ἡ ἀδικία τε καὶ ἡ ἀνομία;
Socrates: And injustice and lawlessness most base?
Ἑταῖρος. ναί.
Ընկեր. Այո։
Companion: Yes.
Σωκράτης. καὶ τὸ μὲν σῴζει τὰς πόλεις καὶ τἆλλα πάντα, τὸ δὲ ἀπόλλυσι καὶ ἀνατρέπει;
Socrates: And the former preserve cities and everything else, while the latter destroy and overturn them?
Ἑταῖρος. ναί.
Ընկեր. Այո։
Companion: Yes.
Σωκράτης. ὡς περὶ καλοῦ ἄρα τινὸς ὄντος δεῖ τοῦ νόμου διανοεῖσθαι, καὶ ὡς ἀγαθὸν αὐτὸ ζητεῖν.
Socrates: Hence we must regard law as something noble, and seek after it as a good.
Ἑταῖρος. πῶς δʼ οὔ;
Ընկեր. Ո՞րպէս ոչ։
Companion: Undeniably.
Σωκράτης. οὐκοῦν δόγμα ἔφαμεν εἶναι πόλεως τὸν νόμον;
Socrates: And we said that law is a city’s resolution?
Ἑταῖρος. ἔφαμεν γάρ.
Ընկեր. Ասացաք իսկ։
Companion: So we did.
Σωκράτης. τί οὖν; οὐκ ἔστιν τὰ μὲν χρηστὰ δόγματα, τὰ δὲ πονηρά;
Socrates: Well now, are not some resolutions good, and others evil?
Ἑταῖρος. ἔστιν μὲν οὖν.
Ընկեր. Են իսկ արդ։
Companion: Yes, to be sure.
Σωκράτης. καὶ μὴν νόμος γε οὐκ ἦν πονηρός.
Socrates: And, you know, law was not evil.
Ἑταῖρος. οὐ γάρ.
Ընկեր. Ոչ իսկ։
Companion: No, indeed.
Σωκράτης. οὐκ ἄρα ὀρθῶς ἔχει ἀποκρίνεσθαι οὕτως ἁπλῶς ὅτι νόμος ἐστὶ δόγμα πόλεως.
Socrates: So it is not right to reply, in that simple fashion, that law is a city’s resolution.
Ἑταῖρος. οὐκ ἔμοιγε δοκεῖ.
Companion: I agree that it is not.
Σωκράτης. οὐκ ἄρα ἁρμόττοι ἂν τὸ πονηρὸν δόγμα νόμος εἶναι.
Socrates: An evil resolution, you see, cannot properly be a law.
Ἑταῖρος. οὐ δῆτα.
Ընկեր. Ոչ իսկ։
Companion: No, to be sure.
Σωκράτης. ἀλλὰ μὴν δόξα γέ τις καὶ αὐτῷ μοι καταφαίνεται ὁ νόμος εἶναι· ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐχ ἡ πονηρὰ δόξα, ἆρα οὐκ ἤδη τοῦτο κατάδηλον, ὡς ἡ χρηστή, εἴπερ δόξα νόμος ἐστί;
Socrates: But still, I am quite clear myself that law is some sort of opinion; and since it is not evil opinion, is it not manifest by this time that it is good opinion, granting that law is opinion?
Ἑταῖρος. ναί.
Ընկեր. Այո։
Companion: Yes.
Σωκράτης. δόξα δὲ χρηστὴ τίς ἐστιν; οὐχ ἡ ἀληθής;
Socrates: But what is good opinion? Is it not true opinion?
Ἑταῖρος. ναί.
Ընկեր. Այո։
Companion: Yes.
Σωκράτης. οὐκοῦν ἡ ἀληθὴς δόξα τοῦ ὄντος ἐστὶν ἐξεύρεσις;
Socrates: And true opinion is discovery of reality?
Ἑταῖρος. ἔστιν γάρ.
Ընկեր. Է իսկ։
Companion: Yes, it is.
Σωκράτης. ὁ νόμος ἄρα βούλεται τοῦ ὄντος εἶναι ἐξεύρεσις.
Socrates: So law tends to be discovery of reality.
Ἑταῖρος. πῶς οὖν, ὦ Σώκρατες, εἰ ὁ νόμος ἐστὶν τοῦ ὄντος ἐξεύρεσις, οὐκ ἀεὶ τοῖς αὐτοῖς νόμοις χρώμεθα περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν, εἰ τὰ ὄντα γε ἡμῖν ἐξηύρηται;
Companion: Then how is it, Socrates, if law is discovery of reality, that we do not use always the same laws on the same matters, if we have thus got realities discovered?
Σωκράτης. βούλεται μὲν οὐδὲν ἧττον ὁ νόμος εἶναι τοῦ ὄντος ἐξεύρεσις· οἱ δʼ ἄρα μὴ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἀεὶ νόμοις χρώμενοι ἄνθρωποι, ὡς δοκοῦμεν, οὐκ ἀεὶ δύνανται ἐξευρίσκειν ὃ βούλεται ὁ νόμος, τὸ ὄν. ἐπεὶ φέρε ἴδωμεν ἐὰν ἄρα ἡμῖν ἐνθένδε κατάδηλον γένηται εἴτε τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἀεὶ νόμοις χρώμεθα ἢ ἄλλοτε ἄλλοις, καὶ εἰ ἅπαντες τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἢ ἄλλοι ἄλλοις.
Socrates: Law tends none the less to be discovery of reality: but men, who do not use always the same laws, as we observe, are not always able to discover what the law is intent on—reality. For come now, let us see if from this point onward we can get it clear whether we use always the same laws or different ones at different times, and whether we all use the same, or some of us use some, and others others.
Ἑταῖρος. ἀλλὰ τοῦτό γε, ὦ Σώκρατες, οὐ χαλεπὸν γνῶναι, ὅτι οὔτε οἱ αὐτοὶ ἀεὶ τοῖς αὐτοῖς νόμοις χρῶνται ἄλλοι τε ἄλλοις. ἐπεὶ αὐτίκα ἡμῖν μὲν οὐ νόμος ἐστὶν ἀνθρώπους θύειν ἀλλʼ ἀνόσιον, Καρχηδόνιοι δὲ θύουσιν ὡς ὅσιον ὂν καὶ νόμιμον αὐτοῖς, καὶ ταῦτα ἔνιοι αὐτῶν καὶ τοὺς αὑτῶν ὑεῖς τῷ Κρόνῳ, ὡς ἴσως καὶ σὺ ἀκήκοας. καὶ μὴ ὅτι βάρβαροι ἄνθρωποι ἡμῶν ἄλλοις νόμοις χρῶνται, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ ἐν τῇ Λυκαίᾳ οὗτοι καὶ οἱ τοῦ Ἀθάμαντος ἔκγονοι οἵας θυσίας θύουσιν Ἕλληνες ὄντες. ὥσπερ καὶ ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς οἶσθά που καὶ αὐτὸς ἀκούων οἵοις νόμοις ἐχρώμεθα πρὸ τοῦ περὶ τοὺς ἀποθανόντας, ἱερεῖά τε προσφάττοντες πρὸ τῆς ἐκφορᾶς τοῦ νεκροῦ καὶ ἐγχυτιστρίας μεταπεμπόμενοι· οἱ δʼ αὖ ἐκείνων ἔτι πρότεροι αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔθαπτον ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ τοὺς ἀποθανόντας· ἡμεῖς δὲ τούτων οὐδὲν ποιοῦμεν. μυρία δʼ ἄν τις ἔχοι τοιαῦτα εἰπεῖν· πολλὴ γὰρ εὐρυχωρία τῆς ἀποδείξεως ὡς οὔτε ἡμεῖς ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς ἀεὶ κατὰ ταὐτὰ νομίζομεν οὔτε ἀλλήλοις οἱ ἄνθρωποι.
