Commentary on Plato's Alcibiades

One might wonder, then, if by the study of those things in the dialogue, and needing a greater science and problems more comprehensive of all, we might think it appropriate to set this as a limit, because they might converse from the headings; but before experience, they might examine more perfect and more partial things; to make the hypothesis of the diagram of the proposed writing not only on that of the violence of those referring to it, as some have supposed; for science and theory have the same limit and toward all similar disposition conversing; for neither is it worthy of the association to examine the beings, but those things there and those things before the things here, before learning at any time or the refutation; in difficulty they might lead these things also to the end; nor from all the proposed shapes the return of essence to anyone not appropriate, but by divine leadership and with prudence the call; for it is necessary for the goal toward the change of philosophical theory to be appropriate; I praise, at any rate, Socrates for adding to the voices of the young men; and to whom at all it is sufficient to receive something toward the prepared thing, for this is of their benefit, or even Socrates himself testifies; for it is worthy of every shape of speech that our own knowledge should lead; how might they be worthy of the thing before the association, and what end to examine rather than knowing ourselves? Before doing other things now good and refuting and thinking and having obtained praise and blame as not without reason they hold; for without this you would not know yourself; but it is necessary before all things to the turning away to the good...