Meno, second part | Page 3

the boy the answer to this riddle.

Meno: No, Socrates, I don't think I will have to call you on anything
you might say today, for the most wondrously learned men of the group
of Pythagoras have spent many hours, weeks, and even months and
years toiling in their manner to arrive at the mystic solutions to the
puzzles formed by the simple squares with which we worked the other
day. Therefore, I am certain to regain my virtue, which I lost the other
day, when I was so steadfastly proven by you to be in error in my
statement that the root of a square with an area of two square feet was
beyond this boy, who is a fine boy, whom we must make to understand
that he should do his best here, and not feel that he has done any
wrongness by causing me to lose my virtue to you the other day.
Socrates: Meno, my friend, it is my opinion, and I hope it will soon be
yours, that your virtue was increased the other day, rather than
decreased.
Meno: I fail to see how, when I was humiliated by seeing this young
boy, of modest education, arrive in minutes at the highest mystic levels
of the magic of the Pythagoreans. Most of all when I wagered as many
dinners as you could eat at my house that this could not be the case.
Socrates: First, friend Meno, let me assure you that I will promise never
to eat you out of house and home, not that I could if I tried, for my
tastes are simple and your wallet is large. Nevertheless, Meno, my
friend, I would hasten to add that I will promise, if you like, not to ever
come to your table uninvited.
As a second reason you and your virtue should feel better after the
events of the other day, because you were in error before, but are less in
error now. And the path to virtue, at least one aspect of the path to
virtue, is in finding and correcting error.
Meno: Socrates, you know you are always welcome at my table, except
when I am suffering from my ulcer, which you aggravate greatly, or at
times when I am entertaining the highest nobles of the land, and you
would appear out of place in your clothing. (Socrates was known for
his simple attire, and for wearing his garments over and over till they
wore out. However, the only surviving example of his writing is a
laundry list, so we know he kept his clothes clean and somewhat
presentable, though simple)
Socrates: I would hope you would have me over because I was a good
influence on your development, than for any other reason. I notice you

did not respond to my claim to have increased your virtue, through the
exorcism of your error.
Meno: Well Socrates, you know that it is not always the easiest thing to
give up one's ways, even though one has found them to be in error.
Therefore, please forgive me if I am not sounding as grateful as you
would like for your lessons.
Socrates: The easier one finds it to give up the ways of error, the easier
it is to replace the error with that which we hope is not in error. Is this
not the way to virtue?
Meno: Yes, Socrates, and you know the path is hard, and that we often
stumble and fall.
Socrates: Yes, but is it not true that we stumble and fall over the
obstacles which we make for ourselves to trip over?
Meno: Certainly that is most true, Socrates, in some cases.
Socrates: Well, then, let us proceed, for I see the hour is upon us when I
do my best thinking, and that hour shall be passed soon, and hopefully
with it shall pass a bit of your ignorance.
Meno: Well said, Socrates. I am with you.
Socrates: And shall have we a wager on the events of today?
Meno: Certainly, Socrates.
Socrates: And what shall you wager against this boy proving that the
length of the root of a square with an area of two square feet, cannot be
made by the ratio of two whole numbers?
Meno: You may have anything it is in my power to give, unless it cause
harm to myself or to another to give it.
Socrates: Well said, my friend Meno, and I shall leave it at that. And
what shall I offer you as a return wager?
Meno: Well, the easiest thing which comes to mind is to wager all
those dinners you won from me the other day.
Socrates: Very well, so be it.
Meno: Now Socrates, since you are my friend, I must give you this
friendly