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Soc。 Then he was the better for the torpedo's touch？
Men。 I think so。
Soc。 Mark now the farther development。 I shall only ask him； and not
teach him； and he shall share the enquiry with me： and do you watch
and see if you find me telling or explaining anything to him；
instead of eliciting his opinion。 Tell me； boy； is not this a square
of four feet which I have drawn？
Boy。 Yes。
Soc。 And now I add another square equal to the former one？
Boy。 Yes。
Soc。 And a third； which is equal to either of them？
Boy。 Yes。
Soc。 Suppose that we fill up the vacant corner？
Boy。 Very good。
Soc。 Here； then； there are four equal spaces？
Boy。 Yes。
Soc。 And how many times larger is this space than this other？
Boy。 Four times。
Soc。 But it ought to have been twice only； as you will remember。
Boy。 True。
Soc。 And does not this line； reaching from corner to corner；
bisect each of these spaces？
Boy。 Yes。
Soc。 And are there not here four equal lines which contain this
space？
Boy。 There are。
Soc。 Look and see how much this space is。
Boy。 I do not understand。
Soc。 Has not each interior line cut off half of the four spaces？
Boy。 Yes。
Soc。 And how many spaces are there in this section？
Boy。 Four。
Soc。 And how many in this？
Boy。 Two。
Soc。 And four is how many times two？
Boy。 Twice。
Soc。 And this space is of how many feet？
Boy。 Of eight feet。
Soc。 And from what line do you get this figure？
Boy。 From this。
Soc。 That is； from the line which extends from corner to corner of
the figure of four feet？
Boy。 Yes。
Soc。 And that is the line which the learned call the diagonal。 And
if this is the proper name； then you； Meno's slave； are prepared to
affirm that the double space is the square of the diagonal？
Boy。 Certainly； Socrates。
Soc。 What do you say of him； Meno？ Were not all these answers
given out of his own head？
Men。 Yes； they were all his own。
Soc。 And yet； as we were just now saying； he did not know？
Men。 True。
Soc。 But still he had in him those notions of his…had he not？
Men。 Yes。
Soc。 Then he who does not know may still have true notions of that
which he does not know？
Men。 He has。
Soc。 And at present these notions have just been stirred up in
him； as in a dream； but if he were frequently asked the same
questions； in different forms； he would know as well as any one at
last？
Men。 I dare say。
Soc。 Without any one teaching him he will recover his knowledge
for himself； if he is only asked questions？
Men。 Yes。
Soc。 And this spontaneous recovery of knowledge in him is
recollection？
Men。 True。
Soc。 And this knowledge which he now has must he not either have
acquired or always possessed？
Men。 Yes。
Soc。 But if he always possessed this knowledge he would always
have known； or if he has acquired the knowledge he could not have
acquired it in this life； unless he has been taught geometry； for he
may be made to do the same with all geometry and every other branch of
knowledge。 Now； has any one ever taught him all this？ You must know
about him； if； as you say； he was born and bred in your house。
Men。 And I am certain that no one ever did teach him。
Soc。 And yet he has the knowledge？
Men。 The fact； Socrates； is undeniable。
Soc。 But if he did not acquire the knowledge in this life； then he
must have had and learned it at some other time？
Men。 Clearly he must。
Soc。 Which must have been the time when he was not a man？
Men。 Yes。
Soc。 And if there have been always true thoughts in him； both at the
time when he was and was not a man； which only need to be awakened
into knowledge by putting questions to him； his soul must have
always possessed this knowledge； for he always either was or was not a
man？
Men。 Obviously。
Soc。 And if the truth of all things always existed in the soul； then
the soul is immortal。 Wherefore be of good cheer； and try to recollect
what you do not know； or rather what you do not remember。
Men。 I feel； somehow； that I like what you are saying。
Soc。 And I； Meno； like what I am saying。 Some things I have said
of which I am not altogether confident。 But that we shall be better
and braver and less helpless if we think that we ought to enquire；
than we should have been if we indulged in the idle fancy that there
was no knowing and no use in seeking to know what we do not know；…that
is a theme upon which I am ready to fight； in word and deed； to the
utmost of my power。
Men。 There again； Socrates； your words seem to me excellent。
Soc。 Then； as we are agreed that a man should enquire about that
which he does not know； shall you and I make an effort to enquire
together into the nature of virtue？
Men。 By all means； Socrates。 And yet I would much rather return to
my original question； Whether in seeking to acquire virtue we should
regard it as a thing to be taught； or as a gift of nature； or as
coming to men in some other way？
Soc。 Had I the command of you as well as of myself； Meno； I would
not have enquired whether virtue is given by instruction or not； until
we had first ascertained 〃what it is。〃 But as you think only of
controlling me who am your slave； and never of controlling
yourself；…such being your notion of freedom； I must yield to you；
for you are irresistible。 And therefore I have now to enquire into the
qualities of a thing of which I do not as yet know the nature。 At
any rate； will you condescend a little； and allow the question
〃Whether virtue is given by instruction； or in any other way；〃 to be
argued upon hypothesis？ As the geometrician； when he is asked
whether a certain triangle is capable being inscribed in a certain
circle； will reply： 〃I cannot tell you as yet； but I will offer a
hypothesis which may assist us in forming a conclusion： If the
figure be such that when you have produced a given side of it； the
given area of the triangle falls short by an area corresponding to the
part produced； then one consequence follows； and if this is impossible
then some other； and therefore I wish to assume a hypothesis before
I tell you whether this triangle is capable of being inscribed in
the circle〃：…that is a geometrical hypothesis。 And we too； as we
know not the nature and …qualities of virtue； must ask； whether virtue
is or not taught； under a hypothesis： as thus； if virtue is of such
a class of mental goods； will it be taught or not？ Let the first
hypothesis be…that virtue is or is not knowledge；…in that case will it
be taught or not？ or； as we were just now saying； remembered〃？ For
there is no use in disputing about the name。 But is virtue taught or
not？