[27] Or, "so dull was I, I failed to catch the point."

Whose but my own wife's? (he answered).

And, pray, how do you conduct your own case? (I asked).[28]

[28] See "Mem." III. vii. 4; Plat. "Euth." 3 E.

Not so ill (he answered), when truth and interest correspond, but when
they are opposed, Socrates, I have no skill to make the worse appear
the better argument.[29]

[29] See Plat. "Apol." 19-23 D; Aristoph. "Clouds," 114 foll.

Perhaps you have no skill, Ischomachus, to make black white or
falsehood truth (said I).[30]

[30] Or, "It may well be, Ischomachus, you cannot manufacture
falsehood into truth." Lit. "Like enough you cannot make an
untruth true."



XII

But (I continued presently), perhaps I am preventing you from going,
as you long have wished to do, Ischomachus?

To which he: By no means, Socrates. I should not think of going away
until the gathering in the market is dispersed.[1]