said Socrates, "speak in that manner to those whom you desire to love:
but will you likewise give me leave to advance that your greatest
pleasure is to have good friends, that you take great care of them, that
you behold their good actions with as much joy as if you yourself had
performed them, and that you rejoice at their good fortune as much as at
your own: that you are never weary when you are serving them, and that
you believe it the glory of a man of honour to surpass his friends in
benefits, and his enemies in valour? By this means I think I shall be
very useful to you in procuring you good friends." "Why do you ask me
leave," said Critobulus, "as if you might not say of me whatever you
please?" "No, indeed," answered Socrates, "for I remember what Aspasia
once said, that match-makers are successful in their business when they
tell truth of the persons in whose behalf they court, but that the
marriages made by their lies are unfortunate, because they who are
deceived hate one another, and hate yet more the person that put them
together. And therefore, for the same reason, I think I ought not to
tell lies in your praise." "You are then so far only my friend," replied
Critobulus, "that if I have any good qualities to make myself be
esteemed, you will assist me; if not, you will invent nothing in my
behalf." "And do you think," said Socrates, "that I should do you more
service in giving you false praises, that are not your due, than by
exhorting you to merit the praise of all men? If you doubt of this,
consider the consequences of it. If, for instance, I should tell the
owner of a ship that you are an excellent pilot, and he upon that should
give you the conduct of the vessel, what hopes could you have that you
should not perish? Or if I should say, publicly, that you are an
experienced general, or a great politician, and if you, by that character
which I should unjustly have obtained for you, should be promoted to the
supreme magistracy, to what dangers would you expose your own life, and
the fortune of the State? Or if I should make any private person believe