[1] Lit. "in order that you on your side may correct and set me right
where I seem to you to act amiss." {metarruthmises}--remodel. Cf.
Aristot. "Nic. Eth." x. 9. 5.

The idea of my reforming you! (I said). How could I with any show of
justice hope to reform you, the perfect model[2] of a beautiful, good
man--I, who am but an empty babbler,[3] and measurer of the air,[4]
who have to bear besides that most senseless imputation of being poor
--an imputation which, I assure you, Ischomachus, would have reduced
me to the veriest despair, except that the other day I chanced to come
across the horse of Nicias,[5] the foreigner? I saw a crowd of people
in attendance staring, and I listened to a story which some one had to
tell about the animal. So then I stepped up boldly to the groom and
asked him, "Has the horse much wealth?" The fellow looked at me as if
I were hardly in my right mind to put the question, and retorted, "How
can a horse have wealth?" Thereat I dared to lift my eyes from earth,
on learning that after all it is permitted a poor penniless horse to
be a noble animal, if nature only have endowed him with good spirit.
If, therefore, it is permitted even to me to be a good man, please
recount to me your works from first to last, I promise, I will listen,
all I can, and try to understand, and so far as in me lies to imitate
you from to-morrow. To-morrow is a good day to commence a course of
virtue, is it not?

[2] Cf. Plat. "Rep." 566 A, "a tyrant full grown" (Jowett).

[3] Cf. Plat. "Phaed." 70 C; Aristoph. "Clouds," 1480.

[4] Or rather, "a measurer of air"--i.e. devoted not to good sound
solid "geometry," but the unsubstantial science of "aerometry."