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that confiding； I will gladly enquire with you into the nature of
virtue。
Men。 Yes； Socrates； but what do you mean by saying that we do not
learn； and that what we call learning is only a process of
recollection？ Can you teach me how this is？
Soc。 I told you； Meno； just now that you were a rogue； and now you
ask whether I can teach you； when I am saying that there is no
teaching； but only recollection； and thus you imagine that you will
involve me in a contradiction。
Men。 Indeed； Socrates； I protest that I had no such intention。 I
only asked the question from habit； but if you can prove to me that
what you say is true； I wish that you would。
Soc。 It will be no easy matter； but I will try to please you to
the utmost of my power。 Suppose that you call one of your numerous
attendants； that I may demonstrate on him。
Men。 Certainly。 Come hither； boy。
Soc。 He is Greek； and speaks Greek； does he not？
Men。 Yes； indeed； he was born in the house。
Soc。 Attend now to the questions which I ask him； and observe
whether he learns of me or only remembers。
Men。 I will。
Soc。 Tell me； boy； do you know that a figure like this is a square？
Boy。 I do。
Soc。 And you know that a square figure has these four lines equal？
Boy。 Certainly。
Soc。 And these lines which I have drawn through the middle of the
square are also equal？
Boy。 Yes。
Soc。 A square may be of any size？
Boy。 Certainly。
Soc。 And if one side of the figure be of two feet； and the other
side be of two feet； how much will the whole be？ Let me explain： if in
one direction the space was of two feet； and in other direction of one
foot； the whole would be of two feet taken once？
Boy。 Yes。
Soc。 But since this side is also of two feet； there are twice two
feet？
Boy。 There are。
Soc。 Then the square is of twice two feet？
Boy。 Yes。
Soc。 And how many are twice two feet？ count and tell me。
Boy。 Four； Socrates。
Soc。 And might there not be another square twice as large as this；
and having like this the lines equal？
Boy。 Yes。
Soc。 And of how many feet will that be？
Boy。 Of eight feet。
Soc。 And now try and tell me the length of the line which forms
the side of that double square： this is two feet…what will that be？
Boy。 Clearly； Socrates； it will be double。
Soc。 Do you observe； Meno； that I am not teaching the boy
anything； but only asking him questions； and now he fancies that he
knows how long a line is necessary in order to produce a figure of
eight square feet； does he not？
Men。 Yes。
Soc。 And does he really know？
Men。 Certainly not。
Soc。 He only guesses that because the square is double； the line
is double。
Men。 True。
Soc。 Observe him while he recalls the steps in regular order。 （To
the Boy。） Tell me； boy； do you assert that a double space comes from a
double line？ Remember that I am not speaking of an oblong； but of a
figure equal every way； and twice the size of this…that is to say of
eight feet； and I want to know whether you still say that a double
square comes from double line？
Boy。 Yes。
Soc。 But does not this line become doubled if we add another such
line here？
Boy。 Certainly。
Soc。 And four such lines will make a space containing eight feet？
Boy。 Yes。
Soc。 Let us describe such a figure： Would you not say that this is
the figure of eight feet？
Boy。 Yes。
Soc。 And are there not these four divisions in the figure； each of
which is equal to the figure of four feet？
Boy。 True。
Soc。 And is not that four times four？
Boy。 Certainly。
Soc。 And four times is not double？
Boy。 No； indeed。
Soc。 But how much？
Boy。 Four times as much。
Soc。 Therefore the double line； boy； has given a space； not twice；
but four times as much。
Boy。 True。
Soc。 Four times four are sixteen…are they not？
Boy。 Yes。
Soc。 What line would give you a space of right feet； as this gives
one of sixteen feet；…do you see？
Boy。 Yes。
Soc。 And the space of four feet is made from this half line？
Boy。 Yes。
Soc。 Good； and is not a space of eight feet twice the size of
this； and half the size of the other？
Boy。 Certainly。
Soc。 Such a space； then； will be made out of a line greater than
this one； and less than that one？
Boy。 Yes； I think so。
Soc。 Very good； I like to hear you say what you think。 And now
tell me； is not this a line of two feet and that of four？
Boy。 Yes。
Soc。 Then the line which forms the side of eight feet ought to be
more than this line of two feet； and less than the other of four feet？
Boy。 It ought。
Soc。 Try and see if you can tell me how much it will be。
Boy。 Three feet。
Soc。 Then if we add a half to this line of two； that will be the
line of three。 Here are two and there is one； and on the other side；
here are two also and there is one： and that makes the figure of which
you speak？
Boy。 Yes。
Soc。 But if there are three feet this way and three feet that way；
the whole space will be three times three feet？
Boy。 That is evident。
Soc。 And how much are three times three feet？
Boy。 Nine。
Soc。 And how much is the double of four？
Boy。 Eight。
Soc。 Then the figure of eight is not made out of a of three？
Boy。 No。
Soc。 But from what line？…tell me exactly； and if you would rather
not reckon； try and show me the line。
Boy。 Indeed； Socrates； I do not know。
Soc。 Do you see； Meno； what advances he has made in his power of
recollection？ He did not know at first； and he does not know now； what
is the side of a figure of eight feet： but then he thought that he
knew； and answered confidently as if he knew； and had no difficulty；
now he has a difficulty； and neither knows nor fancies that he knows。
Men。 True。
Soc。 Is he not better off in knowing his ignorance？
Men。 I think that he is。
Soc。 If we have made him doubt； and given him the 〃torpedo's shock；〃
have we done him any harm？
Men。 I think not。
Soc。 We have certainly； as would seem； assisted him in some degree
to the discovery of the truth； and now he will wish to remedy his
ignorance； but then he would have been ready to tell all the world
again and again that the double space should have a double side。
Men。 True。
Soc。 But do you suppose that he would ever have enquired into or
learned what he fancied that he knew； though he was really ignorant of
it； until he had fallen into perplexity under the idea that he did not
know； and had desired to know？
Men。 I think not； Socrates。
Soc。 Then he was the better for the torpedo's touch？
Men。 I think so。
Soc。 Mark now the farther development。 I shall