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him； who manage our politics； in whom； as the women would remark； you may
still see the slaves' cut of hair； cropping out in their minds as well as
on their pates； and they come with their barbarous lingo to flatter us and
not to rule us。 To these； I say； you should look； and then you need not
trouble yourself about your own fitness to contend in such a noble arena：
there is no reason why you should either learn what has to be learned； or
practise what has to be practised； and only when thoroughly prepared enter
on a political career。
ALCIBIADES： There； I think； Socrates； that you are right； I do not
suppose； however； that the Spartan generals or the great king are really
different from anybody else。
SOCRATES： But； my dear friend； do consider what you are saying。
ALCIBIADES： What am I to consider？
SOCRATES： In the first place； will you be more likely to take care of
yourself； if you are in a wholesome fear and dread of them； or if you are
not？
ALCIBIADES： Clearly； if I have such a fear of them。
SOCRATES： And do you think that you will sustain any injury if you take
care of yourself？
ALCIBIADES： No； I shall be greatly benefited。
SOCRATES： And this is one very important respect in which that notion of
yours is bad。
ALCIBIADES： True。
SOCRATES： In the next place； consider that what you say is probably false。
ALCIBIADES： How so？
SOCRATES： Let me ask you whether better natures are likely to be found in
noble races or not in noble races？
ALCIBIADES： Clearly in noble races。
SOCRATES： Are not those who are well born and well bred most likely to be
perfect in virtue？
ALCIBIADES： Certainly。
SOCRATES： Then let us compare our antecedents with those of the
Lacedaemonian and Persian kings； are they inferior to us in descent？ Have
we not heard that the former are sprung from Heracles； and the latter from
Achaemenes； and that the race of Heracles and the race of Achaemenes go
back to Perseus； son of Zeus？
ALCIBIADES： Why； so does mine go back to Eurysaces； and he to Zeus！
SOCRATES： And mine； noble Alcibiades； to Daedalus； and he to Hephaestus；
son of Zeus。 But； for all that； we are far inferior to them。 For they are
descended 'from Zeus；' through a line of kingseither kings of Argos and
Lacedaemon； or kings of Persia； a country which the descendants of
Achaemenes have always possessed； besides being at various times sovereigns
of Asia； as they now are； whereas； we and our fathers were but private
persons。 How ridiculous would you be thought if you were to make a display
of your ancestors and of Salamis the island of Eurysaces； or of Aegina； the
habitation of the still more ancient Aeacus； before Artaxerxes； son of
Xerxes。 You should consider how inferior we are to them both in the
derivation of our birth and in other particulars。 Did you never observe
how great is the property of the Spartan kings？ And their wives are under
the guardianship of the Ephori； who are public officers and watch over
them； in order to preserve as far as possible the purity of the Heracleid
blood。 Still greater is the difference among the Persians； for no one
entertains a suspicion that the father of a prince of Persia can be any one
but the king。 Such is the awe which invests the person of the queen； that
any other guard is needless。 And when the heir of the kingdom is born； all
the subjects of the king feast； and the day of his birth is for ever
afterwards kept as a holiday and time of sacrifice by all Asia； whereas；
when you and I were born； Alcibiades； as the comic poet says； the
neighbours hardly knew of the important event。 After the birth of the
royal child； he is tended； not by a good…for…nothing woman…nurse； but by
the best of the royal eunuchs； who are charged with the care of him； and
especially with the fashioning and right formation of his limbs； in order
that he may be as shapely as possible； which being their calling； they are
held in great honour。 And when the young prince is seven years old he is
put upon a horse and taken to the riding…masters； and begins to go out
hunting。 And at fourteen years of age he is handed over to the royal
schoolmasters； as they are termed： these are four chosen men； reputed to
be the best among the Persians of a certain age； and one of them is the
wisest； another the justest； a third the most temperate； and a fourth the
most valiant。 The first instructs him in the magianism of Zoroaster； the
son of Oromasus； which is the worship of the Gods； and teaches him also the
duties of his royal office； the second； who is the justest； teaches him
always to speak the truth； the third； or most temperate； forbids him to
allow any pleasure to be lord over him； that he may be accustomed to be a
freeman and king indeed；lord of himself first； and not a slave； the most
valiant trains him to be bold and fearless； telling him that if he fears he
is to deem himself a slave； whereas Pericles gave you； Alcibiades； for a
tutor Zopyrus the Thracian； a slave of his who was past all other work。 I
might enlarge on the nurture and education of your rivals； but that would
be tedious； and what I have said is a sufficient sample of what remains to
be said。 I have only to remark； by way of contrast； that no one cares
about your birth or nurture or education； or； I may say； about that of any
other Athenian； unless he has a lover who looks after him。 And if you cast
an eye on the wealth； the luxury； the garments with their flowing trains；
the anointings with myrrh； the multitudes of attendants； and all the other
bravery of the Persians； you will be ashamed when you discern your own
inferiority； or if you look at the temperance and orderliness and ease and
grace and magnanimity and courage and endurance and love of toil and desire
of glory and ambition of the Lacedaemoniansin all these respects you will
see that you are but a child in comparison of them。 Even in the matter of
wealth； if you value yourself upon that； I must reveal to you how you
stand； for if you form an estimate of the wealth of the Lacedaemonians； you
will see that our possessions fall far short of theirs。 For no one here
can compete with them either in the extent and fertility of their own and
the Messenian territory； or in the number of their slaves； and especially
of the Helots； or of their horses； or of the animals which feed on the
Messenian pastures。 But I have said enough of this： and as to gold and
silver； there is more of them in Lacedaemon than in all the rest of Hellas；
for during many generations gold has been always flowing in to them from
the whole Hellenic world； and often from the barbarian also； and never
going out； as in the fable of Aesop the fox said to the lion； 'The prints
of the feet of those going in are distinct enough；' but who ever saw the
trace of money going out of Lacedaemon？ And therefore you may safely infer
that the inhabitants are the richest