Plato · Complete work
Stephanus 26a
Stephanus 26a of 125. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
Open the complete readerOriginal Ancient Greek
ἄκων, ὥστε σύ γε κατʼ ἀμφότερα ψεύδῃ. εἰ δὲ ἄκων διαφθείρω, τῶν τοιούτων ἁμαρτημάτων οὐ δεῦρο νόμος εἰσάγειν ἐστίν, ἀλλὰ ἰδίᾳ λαβόντα διδάσκειν καὶ νουθετεῖν· δῆλον γὰρ ὅτι ἐὰν μάθω, παύσομαι ὅ γε ἄκων ποιῶ. σὺ δὲ συγγενέσθαι μέν μοι καὶ διδάξαι ἔφυγες καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησας, δεῦρο δὲ εἰσάγεις, οἷ νόμος ἐστὶν εἰσάγειν τοὺς κολάσεως δεομένους ἀλλʼ οὐ μαθήσεως.ἀλλὰ γάρ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τοῦτο μὲν ἤδη δῆλον
Mouseia
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the complete Ancient Greek text across all 125 Stephanus sections for fidelity, philosophical precision, Socratic voice, legal clarity, and structure.
I do so unintentionally; and thus you are lying in either case. But if I corrupt them unintentionally, the law does not require that a man be brought here for such errors; it requires that one take him aside privately, teach him, and admonish him. For it is clear that once I have learned better, I shall cease doing what I do unintentionally. But you avoided associating with me and teaching me, and refused to do so; instead you bring me here, where the law requires men to be brought who need punishment, not instruction.
But indeed, men of Athens, what I was saying is already clear:
Mouseia
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from all 125 Ancient Greek Stephanus sections.
I do so unintentionally; so in either case you are lying. But if I corrupt them unintentionally, the law does not require that a person be brought to court for such unintentional offenses. Instead, you should have taken me aside privately, instructed me, and corrected me. For clearly, if I learned better, I would stop doing what I was doing unintentionally. But you avoided associating with me and teaching me, and you were unwilling to do so. Instead, you bring me here, where the law requires people to be brought who need punishment, not instruction.
But indeed, men of Athens, what I was saying is already clear: