Book 1
6.29
Yes, by Zeus, said he, toward wild animals however; but if I ever even seemed to wish to deceive a man, I know that I got a good beating for it. Yes said he; for, methinks, we did not permit you to shoot at people nor to throw your spear at them; but we taught you to shoot at a mark, in order that you might not for the time at least do harm to your friends, but, in case there should ever be a war, that you might be able to aim well at men also. And we instructed you likewise to deceive and to take advantage, not in the case of men but of beasts, in order that you might not injure your friends by so doing, but, if there should ever be a war, that you might not be unpractised in these arts.
6.30
Well then, father, said he, if indeed it isTraining for taking unfair advantage useful to understand both how to do good and how to do evil to men, we ought to have been taught both these branches in the case of men, too.
6.31
Yes, my son, said he; it is said that in the time of our forefathers there was once a teacher of the boys who, it seems, used to teach them justice in the very way that you propose; to lie and not to lie, to cheat and not to cheat, to slander and not to slander, to take and not to take unfair advantage. And he drew the line between what one should do to one’s friends and what to one’s enemies. And what is more, he used to teach this: that it was right to deceive friends even, provided it were for a good end, and to steal the possessions of a friend for a good purpose.
