and injustice?" continued Alcibiades; "is it not when the strongest makes
himself be obeyed by the weakest, not by consent, but by force only?" "In
my opinion it is." "It follows then," says Alcibiades, "that ordinances
made by a prince, without the consent of the citizens, will be absolutely
unjust." "I believe so," said Pericles; "and cannot allow that the
ordinances of a prince, when they are made without the consent of the
people, should bear the name of laws." "And what the chief citizens
ordain, without procuring the consent of the greater number, is that
likewise a violence?" "There is no question of it," answered Pericles;
"and in general, every ordinance made without the consent of those who
are to obey it, is a violence rather than a law." "And is what the
populace decree, without the concurrence of the chiefs, to be counted a
violence likewise, and not a law?" "No doubt it is," said Pericles: "but
when I was of your age, I could resolve all these difficulties, because I
made it my business to inquire into them, as you do now." "Would to
God," cried Alcibiades, "I had been so happy as to have conversed with
you then, when you understood these matters better." To this purpose was
their dialogue.

Critias and Alcibiades, however, continued not long with Socrates, after
they believed they had improved themselves, and gained some advantages
over the other citizens, for besides that they thought not his
conversation very agreeable, they were displeased that he took upon him
to reprimand them for their faults; and thus they threw themselves
immediately into the public affairs, having never had any other design
but that. The usual companions of Socrates were Crito, Chaerephon,
Chaerecrates, Simmias, Cebes, Phaedon, and some others; none of whom
frequented him that they might learn to speak eloquently, either in the
assemblies of the people, or in the courts of justice before the judges;
but that they might become better men, and know how to behave themselves