[111a]
Alcibiades
For instance, it was from them that I learnt to speak Greek, and I could not say who was my teacher, but can only ascribe it to the same people who, you say, are not serious teachers.Socrates
Ah, gallant sir, the many may be good teachers of that, and they can justly be praised for their teaching of such subjects.Alcibiades
And why?Socrates
Because in those subjects they have the equipment proper to good teachers.Alcibiades
What do you mean by that?Socrates
You know that those who are going to teach anything should first know it themselves, do you not? [111b] Alcibiades
Of course.Socrates
And that those who know should agree with each other and not differ?Alcibiades
Yes.Socrates
But if they differ upon anything, will you say that they know it?Alcibiades
No, indeed.Socrates
Then how can they be teachers of it?Alcibiades
By no means.Socrates
Well now, do you find that the many differ about the nature of stone or wood? If you ask one of them, [111c] do they not agree on the same answer, and make for the same things when they want to get a piece of stone or wood? It is just the same, too, with everything of the sort: for I am pretty nearly right in understanding you to mean just this by knowing how to speak Greek, am I not?Alcibiades
Yes.Socrates
And on these matters, as we stated, they not only agree with each other and with themselves in private, but states also use in public the same terms about them to each other, without any dispute?Alcibiades
They do. [111d] Socrates
Then naturally they will be good teachers of these matters.Alcibiades
Yes.Socrates
And if we should wish to provide anyone with knowledge of them, we should be right in sending him to be taught by “the many” that you speak of?Alcibiades
Certainly.Socrates
But what if we wished to know not only what men were like or what horses were like, but which of them were good runners or not? Would the many still suffice to teach us this?Alcibiades
No, indeed.Socrates
And you have ample proof that they do not know this, [111e] and are not proficient teachers of it, in their not agreeing about it at all with themselves?Alcibiades
I have.Socrates
And what if we wished to know not only what men were like, but what healthy or diseased men were like? Would the many suffice to teach us?Alcibiades
No, indeed.Socrates
And you would have proof of their being bad teachers of that, if you saw them differing about it?Alcibiades
I should.Socrates
Well then, do you now find that the many agree with themselves or each other
For instance, it was from them that I learnt to speak Greek, and I could not say who was my teacher, but can only ascribe it to the same people who, you say, are not serious teachers.Socrates
Ah, gallant sir, the many may be good teachers of that, and they can justly be praised for their teaching of such subjects.Alcibiades
And why?Socrates
Because in those subjects they have the equipment proper to good teachers.Alcibiades
What do you mean by that?Socrates
You know that those who are going to teach anything should first know it themselves, do you not? [111b] Alcibiades
Of course.Socrates
And that those who know should agree with each other and not differ?Alcibiades
Yes.Socrates
But if they differ upon anything, will you say that they know it?Alcibiades
No, indeed.Socrates
Then how can they be teachers of it?Alcibiades
By no means.Socrates
Well now, do you find that the many differ about the nature of stone or wood? If you ask one of them, [111c] do they not agree on the same answer, and make for the same things when they want to get a piece of stone or wood? It is just the same, too, with everything of the sort: for I am pretty nearly right in understanding you to mean just this by knowing how to speak Greek, am I not?Alcibiades
Yes.Socrates
And on these matters, as we stated, they not only agree with each other and with themselves in private, but states also use in public the same terms about them to each other, without any dispute?Alcibiades
They do. [111d] Socrates
Then naturally they will be good teachers of these matters.Alcibiades
Yes.Socrates
And if we should wish to provide anyone with knowledge of them, we should be right in sending him to be taught by “the many” that you speak of?Alcibiades
Certainly.Socrates
But what if we wished to know not only what men were like or what horses were like, but which of them were good runners or not? Would the many still suffice to teach us this?Alcibiades
No, indeed.Socrates
And you have ample proof that they do not know this, [111e] and are not proficient teachers of it, in their not agreeing about it at all with themselves?Alcibiades
I have.Socrates
And what if we wished to know not only what men were like, but what healthy or diseased men were like? Would the many suffice to teach us?Alcibiades
No, indeed.Socrates
And you would have proof of their being bad teachers of that, if you saw them differing about it?Alcibiades
I should.Socrates
Well then, do you now find that the many agree with themselves or each other
