ALCYON

Nature grants humans nothing that is beyond their capacity. Since, therefore, there appears to be such a vast difference between one man and another, what shall we think the entire heavens appear to be in comparison to our own faculties, or to those who can grasp such things through true knowledge? It will perhaps seem credible to most that the magnitude of the universe possesses a superiority over the forms of Socrates and Chaerephon Chaerephon was a loyal friend and follower of Socrates, famously mentioned in the Apology; and that its own power, wisdom, and ultimately its knowledge, surpasses that irrational faculty which resides within us.

Accordingly, many things seem impossible to you, to me, and to others like us, which are perhaps very easy for others. For just as it is impossible for those who are not flute-players to play, or for those ignorant of the grammatical arts to read and write, so it seems to those who are ignorant of nature's ways that turning women into birds—or birds into women—is impossible. And yet Nature, when she prepared a creature that was almost formless, lacking feet, hands, and feathers original: "pennarum expers", she added feet and applied wings, and adorning it with a manifold variety of diverse colors, she fashioned the bee, that wise maker of divine honey.

Furthermore, from mute and lifeless eggs, she established many kinds of animals: some winged, some terrestrial, and some aquatic, using the sacred arts of the great ether (as some traditions tell us). Therefore, regarding the powers of the immortals—which are surely as great as can be—we mortals are small, and unable to perceive either great or small things. We even doubt most of the things that happen around us; thus, we cannot deliver any firm judgment concerning either the Halcyons The Kingfisher bird, associated in myth with Alcyone, who was transformed into a bird by the gods or the nightingales original: "philomelis".

However, the glory of the fables as they were handed down by our fathers, such I shall pass on to my children, O bird of laments and sorrows (for I owe it to you), in praise of your merits. I shall frequently sing of your pious and devoted love for your husband to my own wives, Xantippe and Myrrha, recounting many things, but especially the honor you obtained from the gods. You too, O Chaerephon, should do something of this kind.

CHAEREPHON: It is indeed fitting, O Socrates; and let what you have said have a double persuasion: for the customs of women, I say, and of men. Now, therefore, having offered our salutation to the Halcyon, it is time to return to the city from Phalerum A port of Athens.

SOCRATES: Indeed, let us do so.