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Updated: June 2, 2025
But Plato here, O Athenians! and Crito Critobulus, and Apollodorus bid me amerce myself in thirty minae, and they offer to be sureties. I amerce myself, then, to you in that sum; and they will be sufficient sureties for the money.
Thus Socrates, pretending to compare faces with the beauteous Critobulus, rallied only, and not abused. And Alcibiades again was smart on Socrates, as his rival in Agatho's affection. Kings are pleased when jests are put upon them as if they were private and poor men. Such was the flatterer's to Philip, who chided him: Sir, don't I keep you?
"I might well be ashamed," answered Critobulus, "to contradict you: for no good nor solid objection can be brought against so rational an assertion."
"I confess I have not," answered Critobulus; "nevertheless, since it is impossible for a man of no worth whatever to have the friendship of men of condition and merit, tell me whether the man who acquires the character of worth and merit obtains, at the same time, the friendship of all who possess that excellent character?"
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 not be too long a time to heal you of your wound."
"But," said Critobulus, "when we have found a man worthy of our choice, how ought we to contract a friendship with him?" "In the first place," answered Socrates, "we must inquire whether the gods approve of it." "But supposing they do not dissuade us, how are we to take this precious prey?"
Hearing, on one occasion, that Critobulus, the son of Criton, had kissed the son of Alcibiades, a handsome youth, he asked Xenophon, in the presence of Critobulus, saying, "Tell me, Xenophon, did you not think that Critobulus was one of the modest rather than the forward, one of the thoughtful rather than of the thoughtless and inconsiderate?" Certainly," replied Xenophon.
"Be sure," said Critobulus, "that I will use no violence to them whose friendship I would gain, and therefore delay no longer to teach me your art." "Will you give me your word likewise," said Socrates, "that you will not even give them a kiss?" "I promise you," said Critobulus, "I will not, unless they are very beautiful persons."
"But how can we be certain of all this," said Critobulus, "before we have tried him?" "When we would give our judgment of statuaries, we have no regard," replied Socrates, "to what they say of themselves, but consider their works; and he who has already made good statues is the person of whom we have the best opinion for those he shall make for the future.
The following conversation of Socrates with Critobulus may teach us how we ought to try friends, and with whom it is good to contract friendship: "If we were to choose a friend," said Socrates to him, "what precaution ought we to take? Ought we not to look out for a man who is not given to luxury, to drunkenness, to women, nor to idleness?
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