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Socrates
Soc. No, my good friend; you ought rather to keep your eye on Meidias the quail-filliper Meidias is mentioned by Aristophanes (Aristoph. Birds 1297) for his skill in the game of filliping quails which were specially trained not to flinch. and others of his sort—who undertake to manage the city’s affairs, while they still have the slavish hair Slaves in Athens were largely natives of western Asia. and had thick, close hair, very different from the wavy locks of the Greeks. (as the women would say) showing in their minds through their lack of culture, and have not yet got rid of it; who, moreover, have come with their outlandish speech to flatter the state, not to rule it—to these, I tell you, should your eyes be turned; and then you can disregard yourself, and need neither learn what is to be learnt for the great contest in which you are to be engaged, nor practise what requires practice, and so ensure that you are perfectly prepared before entering upon a political career.
Alcibiades
Alc. Why, Socrates, I believe you are right; though I think neither the Spartan generals nor the Persian king are at all different from other people.
Socrates
Soc. But, my excellent friend, consider what this notion of yours means.
Alcibiades
Alc. In regard to what?
Socrates
Soc. First of all, do you think you would take more pains over yourself if you feared them and thought them terrible, or if you did not?
10
Alcibiades
Alc. Clearly, if I thought them terrible.
Socrates
Soc. And do you think you will come to any harm by taking pains over yourself?
