Plato · Complete work
Stephanus 31c
Stephanus 31c of 125. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
Open the complete readerOriginal Ancient Greek
παρασχόμενοι μάρτυρα, ὡς ἐγώ ποτέ τινα ἢ ἐπραξάμην μισθὸν ἢ ᾔτησα. ἱκανὸν γάρ, οἶμαι, ἐγὼ παρέχομαι τὸν μάρτυρα ὡς ἀληθῆ λέγω, τὴν πενίαν.ἴσως ἂν οὖν δόξειεν ἄτοπον εἶναι, ὅτι δὴ ἐγὼ ἰδίᾳ μὲν ταῦτα συμβουλεύω περιιὼν καὶ πολυπραγμονῶ, δημοσίᾳ δὲ οὐ τολμῶ ἀναβαίνων εἰς τὸ πλῆθος τὸ ὑμέτερον συμβουλεύειν τῇ πόλει. τούτου δὲ αἴτιόν ἐστιν ὃ ὑμεῖς ἐμοῦ πολλάκις ἀκηκόατε πολλαχοῦ λέγοντος, ὅτι μοι θεῖόν τι καὶ
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.
as to produce a witness claiming that I ever demanded or asked anyone for a fee. For I believe that I can produce a sufficient witness that I speak the truth: my poverty.
Perhaps, then, it may seem strange that I go about offering this advice privately and interfering in other people’s affairs, yet do not venture to come before your Assembly and advise the city publicly. The reason is something you have often heard me say in many places: that something divine and
Mouseia
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from all 125 Ancient Greek Stephanus sections.
to produce a witness claiming that I ever charged or asked anyone for payment. For I think I can produce sufficient evidence that I am telling the truth: my poverty.
Now, it might seem strange that I go around giving this advice and involving myself in other people’s affairs in private, yet do not dare to come forward before your assembly and advise the city in public. The reason for this is what you have often heard me say in many places: that something divine and