Ընկեր. Այլ այս, ո՛վ Սոկրատէս, ոչ է դիւրածան, զի ոչ նոյնք իսկ միշտ նոյն օրինօքն վարէին. այլ այլք՝ այլովք։ Քանզի աւասիկ մեզ իսկ ոչ է օրէն զմարդիկ զոհել այլ ամենեւին անսուրբ. Բայց կարքեդոնացիք զոհեն իբրու սուրբ իւրեանց եւ օրինաւոր եւ զայսոսիկ, ոմանք ի նոցանէ եւ զորդիքն իւրեանց Կռոնոսի, իբրու թերեւս եւ դու լուեալ իսկ ես։ Եւ ոչ եթէ միայն բարբարոս արք, քան զմերս այլօք օրինօք վարին, այլ այնոքիկ որ ի Լիկիա են, եւ ծնունդքն Աթամանտոսի առաքինոյն այնմիկ առն՝ որպիսի՛ զոհք զոհեն ելլենացիք գոլով։ Որպէս եւ զմեզ ինքեանս գիտես եւ դու ուրուք լսելով, որո՛վք օրինօք վարէաք քան զայժմս, առ մեռեալս զոհք զենլով՝ յառաջ քան զարտաքս կրելն զմեռեալս. եւ զայլս ոմանս որով սովորութիւն է կանանց ի պէսպէսս առնել ենթադրութիւնս ձայնիւք, եռացմամբ անօթից. եւ որ հեռագոյնքն էին տակաւին եւ յառաջագոյնքն՝ անդ իսկ ի ներքոյ տանն թաղէին զմեռեալսն։ Բայց մեք յայսցանէ ոչ ինչ գործեմք. իբրու ոչ մեք մեզ ինքեանց միշտ նոքօք օրինօքն օրինիմք, եւ ոչ միմեանց այլ մարդիկ։
Companion: Why, that, Socrates, is no difficult matter to determine—that the same men do not use always the same laws, and also that different men use different ones. With us, for instance, human sacrifice is not legal, but unholy, whereas the Carthaginians perform it as a thing they account holy and legal, and that too when some of them sacrifice even their own sons to Cronos, as I daresay you yourself have heard. And not merely is it foreign peoples who use different laws from ours, but our neighbors in Lycaea note and the descendants of Athamas note—you know their sacrifices, Greeks though they be. And as to ourselves too, you know, of course, from what you have heard yourself, the kind of laws we formerly used in regard to our dead, when we slaughtered sacred victims before the funeral procession, and engaged urn-women to collect the bones from the ashes. Then again, a yet earlier generation used to bury the dead where they were, in the house: but we do none of these things. One might give thousands of other instances; for there is ample means of proving that neither we copy ourselves nor mankind each other always in laws and customs.
Σωκράτης. οὐδέν τοι θαυμαστόν ἐστιν, ὦ βέλτιστε, εἰ σὺ μὲν ὀρθῶς λέγεις, ἐμὲ δὲ τοῦτο λέληθεν. ἀλλʼ ἕως ἂν σύ τε κατὰ σαυτὸν λέγῃς ἅ σοι δοκεῖ μακρῷ λόγῳ καὶ πάλιν ἐγώ, οὐδὲν μή ποτε συμβῶμεν, ὡς ἐγὼ οἶμαι· ἐὰν δὲ κοινὸν τεθῇ τὸ σκέμμα, τάχʼ ἂν ὁμολογήσαιμεν. εἰ μὲν οὖν βούλει, πυνθανόμενός τι παρʼ ἐμοῦ κοινῇ μετʼ ἐμοῦ σκόπει· εἰ δʼ αὖ βούλει, ἀποκρινόμενος.
Socrates: And it is no wonder, my excellent friend, if what you say is correct, and I have overlooked it. But if you continue to express your views after your own fashion in lengthy speeches, and I speak likewise, we shall never come to any agreement, in my opinion: but if we study the matter jointly, we may perhaps concur. Well now, if you like, hold a joint inquiry with me by asking me questions; or if you prefer, by answering them.
Ἑταῖρος. ἀλλʼ ἐθέλω, ὦ Σώκρατες, ἀποκρίνεσθαι ὅτι ἂν βούλῃ.
Companion: Why, I am willing, Socrates, to answer anything you like.
Σωκράτης. φέρε δὴ σύ, πότερα νομίζεις τὰ δίκαια ἄδικα εἶναι καὶ τὰ ἄδικα δίκαια, ἢ τὰ μὲν δίκαια δίκαια, τὰ δὲ ἄδικα ἄδικα;
Socrates: Come then, do you consider just things to be unjust and unjust things just, or just things to be just and unjust things unjust?
Ἑταῖρος. ἐγὼ μὲν τά τε δίκαια δίκαια καὶ τὰ ἄδικα ἄδικα.
Companion: I consider just things to be just, and unjust things unjust.
Σωκράτης. οὐκοῦν καὶ παρὰ πᾶσιν οὕτως ὡς ἐνθάδε νομίζεται;
Socrates: And are they so considered among all men elsewhere as they are here?
Ἑταῖρος. ναί.
Ընկեր. Այո։
Companion: Yes.
Σωκράτης. οὐκοῦν καὶ ἐν Πέρσαις;
Սոկրատէս. Ո՞չ ապաքէն եւ ի Պարսք։
Socrates: And among the Persians also?
Ἑταῖρος. καὶ ἐν Πέρσαις.
Ընկեր. Այդպէս է։
Companion: Among the Persians also.
Σωκράτης. ἀλλὰ ἀεὶ δήπου;
Socrates: Always, I presume?
Ἑταῖρος. ἀεί.
Ընկեր. Միշտ։
Companion: Always.
Σωκράτης. πότερον δὲ τὰ πλεῖον ἕλκοντα βαρύτερα νομίζεται ἐνθάδε, τὰ δὲ ἔλαττον κουφότερα, ἢ τοὐναντίον;
Socrates: Are things that weigh more considered heavier here, and things that weigh less lighter, or the contrary?
Ἑταῖρος. οὔκ, ἀλλὰ τὰ πλεῖον ἕλκοντα βαρύτερα, τὰ δὲ ἔλαττον κουφότερα.
Companion: No, those that weigh more are considered heavier, and those that weigh less lighter.
Σωκράτης. οὐκοῦν καὶ ἐν Καρχηδόνι καὶ ἐν Λυκαίᾳ;
Socrates: And is it so in Carthage also, and in Lycaea?
Ἑταῖρος. ναί.
Ընկեր. Այո։
Companion: Yes.
Σωκράτης. τὰ μὲν καλά, ὡς ἔοικε, πανταχοῦ νομίζεται καλὰ καὶ τὰ αἰσχρὰ αἰσχρά, ἀλλʼ οὐ τὰ αἰσχρὰ καλὰ οὐδὲ τὰ καλὰ αἰσχρά.
Socrates: Noble things, it would seem, are everywhere considered noble, and base things base; not base things noble or noble things base.
Ἑταῖρος. οὕτως.
Ընկեր. Այդպէս։
Companion: That is so.
Σωκράτης. οὐκοῦν, ὡς κατὰ πάντων εἰπεῖν, τὰ ὄντα νομίζεται εἶναι, οὐ τὰ μὴ ὄντα, καὶ παρʼ ἡμῖν καὶ παρὰ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἅπασιν.
Socrates: And thus, as a universal rule, realities, and not unrealities, are accepted as real, both among us and among all other men.
Ἑταῖρος. ἔμοιγε δοκεῖ.
Ընկեր. Թուի ինձ իսկ։
Companion: I agree.
Σωκράτης. ὃς ἂν ἄρα τοῦ ὄντος ἁμαρτάνῃ, τοῦ νομίμου ἁμαρτάνει.
Socrates: Then whoever fails to attain reality, fails to attain accepted law.
