Soc. And did those gentlemen grow of themselves ; and Mem. without having been taught by any one, were they nevertheless able ⁹³to teach others that which they had never learned themselves?

Any. I imagine that they learned of the previous generation of gentlemen. Have there not been many good men in this city?

Soc. Yes, certainly, Anytus ; and many good statesmen also there always have been and there are still, in the city of Athens. But the question is whether they were also good teachers of their own virtue; — not whether there are, or have been, good men in this part of the world, but whether virtue can be taught, is the question which we have been discussing. Now, do we mean to say that the good men of our own and of other times knew how to impart to others that virtue which they had themselves ; or is virtue a thing incapable of being communicated or imparted by one man to another ? That is the question which I and Meno have been arguing. Look at the matter in your own way : Would you not admit that Themistocles was a good man ? Any. Certainly; no man better.

Good men may not have been good teachers. there never was a better man than Themistocles; but he did not make much of his own son. Soc. And must not he then have been a good teacher, if Good men any man ever was a good teacher, of his own virtue ? ™^ft been Any. Yes, certainly, — if he wanted to be so. good Soc. But would he not have wanted ? He would, at any l^^^J^g"^^" rate, have desired to make his own son a good man and a never was a gentleman : he could not have been jealous of him, or have better man . . ... than The- mtentionally abstained from irnparting to him his own virtue, mistoeles ; Did you never hear that he made his son Cleophantus a ^ut he did famous horseman ; and had him taught to stand upright on j^uch of his horseback and hurl a javelin, and to do many other marvellous °wn son. things ; and in anything which could be learned from a master he was well trained ? Have you not heard from our elders of him ? Any. I have. Soc. Then no one could say that his son showed any want of capacity ? Any. Very likely not. Soc. But did any one, old or young, ever say in your hear- ing that Cleophantus, son of Themistocles, was a wise or good