CHAPTER VIII. SOCRATES PERSUADES EUTHERUS TO ABANDON HIS FORMER WAY OF
LIVING, AND TO BETAKE HIMSELF TO SOME MORE USEFUL AND HONOURABLE
EMPLOYMENT.


Another time, meeting with Eutherus, one of his old friends, whom he had
not seen for a great while before, he inquired of him from whence he
came? "At present," answered Eutherus, "I come not from abroad; but
towards the end of the war I returned from a voyage I had made, for,
after having lost all the estate I had upon the frontiers, and my father
having left me nothing in Attica, I was forced to work for my living, and
I believe it better to do so than to be troublesome to others; besides, I
can no longer borrow anything, because I have nothing left to mortgage."
"And how much longer," said Socrates, "do you think you shall be able to
work for your living?" "Alas! but a short while," answered Eutherus.
"Nevertheless," replied Socrates, "when you come to be old it will cost
you something to maintain yourself, and yet you will not then be able to
earn anything." "You say very true." "You had best, then," continued
Socrates, "employ yourself now in business that will enable you to lay by
something for your old age, and get into the service of some rich man,
who has occasion for an economist, to have the inspection over his
workmen, to gather in his fruits, to preserve what belongs to him, that
he may reward you for the service you do him." "I should find it very
difficult," replied Eutherus, "to submit to be a slave." "Yet," said
Socrates, "the magistrates in republics, and all that are in employments,
are not, therefore, reputed slaves; on the contrary, they are esteemed
honourable." "Be that as it will," said Eutherus, "I can never think of
entering into any office where I might be liable to blame, for I would
not like to be censured by another." "But where," said Socrates, "will