Ἑταῖρος. οὕτω μέν, ὦ Σώκρατες, ὡς σὺ λέγεις, καὶ φαίνεται ταῦτα νόμιμα καὶ ἡμῖν ἀεὶ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις· ἐπειδὰν δʼ ἐννοήσω ὅτι οὐδὲν παυόμεθα ἄνω κάτω μετατιθέμενοι τοὺς νόμους, οὐ δύναμαι πεισθῆναι.
Companion: In your present way of putting it, Socrates, the same things appear to be accepted as lawful both by us and by the rest of the world, always: but when I reflect that we are continually changing our laws in all sorts of ways, I cannot bring myself to assent.
Σωκράτης. ἴσως γὰρ οὐκ ἐννοεῖς ταῦτα μεταπεττευόμενα ὅτι ταὐτά ἐστιν. ἀλλʼ ὧδε μετʼ ἐμοῦ αὐτὰ ἄθρει. ἤδη ποτὲ ἐνέτυχες συγγράμματι περὶ ὑγιείας τῶν καμνόντων;
Socrates: Perhaps it is because you do not reflect that when we change our pieces at draughts they are the same pieces. But look at it, as I do, in this way. Have you in your time come across a treatise on healing the sick?
Ἑταῖρος. ἔγωγε.
Ընկեր. Ես իսկ։
Companion: I have.
Σωκράτης. οἶσθα οὖν τίνος τέχνης τοῦτʼ ἐστὶ τὸ σύγγραμμα;
Socrates: Then do you know to what art such a treatise belongs?
Ἑταῖρος. οἶδα, ὅτι ἰατρικῆς.
Companion: I do: medicine.
Σωκράτης. οὐκοῦν ἰατροὺς καλεῖς τοὺς ἐπιστήμονας περὶ τούτων;
Socrates: And you give the name of doctors to those who have knowledge of these matters?
Ἑταῖρος. φημί.
Ընկեր. Ասեմ։
Companion: Yes.
Σωκράτης. πότερον οὖν οἱ ἐπιστήμονες ταὐτὰ περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν νομίζουσιν ἢ ἄλλοι ἄλλα;
Socrates: Then do those who have knowledge accept the same views on the same things, or do they accept different views?
Ἑταῖρος. ταὐτὰ ἔμοιγε δοκοῦσι.
Companion: The same, in my opinion.
Σωκράτης. πότερον οἱ Ἕλληνες μόνοι τοῖς Ἕλλησιν ἢ καὶ οἱ βάρβαροι αὑτοῖς τε καὶ τοῖς Ἕλλησι, περὶ ὧν ἂν εἰδῶσι, ταὐτὰ νομίζουσι;
Socrates: Do Greeks only accept the same views as Greeks on what they know, or do foreigners also agree on these matters, both among themselves and with Greeks?
Ἑταῖρος. ταὐτὰ δήπου πολλὴ ἀνάγκη ἐστὶν τοὺς εἰδότας αὐτοὺς αὑτοῖς συννομίζειν καὶ Ἕλληνας καὶ βαρβάρους.
Companion: It is quite inevitable, I should say, that those who know should agree in accepting the same views, whether Greeks or foreigners.
Σωκράτης. καλῶς γε ἀπεκρίνω. οὐκοῦν καὶ ἀεί;
Socrates: Well answered. And do they so always?
Ἑταῖρος. ναί, καὶ ἀεί.
Ընկեր. Այո եւ միշտ։
Companion: Yes, it is so always.
Σωκράτης. οὐκοῦν καὶ οἱ ἰατροὶ συγγράφουσι περὶ ὑγιείας ἅπερ καὶ νομίζουσιν εἶναι;
Socrates: And do doctors on their part, in their treatises on health, write what they accept as real?
Ἑταῖρος. ναί.
Ընկեր. Այո։
Companion: Yes.
Σωκράτης. ἰατρικὰ ἄρα καὶ ἰατρικοὶ νόμοι ταῦτα τὰ συγγράμματα ἐστὶν τὰ τῶν ἰατρῶν.
Socrates: Then these treatises of the doctors are medical, and medical laws.
Ἑταῖρος. ἰατρικὰ μέντοι.
Companion: Medical, to be sure.
Σωκράτης. ἆρʼ οὖν καὶ τὰ γεωργικὰ συγγράμματα γεωργικοὶ νόμοι εἰσίν;
Socrates: And are agricultural treatises likewise agricultural laws?
Ἑταῖρος. ναί.
Ընկեր. Այո։
Companion: Yes.
Σωκράτης. τίνων οὖν ἐστιν τὰ περὶ κήπων ἐργασίας συγγράμματα καὶ νόμιμα;
Socrates: And whose are the treatises and accepted rules about garden-work?
Ἑταῖρος. κηπουρῶν.
Companion: Gardeners'.
Σωκράτης. κηπουρικοὶ ἄρα νόμοι ἡμῖν εἰσιν οὗτοι.
Socrates: So these are our gardening laws.
Ἑταῖρος. ναί.
Ընկեր. Այո։
Companion: Yes.
Σωκράτης. τῶν ἐπισταμένων κήπων ἄρχειν;
Socrates: Of people who know how to control gardens?
Ἑταῖρος. πῶς δʼ οὔ;
Ընկեր. Եւ ո՞րպէս ոչ։
Companion: Certainly.
Σωκράτης. ἐπίστανται δʼ οἱ κηπουροί.
Socrates: And it is the gardeners who know.
Ἑταῖρος. ναί.
Ընկեր. Այո։
Companion: Yes.
Σωκράτης. τίνων δὲ τὰ περὶ ὄψου σκευασίας συγγράμματά τε καὶ νόμιμα;
Socrates: And whose are the treatises and accepted rules about the confection of tasty dishes?
Ἑταῖρος. μαγείρων.
Companion: Cooks'.
Σωκράτης. μαγειρικοὶ ἄρα οὗτοι νόμοι εἰσί;
Socrates: Then there are laws of cookery?
Ἑταῖρος. μαγειρικοί.
Companion: Of cookery.
Σωκράτης. τῶν ἐπισταμένων, ὡς ἔοικεν, ὄψου σκευασίας ἄρχειν;
Socrates: Of people who know, it would seem, how to control the confection of tasty dishes?
Ἑταῖρος. ναί.
Ընկեր. Այո։
Companion: Yes.
Σωκράτης. ἐπίστανται δέ, ὥς φασιν, οἱ μάγειροι;
Սոկրատէս. Եւ մակացո՞ղք են։
Socrates: And it is the cooks, they say, who know?
Ἑταῖρος. ἐπίστανται γάρ.
Companion: Yes, it is they who know.
Σωκράτης. εἶεν· τίνων δὲ δὴ τὰ περὶ πόλεως διοικήσεως συγγράμματά τε καὶ νόμιμά ἐστιν; ἆρʼ οὐ τῶν ἐπισταμένων πόλεων ἄρχειν;
Socrates: Very well; and now, whose are the treatises and accepted rules about the government of a state? Of the people who know how to control states, are they not?
Ἑταῖρος. ἔμοιγε δοκεῖ.
Ընկեր. Թուի ինձ իսկ։
Companion: I agree.
Σωκράτης. ἐπίστανται δὲ ἄλλοι τινὲς ἢ οἱ πολιτικοί τε καὶ οἱ βασιλικοί;
Socrates: And is it anyone else than statesmen and royal persons who know?
Ἑταῖρος. οὗτοι μὲν οὖν.
Ընկեր. Սոքա իսկ արդ։
Companion: It is they, to be sure.
Σωκράτης. πολιτικὰ ἄρα ταῦτα συγγράμματά ἐστιν, οὓς οἱ ἄνθρωποι νόμους καλοῦσι, βασιλέων τε καὶ ἀνδρῶν ἀγαθῶν συγγράμματα.
