Well, I followed and believed most of what you said, Hermotimus, that they become wise and brave and just and so on; in a way your description held me in a sort of spell. But when you said they despised riches and glory and pleasures and were not angry or grieved, there (we are alone) I came to a stop. I remembered something I saw a certain person doing the other day—shall I name him? Or is it enough to leave him anonymous?
Not at all. Please tell me who he was.
This very teacher of yours—in general he deserves respect and is now quite old.
What was he doing?
You know the stranger from Heraclea who has studied philosophy under him a long time, the one with yellow hair, a quarrelsome fellow?
I know the man you mean. He’s called Dion.
That is the man. Well! it seems he didn’t pay his fee on time, and the other day your teacher in a temper pulled the man’s cloak round his neck and
That fellow has always been a senseless rogue when it comes to paying his debts, Lycinus. My master has never yet treated any of the others to whom he lends money like that and there are many of them. But they pay the interest on time.
And if they don’t, my dear Hermotimus? Does it matter, when he is now already purified by philosophy and no longer needs what he has left behind on Oeta?
Do you think it is for himself that he has made this fuss? No, he has young children and he is concerned lest they spend their lives in want.
He ought, Hermotimus, to lead them too up the path to Virtue, so that they can despise wealth and be happy with him.
I haven’t time, Lycinus, to talk with you about this; I’m in a hurry to hear his lecture, or I may be left completely behind before I know it.
Cheer up, old man! A truce has been proclaimed today. I can save you what still remains of your journey.
What do you mean?
That you won’t find him now, if we can believe the notice; a little board was hanging on the gate with “No Philosophy Lecture Today” on it in large letters. They said that he had dinner yesterday at the house of the great Eucrates, who was throwing a party for his daughter’s birthday. He talked a lot of philosophy during the party and grew cross with Euthydemus the Peripatetic, disputing their usual arguments against the Stoics. The party, they say, stretched out till midnight and the din brought on a wretched headache and made him sweat a good deal. At the same time he had drunk too much, I fancy, in the general toasting and had dined too well for his age; so when he got back home, it was said, he was very sick. He waited only to count carefully and lock up the pieces of meat he had given to the servant who had stood behind him at table, and has been sleeping ever since, having given orders to let no one in. I heard his servant Midas telling this to some of his pupils who were themselves just coming away, quite a crowd.
Who won the argument, Lycinus, my teacher or Euthydemus? Did Midas say anything to this effect?
At first, it seems, they were level, but in the end victory was on the side of you Stoics, and the old man was well in front. At any rate they say that Euthydemus didn’t get away unscathed: he was badly wounded in the head. You see he was pretentious and argumentative and wouldn’t be convinced and didn’t show himself ready to take criticism, so your excellent teacher hit him with a cup as big as Nestor’s
Il. xi, 636.
Well done! That’s just how to treat those who won’t give way to their betters!
Very reasonable, Hermotimus. What possessed Euthydemus to irritate an old man so placid and a master of his temper, who had such a heavy cup in his hand?
But now we have time to spare why don’t you tell a friend how you first took up philosophy? I myself, if it is still possible, could then begin there and join you all on the road. You are my friends and of course won’t shut me out.
I wish you would, Lycinus! You will soon see how much better you will be than the rest of mankind. Children you will think them all, mere children compared with you with your intellect so superior.
Good enough, if after twenty years I could be as you are now.
Don’t worry. I myself was about your age when I began to study philosophy, about forty—as old as you are now I imagine.
Exactly that, Hermotimus. So take and lead me too along the same path—that would be only right. First of all tell me this: do you allow learners to argue if they disagree with something, or is this not allowed to the young?
No, it is not allowed at all. But you, if you like, may ask questions and make criticisms as we go along. You will learn more easily that way.
Good, Hermotimus—by Hermes who gives you your name.
Now tell me, is there one way only to philosophy, the one you Stoics follow? I have heard there are many other schools as well. Is that right?
Very many—the Peripatetics, Epicureans, those who take Plato as their patron, others also, the devotees of Diogenes and Antisthenes, Pythagoreans, and more besides.
True, there are many. Is what they say the same, Hermotimus, or different?
Quite different.
At all events, one of their systems, I suppose, is true? They can’t all be true if they differ.
No, they can’t.