Xenophon, "to be a very virtuous and prudent man." "Change your
opinion," replied Socrates, "and believe him more rash than if he threw
himself on the points of naked swords or leapt into the fire." "And what
have you seen him do," said Xenophon, "that gives you reason to speak
thus of him?" "Why, he had the rashness," answered Socrates, "to kiss
the son of Alcibiades, who is so beautiful and charming." "And is this
all?" said Xenophon; "for my part, I think I could also willingly expose
myself to the same danger that he did." "Wretch, that you are!" replied
Socrates. "Do you consider what happens to you after you have kissed a
beautiful face? Do you not lose your liberty? Do you not become a
slave? Do you not engage yourself in a vast expense to procure a sinful
pleasure? Do you not find yourself in an incapacity of doing what is
good, and that you subject yourself to the necessity of employing your
whole time and person in the pursuit of what you would despise, if your
reason were not corrupted?" "Good God!" cried Xenophon, "this is
ascribing a wonderful power to a kiss forsooth." "And are you surprised
at it?" answered Socrates. "Are there not some small animals whose bite
is so venomous that it causes insufferable pain, and even the loss of the
senses?" "I know it very well," said Xenophon, "but these animals leave
a poison behind them when they sting." "And do you think, you fool,"
added Socrates, "that kisses of love are not venomous, because you
perceive not the poison? Know that a beautiful person is a more
dangerous animal than scorpions, because these cannot wound unless they
touch us; but beauty strikes at a distance: from what place soever we can
but behold her, she darts her venom upon us, and overthrows our judgment.
And perhaps for this reason the Loves are represented with bows and
arrows, because a beautiful face wounds us from afar. I advise you,
therefore, Xenophon, when you chance to see a beauty to fly from it,
without looking behind you. And for you, Critobulus, I think it
convenient that you should enjoin yourself a year's absence, which will