Socrates: Then what people call “laws” are treatises of state,—writings of kings and good men.
Ἑταῖρος. ἀληθῆ λέγεις.
Companion: That is true.
Σωκράτης. ἄλλο τι οὖν οἵ γε ἐπιστάμενοι οὐκ ἄλλοτε ἄλλα συγγράψουσι περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν;
Socrates: And must it not be that those who know will not write differently at different times on the same matters?
Ἑταῖρος. οὔ.
Ընկեր. Ոչ։
Companion: They will not.
Σωκράτης. οὐδὲ μεταθήσονταί ποτε περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν ἕτερα καὶ ἕτερα νόμιμα;
Socrates: Nor will they ever change one set of accepted rules for another in respect of the same matters.
Ἑταῖρος. οὐ δῆτα.
Ընկեր. Ոչ իսկ։
Companion: No, indeed.
Σωκράτης. ἐὰν οὖν ὁρῶμέν τινας ὁπουοῦν τοῦτο ποιοῦντας, πότερα φήσομεν ἐπιστήμονας εἶναι ἢ ἀνεπιστήμονας τοὺς τοῦτο ποιοῦντας;
Socrates: So if we see some persons anywhere doing this, shall we say that those who do so have knowledge, or have none?
Ἑταῖρος. ἀνεπιστήμονας.
Companion: That they have no knowledge.
Σωκράτης. οὐκοῦν καὶ ὃ μὲν ἂν ὀρθὸν ᾖ, νόμιμον αὐτὸ φήσομεν ἑκάστῳ εἶναι, ἢ τὸ ἰατρικὸν ἢ τὸ μαγειρικὸν ἢ τὸ κηπουρικόν;
Socrates: And again, whatever is right, we shall say is lawful for each person, whether in medicine or in cookery or in gardening?
Ἑταῖρος. ναί.
Ընկեր. Այո։
Companion: Yes.
Σωκράτης. ὃ δʼ ἂν μὴ ὀρθὸν ᾖ, οὐκέτι φήσομεν τοῦτο νόμιμον εἶναι;
Socrates: And whatever is not right we shall decline to call lawful?
Ἑταῖρος. οὐκέτι.
Ընկեր. Ոչ եւս։
Companion: We shall decline.
Σωκράτης. ἄνομον ἄρα γίγνεται.
Socrates: Then it becomes unlawful.
Ἑταῖρος. ἀνάγκη.
Ընկեր. Հարկ է։
Companion: It must.
Σωκράτης. οὐκοῦν καὶ ἐν τοῖς συγγράμμασι τοῖς περὶ τῶν δικαίων καὶ ἀδίκων καὶ ὅλως περὶ πόλεως διακοσμήσεώς τε καὶ περὶ τοῦ ὡς χρὴ πόλιν διοικεῖν, τὸ μὲν ὀρθὸν νόμος ἐστὶ βασιλικός, τὸ δὲ μὴ ὀρθὸν οὔ, ὃ δοκεῖ νόμος εἶναι τοῖς μὴ εἰδόσιν· ἔστιν γὰρ ἄνομον.
Socrates: And again, in writings about what is just and unjust, and generally about the government of a state and the proper way of governing it, that which is right is the king’s law, but not so that which is not right, though it seems to be law to those who do not know; for it is unlawful.
Ἑταῖρος. ναί.
Ընկեր. Այո։
Companion: Yes.
Σωκράτης. ὀρθῶς ἄρα ὡμολογήσαμεν νόμον εἶναι τοῦ ὄντος εὕρεσιν.
Socrates: Then we rightly admitted that law is discovery of reality.
Ἑταῖρος. φαίνεται.
Ընկեր. Երեւի։
Companion: So it appears.
Σωκράτης. ἔτι δὲ καὶ τόδε ἐν αὐτῷ διαθεώμεθα. τίς ἐπιστήμων διανεῖμαι ἐπὶ γῇ τὰ σπέρματα;
Socrates: Now let us observe this further point about it. Who has knowledge of distributing seed over land?
Ἑταῖρος. γεωργός.
Companion: A farmer.
Σωκράτης. οὗτος δὲ τὰ ἄξια σπέρματα ἑκάστῃ γῇ διανέμει;
Socrates: And does he distribute the suitable seed to each sort of land?
Ἑταῖρος. ναί.
Ընկեր. Այո։
Companion: Yes.
Σωκράτης. ὁ γεωργὸς ἄρα νομεὺς ἀγαθὸς τούτων, καὶ οἱ τούτου νόμοι καὶ διανομαὶ ἐπὶ ταῦτα ὀρθαί εἰσιν;
Socrates: Then the farmer is a good apportioner of it, and his laws and distributions are right in this matter?
Ἑταῖρος. ναί.
Ընկեր. Այո։
Companion: Yes.
Σωκράτης. τίς δὲ κρουμάτων ἐπὶ τὰ μέλη ἀγαθὸς νομεύς, καὶ τὰ ἄξια νεῖμαι; καὶ οἱ τίνος νόμοι ὀρθοί εἰσιν;
Socrates: And who is a good apportioner of notes struck for a tune, skilled in distributing suitable notes, and who is it whose laws are right here?
Ἑταῖρος. οἱ τοῦ αὐλητοῦ καὶ τοῦ κιθαριστοῦ.
Companion: The flute-player and the harp-player.
Σωκράτης. ὁ νομικώτατος ἄρα ἐν τούτοις, οὗτος αὐλητικώτατος.
Socrates: Then he who is the best lawyer in these matters is the best flute-player.
Ἑταῖρος. ναί.
Ընկեր. Այո։
Companion: Yes.
Σωκράτης. τίς δὲ τὴν τροφὴν ἐπὶ τὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων σώματα διανεῖμαι ἄριστος; οὐχ ὅσπερ τὴν ἀξίαν;
Socrates: And who is most skilled in distributing food to human bodies? Is it not he who assigns suitable food?
Ἑταῖρος. ναί.
Ընկեր. Այո։
Companion: Yes.
Σωκράτης. αἱ τούτου ἄρα διανομαὶ καὶ οἱ νόμοι βέλτιστοι, καὶ ὅστις περὶ ταῦτα νομικώτατος, καὶ νομεὺς ἄριστος.
Socrates: Then his distributions and laws are best, and whoever is the best lawyer in this matter is also the best apportioner.
Ἑταῖρος. πάνυ γε.
Ընկեր. Յոյժ իսկ։
Companion: Certainly.
Σωκράτης. τίς οὗτος;
Սոկրատէս. Ո՞վ է սա։
Socrates: Who is he?
Ἑταῖρος. παιδοτρίβης.
Ընկեր. Դաստիարակ։
Companion: A trainer.
Σωκράτης. οὗτος τὴν ἀνθρωπείαν ἀγέλην τοῦ σώματος νέμειν κράτιστος;
Socrates: He is the best man to pasture the human herd of the body?
Ἑταῖρος. ναί.
Ընկեր. Այո։
Companion: Yes.
Σωκράτης. τίς δὲ τὴν τῶν προβάτων ἀγέλην κράτιστος νέμειν; τί ὄνομα αὐτῷ;
Socrates: And who is the best man to pasture a flock of sheep? What is his name?
Ἑταῖρος. ποιμήν.
Ընկեր. Հովիւ։
Companion: A shepherd.
Σωκράτης. οἱ τοῦ ποιμένος ἄρα νόμοι ἄριστοι τοῖς προβάτοις.
Socrates: Then the shepherd’s laws are best for sheep.
Ἑταῖρος. ναί.
Ընկեր. Այո։
Companion: Yes.
Σωκράτης. οἱ δὲ τοῦ βουκόλου τοῖς βουσί.
Socrates: And the herdsman’s for oxen.
Ἑταῖρος. ναί.
Ընկեր. Այո։
Companion: Yes.
