The Lovers

whom he was insulting, had spent his time on gymnastics. It seemed to me that I should leave the one who was asked alone, because he did not pretend to be experienced in words, but in deeds; but I should question the one who pretended to be wiser, so that I might benefit from him if I could. I said, therefore, that I had asked the question in general terms. "But if you think that he would answer better, I ask you the same thing that I asked him, whether it seems to you that philosophizing is good, or not." As we were saying these things, the two boys heard us and fell silent; and having stopped their arguing, they became our listeners. What the lovers felt, I do not know, but I myself was struck with amazement, for I am always struck by young and beautiful people. Yet the other one seemed to me to be no less anxious than I was; nevertheless, he answered me very ambitiously. "For whenever," he said, "Socrates, I were to consider philosophizing to be shameful, I would not think myself to be a human being, nor would I consider anyone else who was disposed in that way to be one." He indicated the rival, and said in a loud voice so that his beloved could hear. And I said, "So it seems to you that philosophizing is good?" "Certainly," he said. "What then," I said, "if it seems to you that it is possible for anyone to know any thing at all, whether it is good or shameful, if one does not know in the first place what it is?" "No," he said. "You know, therefore," I said, "what philosophizing is?" "Certainly," he said. "What then is it?" I asked. "What else but, according to Solon, for Solon once said:

I grow old, always learning many things."