Σωκράτης. οἱ δὲ τοῦ τίνος νόμοι ἄριστοι ταῖς ψυχαῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων; οὐχ οἱ τοῦ βασιλέως; φάθι.
Socrates: And whose laws are best for the souls of men? The king’s, are they not? Say if you agree.
Ἑταῖρος. φημὶ δή.
Ընկեր. Ասեմ զնոյնդ։
Companion: I do.
Σωκράτης. καλῶς τοίνυν λέγεις. ἔχοις ἂν οὖν εἰπεῖν τίς τῶν παλαιῶν ἀγαθὸς γέγονεν ἐν τοῖς αὐλητικοῖς νόμοις νομοθέτης; ἴσως οὐκ ἐννοεῖς, ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ βούλει σε ὑπομνήσω;
Socrates: Then you are quite right. Now can you tell me who, in former times, has proved himself a good lawgiver in regard to the laws of flute-playing? Perhaps you cannot think of him: would you like me to remind you?
Ἑταῖρος. πάνυ μὲν οὖν.
Ընկեր. Յոյժ իսկ։
Companion: Do by all means.
Σωκράτης. ἆρʼ οὖν ὁ Μαρσύας λέγεται καὶ τὰ παιδικὰ αὐτοῦ Ὄλυμπος ὁ Φρύξ;
Socrates: Then is it Marsyas, by tradition, and his beloved Olympus, the Phrygian?
Ἑταῖρος. ἀληθῆ λέγεις.
Companion: That is true.
Σωκράτης. τούτων δὴ καὶ τὰ αὐλήματα θειότατά ἐστι, καὶ μόνα κινεῖ καὶ ἐκφαίνει τοὺς τῶν θεῶν ἐν χρείᾳ ὄντας· καὶ ἔτι καὶ νῦν μόνα λοιπά, ὡς θεῖα ὄντα.
Socrates: And their flute-tunes also are most divine, and alone stir and make manifest those who are in need of the gods; and to this day they only remain, as being divine.
Ἑταῖρος. ἔστι ταῦτα.
Ընկեր. Են այդոքիկ։
Companion: That is so.
Σωκράτης. τίς δὲ λέγεται τῶν παλαιῶν βασιλέων ἀγαθὸς νομοθέτης γεγονέναι, οὗ ἔτι καὶ νῦν τὰ νόμιμα μένει ὡς θεῖα ὄντα;
Socrates: And who by tradition has shown himself a good lawgiver among the ancient kings, so that to this day his ordinances remain, as being divine?
Ἑταῖρος. οὐκ ἐννοῶ.
Ընկեր. Ոչ զմտաւ ածեմ։
Companion: I cannot think.
Σωκράτης. οὐκ οἶσθα τίνες παλαιοτάτοις νόμοις χρῶνται τῶν Ἑλλήνων;
Socrates: Do you not know which of the Greeks use the most ancient laws?
Ἑταῖρος. ἆρα Λακεδαιμονίους λέγεις καὶ Λυκοῦργον τὸν νομοθέτην;
Companion: Do you mean the Spartans, and Lycurgus the lawgiver?
Σωκράτης. ἀλλὰ ταῦτά γε οὐδέπω ἴσως ἔτη τριακόσια ἢ ὀλίγῳ τούτων πλείω. ἀλλὰ τούτων τῶν νομίμων τὰ βέλτιστα πόθεν ἥκει; οἶσθα;
Socrates: Why, that is a matter, I daresay, of less than three hundred years ago, or but a little more. But whence is it that the best of those ordinances come? Do you know?
Ἑταῖρος. φασί γε ἐκ Κρήτης.
Companion: From Crete, so they say.
Σωκράτης. οὐκοῦν οὗτοι παλαιοτάτοις νόμοις χρῶνται τῶν Ἑλλήνων;
Socrates: Then the people there use the most ancient laws in Greece?
Ἑταῖρος. ναί.
Ընկեր. Այո։
Companion: Yes.
Σωκράτης. οἶσθα οὖν τίνες τούτων ἀγαθοὶ βασιλῆς ἦσαν; Μίνως καὶ Ῥαδάμανθυς, οἱ Διὸς καὶ Εὐρώπης παῖδες, ὧν οἵδε εἰσὶν οἱ νόμοι.
Socrates: Then do you know who were their good kings? Minos and Rhadamanthus, the sons of Zeus and Europa; those laws were theirs.
Ἑταῖρος. Ῥαδάμανθύν γέ φασιν, ὦ Σώκρατες, δίκαιον ἄνδρα, τὸν δὲ Μίνων ἄγριόν τινα καὶ χαλεπὸν καὶ ἄδικον.
Companion: Rhadamanthus, they do say, Socrates, was a just man; but Minos was a savage sort of person, harsh and unjust.
Σωκράτης. Ἀττικόν, ὦ βέλτιστε, λέγεις μῦθον καὶ τραγικόν.
Socrates: Your tale, my excellent friend, is a fiction of Attic tragedy.
Ἑταῖρος. τί δέ; οὐ ταῦτα λέγεται περὶ Μίνω;
Companion: What! Is not this the tradition about Minos?
Σωκράτης. ὔκουν ὑπό γε Ὁμήρου καὶ Ἡσιόδου· καίτοι γε πιθανώτεροί εἰσιν ἢ σύμπαντες οἱ τραγῳδοποιοί, ὧν σὺ ἀκούων ταῦτα λέγεις.
Socrates: Not in Homer and Hesiod; and yet they are more to be believed than all the tragedians together, from whom you heard your tale.
Ἑταῖρος. ἀλλὰ τί μὴν οὗτοι περὶ Μίνω λέγουσιν;
Companion: Well, and what, pray, is their tale about Minos?
Σωκράτης. γὼ δή σοι ἐρῶ, ἵνα μὴ καὶ σὺ ὥσπερ οἱ πολλοὶ ἀσεβῇς. οὐ γὰρ ἔσθʼ ὅτι τούτου ἀσεβέστερόν ἐστιν οὐδʼ ὅτι χρὴ μᾶλλον εὐλαβεῖσθαι, πλὴν εἰς θεοὺς καὶ λόγῳ καὶ ἔργῳ ἐξαμαρτάνειν, δεύτερον δὲ εἰς τοὺς θείους ἀνθρώπους· ἀλλὰ πάνυ πολλὴν χρὴ προμήθειαν ποιεῖσθαι ἀεί, ὅταν μέλλῃς ἄνδρα ψέξειν ἢ ἐπαινέσεσθαι, μὴ οὐκ ὀρθῶς εἴπῃς. τούτου καὶ ἕνεκα χρὴ μανθάνειν διαγιγνώσκειν χρηστοὺς καὶ πονηροὺς ἄνδρας. νεμεσᾷ γὰρ ὁ θεός, ὅταν τις ψέγῃ τὸν ἑαυτῷ ὅμοιον ἢ ἐπαινῇ τὸν ἑαυτῷ ἐναντίως ἔχοντα· ἔστι δʼ οὗτος ὁ ἀγαθός. μὴ γάρ τι οἴου λίθους μὲν εἶναι ἱεροὺς καὶ ξύλα καὶ ὄρνεα καὶ ὄφεις, ἀνθρώπους δὲ μή· ἀλλὰ πάντων τούτων ἱερώτατόν ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος ὁ ἀγαθός, καὶ μιαρώτατον ὁ πονηρός.
Socrates: I will tell you, in order that you may not share the impiety of the multitude: for there cannot conceivably be anything more impious or more to be guarded against than being mistaken in word and deed with regard to the gods, and after them, with regard to divine men; you must take very great precaution, whenever you are about to blame or praise a man, so as not to speak incorrectly. For this reason you must learn to distinguish honest and dishonest men: for God feels resentment when one blames a man who is like himself, or praises a man who is the opposite; and the former is the good man. For you must not suppose that while stocks and stones and birds and snakes are sacred, men are not; nay, the good man is the most sacred of all these things, and the wicked man is the most defiled.
Σωκράτης. ἤδη οὖν καὶ περὶ Μίνω, ὡς αὐτὸν Ὅμηρός τε καὶ Ἡσίοδος 319bἐγκωμιάζουσι, τούτου ἕνεκα φράσω, ἵνα μὴ ἄνθρωπος ὢν ἀνθρώπου εἰς ἥρω Διὸς ὑὸν λόγῳ ἐξαμαρτάνῃς. Ὅμηρος γὰρ περὶ Κρήτης λέγων ὅτι πολλοὶ ἄνθρωποι ἐν αὐτῇ εἰσιν καὶ ἐνενήκοντα πόληες, τῇσι δέ, φησίν—ἔνι Κνωσὸς μεγάλη πόλις, ἔνθα τε Μίνως ἐννέωρος βασίλευε Διὸς μεγάλου ὀαριστής.
Socrates: So if I now proceed to relate how Minos is eulogized by Homer and Hesiod, my purpose is to prevent you, a man sprung from a man, from making a mistake in regard to a hero who was the son of Zeus. For Homer, in telling of Crete that there were in it many men and “ninety cities,” says: ‘And amongst them is the mighty city of Cnossos, where Minos was king, having colloquy with mighty Zeus in the ninth year.’
ἔστιν οὖν τοῦτο Ὁμήρου ἐγκώμιον εἰς Μίνων διὰ βραχέων εἰρημένον, οἷον οὐδʼ εἰς ἕνα τῶν ἡρώων ἐποίησεν Ὅμηρος. ὅτι μὲν γὰρ ὁ Ζεὺς σοφιστής ἐστιν καὶ ἡ τέχνη αὕτη παγκάλη ἐστί, πολλαχοῦ καὶ ἄλλοθι δηλοῖ, ἀτὰρ καὶ ἐνταῦθα. λέγει γὰρ τὸν Μίνων συγγίγνεσθαι ἐνάτῳ ἔτει τῷ Διὶ ἐν λόγοις καὶ φοιτᾶν παιδευθησόμενον ὡς ὑπὸ σοφιστοῦ ὄντος τοῦ Διός. ὅτι οὖν τοῦτο τὸ γέρας οὐκ ἔστιν ὅτῳ ἀπένειμεν Ὅμηρος τῶν ἡρώων, ὑπὸ Διὸς πεπαιδεῦσθαι, ἄλλῳ ἢ Μίνῳ, τοῦτʼ ἔστιν ἔπαινος θαυμαστός. καὶ Ὀδυσσείας ἐν Νεκυίᾳ δικάζοντα χρυσοῦν σκῆπτρον ἔχοντα πεποίηκε τὸν Μίνων, οὐ τὸν Ῥαδάμανθυν· Ῥαδάμανθυν δὲ οὔτʼ ἐνταῦθα δικάζοντα πεποίηκεν οὔτε συγγιγνόμενον τῷ Διὶ οὐδαμοῦ. διὰ ταῦτά φημʼ ἐγὼ Μίνων ἁπάντων μάλιστα ὑπὸ Ὁμήρου ἐγκεκωμιάσθαι. τὸ γὰρ Διὸς ὄντα παῖδα μόνον ὑπὸ Διὸς πεπαιδεῦσθαι οὐκ ἔχει ὑπερβολὴν ἐπαίνου—τοῦτο γὰρ σημαίνει τὸ ἔπος τὸ— ἐννέωρος βασίλευε Διὸς μεγάλου ὀαριστής, συνουσιαστὴν τοῦ Διὸς εἶναι τὸν Μίνων. οἱ γὰρ ὄαροι λόγοι εἰσίν, καὶ ὀαριστὴς συνουσιαστής ἐστιν ἐν λόγοις—ἐφοίτα οὖν διʼ ἐνάτου ἔτους εἰς τὸ τοῦ Διὸς ἄντρον ὁ Μίνως, τὰ μὲν μαθησόμενος, τὰ δὲ ἀποδειξόμενος ἃ τῇ προτέρᾳ ἐννεετηρίδι ἐμεμαθήκει παρὰ τοῦ Διός. εἰσὶν δὲ οἳ ὑπολαμβάνουσι τὸν ὀαριστὴν συμπότην καὶ συμπαιστὴν εἶναι τοῦ Διός,
Արդ այս Հոմերոսի ներբողեան ի Մինովս՝ սղիւք ասացեալ, որպիսի յոչ եւ մի ի դիւցազինսն է արարեալ Հոմերոս. քանզի թէ Արամազդ ճարտասան է, եւ արհեստս այս է ամենագեղեցիկ, բազում եւ այլ ուրուք յայտնի։ Սակայն աստանօր ասէ զՄինովս զուգաւորիլ իննամեայ ժամանակաւ ընդ Արամազդայ բանիւք, եւ ուսանիլ խրատելով իբրու ճարտասանի ելոյր՝ Արամազդայ։ Եւ արդ զի որում զայս պատիւս ետ Հոմերոս ի դիւցազանցն, իբրու առ ի յԱրամազդայ խրատիլ, ոչ գոյ ա՛յլ բաց ի Մինովսայ, այս է գովասանութիւն սքանչելի։ Եւ ի կախարդութեան յՈդիւսեւս ասէ՝ դատելով, ոսկի նշանակ ունել, քերթելով զՄինովս, եւ ոչ զՌադամանթիւս։ Բայց զՌադամանթիւս ոչ աստանօր դատելով քերթեաց, եւ ոչ միաբանեալ ընդ Արամազդայ ոչ ուրուք. վասն այսոցիկ ասեմ եւ զՄինովս ամենեցուն յաւէտագոյն առ ի Հոմերոնէ ներբողիլ. քանզի Արամազադայ մանուկ գոլ, եւ ի ձեռն սորա խրատելն, ոչ ունի գերազանցութիւն գովասանութեան։ Զի զայս իսկ տաղս նշանակէ, թէ իննամեայ թագաւորէր մտերիմ Արամազդայ մեծին զուգակից Արամազդայ գոլ զՄինովս։ Քանզի բանք են եւ մտերմութիւնք, եւ որ ունի մտերմութիւն զուգակից է բանիւք. Իսկ ուսանէր արդ ի ձեռն ինն ամաց յԱրամազդայ յայրն Մինովս, զոմանս ուսանելով, եւ զոմանս ապացուցանելով, զայն իսկ որ յառաջին իննամեայ ժամանակին ուսեալ էր առ ի յԱրամազդայ։ Եւ են ոմանք՝ որոց թուի թէ մտերմութիւն ըմպակից եւ խաղակից նշանակի գոլ Արամազդայ։
Now here in Homer we have a eulogy of Minos, briefly expressed, such as the poet never composed for a single one of the heroes. For that Zeus is a sophist, and that sophistry is a highly honorable art, he makes plain in many other places, and particularly here. For he says that Minos consorted and discoursed with Zeus in the ninth year, and went regularly to be educated by Zeus as though he were a sophist. And the fact that Homer assigned this privilege of having been educated by Zeus to no one among the heroes but Minos makes this a marvellous piece of praise. And in the Ghost-raising in the Odyssey note he has described Minos as judging with a golden scepter in his hand, but not Rhadamanthus: Rhadamanthus he has neither described here as judging nor anywhere as consorting with Zeus; wherefore I say that Minos above all persons has been eulogized by Homer. For to have been the son of Zeus, and to have been the only one who was educated by Zeus, is praise unsurpassable. For the meaning of the verse—‘he was king having colloquy with mighty Zeus in the ninth year’ is that Minos was a disciple of Zeus. For colloquies are discourses, and he who has colloquy is a disciple by means of discourse. So every ninth year Minos repaired to the cave of Zeus, to learn some things, and to show his knowledge of others that he had learnt from Zeus in the preceding nine years. Some there are who suppose that he who has colloquy is a cup-companion and fellow-jester of Zeus:—
ἀλλὰ τῷδε ἄν τις τεκμηρίῳ χρῷτο ὅτι οὐδὲν λέγουσιν οἱ οὕτως ὑπολαμβάνοντες· πολλῶν γὰρ ὄντων ἀνθρώπων καὶ Ἑλλήνων καὶ βαρβάρων, οὐκ ἔστιν οἵτινες ἀπέχονται συμποσίων καὶ ταύτης τῆς παιδιᾶς, οὗ ἔστιν οἶνος, ἄλλοι ἢ Κρῆτες καὶ Λακεδαιμόνιοι δεύτεροι, μαθόντες παρὰ Κρητῶν. ἐν Κρήτῃ δὲ εἷς οὗτός ἐστι τῶν ἄλλων νόμων οὓς Μίνως ἔθηκε, μὴ συμπίνειν ἀλλήλοις εἰς μέθην. καίτοι δῆλον ὅτι ἃ ἐνόμιζεν καλὰ εἶναι, ταῦτα νόμιμα ἔθηκεν καὶ τοῖς αὑτοῦ πολίταις. οὐ γάρ που, ὥσπερ γε φαῦλος ἄνθρωπος, ὁ Μίνως ἐνόμιζεν μὲν ἕτερα, ἐποίει δὲ ἄλλα παρʼ ἃ ἐνόμιζεν· ἀλλὰ ἦν αὕτη ἡ συνουσία ὥσπερ ἐγὼ λέγω, διὰ λόγων ἐπὶ παιδείᾳ εἰς ἀρετήν. ὅθεν δὴ καὶ τοὺς νόμους τούτους ἔθηκε τοῖς αὑτοῦ πολίταις, διʼ οὓς ἥ τε Κρήτη τὸν πάντα χρόνον εὐδαιμονεῖ καὶ Λακεδαίμων, ἀφʼ οὗ ἤρξατο τούτοις χρῆσθαι, ἅτε θείοις οὖσιν.
but one may take the following as a proof that they who suppose so are babblers. For of all the many nations of men, both Greek and foreign, the only people who refrain from drinking-bouts and the jesting that occurs where there is wine, are the Cretans, and after them the Spartans, who learnt it from the Cretans. In Crete it is one of their laws which Minos ordained that they are not to drink with each other to intoxication. And yet it is evident that the things he thought honorable were what he ordained as lawful for his people as well. For surely Minos did not, like an inferior person, think one thing and do another, different from what he thought: no, this intercourse, as I say, was held by means of discussion for education in virtue. Wherefore he ordained for his people these very laws, which have made Crete happy through the length of time, and Sparta happy also, since she began to use them; for they are divine.
Ῥαδάμανθυς δὲ ἀγαθὸς μὲν ἦν ἀνήρ· ἐπεπαίδευτο γὰρ ὑπὸ τοῦ Μίνω. ἐπεπαίδευτο μέντοι οὐχ ὅλην τὴν βασιλικὴν τέχνην, ἀλλʼ ὑπηρεσίαν τῇ βασιλικῇ, ὅσον ἐπιστατεῖν ἐν τοῖς δικαστηρίοις· ὅθεν καὶ δικαστὴς ἀγαθὸς ἐλέχθη εἶναι. νομοφύλακι γὰρ αὐτῷ ἐχρῆτο ὁ Μίνως κατὰ τὸ ἄστυ, τὰ δὲ κατὰ τὴν ἄλλην Κρήτην τῷ Τάλῳ. ὁ γὰρ Τάλως τρὶς περιῄει τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ κατὰ τὰς κώμας, φυλάττων τοὺς νόμους ἐν αὐταῖς, ἐν χαλκοῖς γραμματείοις ἔχων γεγραμμένους τοὺς νόμους, ὅθεν χαλκοῦς ἐκλήθη. εἴρηκε δὲ καὶ Ἡσίοδος ἀδελφὰ τούτων εἰς τὸν Μίνων. μνησθεὶς γὰρ αὐτοῦ τοῦ ὀνόματος φησίν— ὃς βασιλεύτατος γένετο θνητῶν βασιλήων, καὶ πλείστων ἤνασσε περικτιόνων ἀνθρώπων, Ζηνὸς ἔχων σκῆπτρον· τῷ καὶ πολέων βασίλευεν. καὶ οὗτος λέγει τὸ τοῦ Διὸς σκῆπτρον οὐδὲν ἄλλο ἢ τὴν παιδείαν τὴν τοῦ Διός, ᾗ εὔθυνε τὴν Κρήτην.
Rhadamanthus was a good man indeed, for he had been educated by Minos; he had, however, been educated, not in the whole of the kingly art, but in one subsidiary to the kingly, enough for presiding in law courts; so that he was spoken of as a good judge. For Minos used him as guardian of the law in the city, and Talos note as the same for the rest of Crete. For Talos thrice a year made a round of the villages, guarding the laws in them, by holding their laws inscribed on brazen tablets, which gave him his name of “brazen.” And what Hesiod note also has said of Minos is akin to this. For after mentioning him by name he remarks— Who was most kingly of mortal kings, and lorded it over more neighboring folk than any, holding the scepter of Zeus: therewith it was that he ruled the cities as king. And by the scepter of Zeus he means nothing else than the education that he had of Zeus, whereby he directed Crete.
Ἑταῖρος. διὰ τί οὖν ποτε, ὦ Σώκρατες, αὕτη ἡ φήμη κατεσκέδασται τοῦ Μίνω ὡς ἀπαιδεύτου τινὸς καὶ χαλεποῦ ὄντος;
Companion: Then how has it ever come about, Socrates, that this report is spread abroad of Minos, as an uneducated and harsh-tempered person?
Σωκράτης. διʼ ὃ καὶ σύ, ὦ βέλτιστε, ἐὰν σωφρονῇς, εὐλαβήσῃ, καὶ ἄλλος πᾶς ἀνὴρ ὅτῳ μέλει τοῦ εὐδόκιμον εἶναι, μηδέποτε ἀπεχθάνεσθαι ἀνδρὶ ποιητικῷ μηδενί. οἱ γὰρ ποιηταὶ μέγα δύνανται εἰς δόξαν, ἐφʼ ὁπότερα ἂν ποιῶσιν εἰς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, ἢ εὐλογοῦντες ἢ κακηγοροῦντες. ὃ δὴ καὶ ἐξήμαρτεν ὁ Μίνως, πολεμήσας τῇδε τῇ πόλει, ἐν ᾗ ἄλλη τε πολλὴ σοφία ἐστὶ καὶ ποιηταὶ παντοδαποὶ τῆς τε ἄλλης ποιήσεως καὶ τραγῳδίας. ἡ δὲ τραγῳδία ἐστὶν παλαιὸν ἐνθάδε, οὐχ ὡς οἴονται ἀπὸ Θέσπιδος ἀρξαμένη οὐδʼ ἀπὸ Φρυνίχου, ἀλλʼ εἰ θέλεις ἐννοῆσαι, πάνυ παλαιὸν αὐτὸ εὑρήσεις ὂν τῆσδε τῆς πόλεως εὕρημα. ἔστιν δὲ τῆς ποιήσεως δημοτερπέστατόν τε καὶ ψυχαγωγικώτατον ἡ τραγῳδία· ἐν ᾗ δὴ καὶ ἐντείνοντες ἡμεῖς τὸν Μίνων τιμωρούμεθα ἀνθʼ ὧν ἡμᾶς ἠνάγκασε τοὺς δασμοὺς τελεῖν ἐκείνους. τοῦτο οὖν ἐξήμαρτεν ὁ Μίνως, ἀπεχθόμενος ἡμῖν, ὅθεν δή, ὃ σὺ ἐρωτᾷς, κακοδοξότερος γέγονεν. ἐπεὶ ὅτι γε ἀγαθὸς ἦν καὶ νόμιμος, ὅπερ καὶ ἐν τοῖς πρόσθεν ἐλέγομεν, νομεὺς ἀγαθός, τοῦτο μέγιστον σημεῖον, ὅτι ἀκίνητοι αὐτοῦ οἱ νόμοι εἰσίν, ἅτε τοῦ ὄντος περὶ πόλεως οἰκήσεως ἐξευρόντος εὖ τὴν ἀλήθειαν.
Սոկրատէս. Վասն որոյ եւ դու, ո՛վ լաւագոյն, եթէ ողջախոհ իցես՝ խորշիցիս, եւ այլ ամենայն այր՝ որոյ հանդերձեալ է ընտրեալ գոլ, ոչ երբեք թշնամենեալ ընդ առն քերթողականի ոչ եւ միոյ. քանզի քերթողքն՝ մեծ զօրութիւն ունին առ կարծիսն առ որպիսի արդեւք ինչ արասցեն ի մարդիկ, կամ բարեբանելով կամ ստորոգելով։ Որով արդեւք եւ սխալեցաւ Մինովս, պատերազմել ընդ այսմիկ քաղաքիս, յորում եւ այլ բազում իմաստութիւն գոյ. եւ քերթողք պէսպէսք այս իսկ քերթուածոյ եւ ողբերգութեան։ Եւ ողբերգութիւն է նախնի աստանօր, ոչ իբրու կարծեն ի Թեսպիդոսէ ի բաց սկսեալ եւ ոչ ի Փռիւնիքոսէ։ Այլ եթէ կամիցիս զմտաւ ածել՝ յոյժ նախնի զսա գտցես, գոլով գիւտ այսմիկ քաղաքի։ Եւ է իսկ քերթուածոյս հրապարակի հրճուականագոյն եւ սփոփականագոյն ինչ՝ ողբերգութիւնս. յորում արդեւք եւ երկար անկեալ առ մեզ զՄինովս պատուհասեմք, փոխանակ այնոցիկ՝ հարկեաց զմեզ վճարել զմաքսն զայնոսիկ։ Զայս ինչ արդ մեղաւ Մինովս թշնամեցեալ ընդ մեզ, ուստի է արդ իրս՝ զոր դուդ հարցանես. վասն որոյ եւ եղեւ թուեցեալ չարագոյն։ Ապա եթէ ոչ էր այս, յոյժ իսկ բարի էր եւ օրինական, զոր եւ յառաջագոյն ասէաք օրինադիր գոլ բարի. եւ մեծագոյն նշան այս է, զի անշարժք են սորա օրէնքն, իբրու յաղագս քաղաքի բնակութեան էապէս գտեալ եւ քաջ զճշմարտութիւնն։
Socrates: Because of something that will make both you, if you are wise, my excellent friend, and everybody else who cares to have a good reputation, beware of ever quarreling with any man of a poetic turn. For poets have great influence over opinion, according as they create it in the minds of men by either commending or vilifying. And this was the mistake that Minos made, in waging war on this city of ours, which besides all its various culture has poets of every kind, and especially those who write tragedy. Now tragedy is a thing of ancient standing here; it did not begin, as people suppose, from Thespis or from Phrynicus, but if you will reflect, you will find it is a very ancient invention of our city. Tragedy is the most popularly delightful and soul-enthralling branch of poetry: in it, accordingly, we get Minos on the rack of verse, and thus avenge ourselves for that tribute which he compelled us to pay. This, then, was the mistake that Minos made—his quarrel with us—and hence it is that, as you said in your question, he has fallen more and more into evil repute. For that he was a good and law-abiding person, as we stated in what went before—a good apportioner—is most convincingly shown by the fact the his laws are unshaken, since they were made by one who discovered aright the truth of reality in regard to the management of a state.
Ἑταῖρος. δοκεῖς μοι, ὦ Σώκρατες, εἰκότα τὸν λόγον εἰρηκέναι.
Companion: In my opinion, Socrates, your statement is a probable one.
Σωκράτης. οὐκοῦν εἰ ἐγὼ ἀληθῆ λέγω, δοκοῦσί σοι παλαιοτάτοις Κρῆτες οἱ Μίνω καὶ Ῥαδαμάνθυος πολῖται νόμοις χρῆσθαι;
Socrates: Then if what I say is true, do you consider that the Cretan people of Minos and Rhadamanthus use the most ancient laws?
Ἑταῖρος. φαίνονται.
Ընկեր. Երեւի։
Companion: I do.
Σωκράτης. οὗτοι ἄρα τῶν παλαιῶν ἄριστοι νομοθέται γεγόνασιν, νομῆς τε καὶ ποιμένες ἀνδρῶν, ὥσπερ καὶ Ὅμηρος ἔφη ποιμένα λαῶν εἶναι τὸν ἀγαθὸν στρατηγόν.
Socrates: So these have shown themselves the best lawgivers among men of ancient times—apportioners and shepherds of men; just as Homer called the good general a “shepherd of the folk.”
Ἑταῖρος. πάνυ μὲν οὖν.
Ընկեր. Յոյժ իսկ։
Companion: Quite so, indeed.
Σωκράτης. φέρε δὴ πρὸς Διὸς φιλίου· εἴ τις ἡμᾶς ἔροιτο, ὁ τῷ σώματι ἀγαθὸς νομοθέτης τε καὶ νομεὺς τί ἐστιν ταῦτα ἃ διανέμων ἐπὶ τὸ σῶμα βέλτιον αὐτὸ ποιεῖ, εἴποιμεν ἂν καλῶς τε καὶ διὰ βραχέων ἀποκρινόμενοι, ὅτι τροφήν τε καὶ πόνους, τῇ μὲν αὔξων, τοῖς δὲ γυμνάζων καὶ συνιστὰς τὸ σῶμα αὐτό.
Socrates: Come then, in good friendship’s name: if someone should ask us what it is that the good lawgiver and apportioner for the body distributes to it when he makes it better, we should say, if we were to make a correct and brief answer, that it was food and labor; the former to strengthen, and the latter to exercise and brace it.
Ἑταῖρος. ὀρθῶς γε.
Ընկեր. Այսպէս իսկ։
Companion: And we should be right.
Σωκράτης. εἰ οὖν δὴ μετὰ τοῦτο ἔροιτο ἡμᾶς, “τί δὲ δή ποτε ἐκεῖνά ἐστιν, <ἃ> ὁ ἀγαθὸς νομοθέτης τε καὶ νομεὺς διανέμων ἐπὶ τὴν ψυχὴν βελτίω αὐτὴν ποιεῖ;” τί ἂν ἀποκρινάμενοι οὐκ ἂν αἰσχυνθεῖμεν καὶ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν καὶ τῆς ἡλικίας αὑτῶν;
Socrates: And if he then proceeded to ask us—And what might that be which the good lawgiver and apportioner distributes to the soul to make it better?—what would be our answer if we would avoid being ashamed of ourselves and our years?
Ἑταῖρος. οὐκέτι τοῦτʼ ἔχω εἰπεῖν.
Companion: This time I am unable to say.
Σωκράτης. ἀλλὰ μέντοι αἰσχρόν γε τῇ ψυχῇ ἡμῶν ἐστιν ἑκατέρου, τὰ μὲν ἐν αὐταῖς φαίνεσθαι μὴ εἰδυίας, ἐν οἷς αὐταῖς ἔνεστι καὶ τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ τὸ φλαῦρον, τὰ δὲ τοῦ σώματος καὶ τὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἐσκέφθαι.
Socrates: But indeed it is shameful for the soul of either of us to be found ignorant of those things within it on which its good and abject states depend, while it has studied those that pertain to the body and rest.