Episode 8

It is right for me to speak the truth, and make no complaint ifanyone, after hearing the facts, forms a poor opinion of myphilosophy, and thinks that the tyrant was in the right. Dionysios nowinvited me for the third time, sending a trireme to ensure mecomfort on the voyage; he sent also Archedemos-one of those who hadspent some time with Archytes, and of whom he supposed that I had ahigher opinion than of any of the Sicilian Greeks-and, with him, othermen of repute in Sicily. These all brought the same report, thatDionysios had made progress in philosophy. He also sent a very longletter, knowing as he did my relations with Dion and Dion'seagerness also that I should take ship and go to Syracuse. Theletter was framed in its opening sentences to meet all theseconditions, and the tenor of it was as follows: "Dionysios toPlato," here followed the customary greeting and immediately afterit he said, "If in compliance with our request you come now, in thefirst place, Dion's affairs will be dealt with in whatever way youyourself desire; I know that you will desire what is reasonable, and Ishall consent to it. But if not, none of Dion's affairs will haveresults in accordance with your wishes, with regard either to Dionhimself or to other matters." This he said in these words; the rest itwould be tedious and inopportune to quote. Other letters arrivedfrom Archytes and the Tarentines, praising the philosophical studiesof Dionysios and saying that, if I did not now come, I should causea complete rupture in their friendship with Dionysios, which hadbeen brought about by me and was of no small importance to theirpolitical interests.

When this invitation came to me at that time in such terms, andthose who had come from Sicily and Italy were trying to drag methither, while my friends at Athens were literally pushing me out withtheir urgent entreaties, it was the same old tale-that I must notbetray Dion and my Tarentine friends and supporters. Also I myself hada lurking feeling that there was nothing surprising in the fact that ayoung man, quick to learn, hearing talk of the great truths ofphilosophy, should feel a craving for the higher life. I thoughttherefore that I must put the matter definitely to the test to seewhether his desire was genuine or the reverse, and on no account leavesuch an impulse unaided nor make myself responsible for such a deepand real disgrace, if the reports brought by anyone were reallytrue. So blindfolding myself with this reflection, I set out, withmany fears and with no very favourable anticipations, as was naturalenough. However, I went, and my action on this occasion at any ratewas really a case of "the third to the Preserver," for I had thegood fortune to return safely; and for this I must, next to the God,thank Dionysios, because, though many wished to make an end of me,he prevented them and paid some proper respect to my situation.

On my arrival, I thought that first I must put to the test thequestion whether Dionysios had really been kindled with the fire ofphilosophy, or whether all the reports which had come to Athens wereempty rumours. Now there is a way of putting such things to the testwhich is not to be despised and is well suited to monarchs, especiallyto those who have got their heads full of erroneous teaching, whichimmediately my arrival I found to be very much the case withDionysios. One should show such men what philosophy is in all itsextent; what their range of studies is by which it is approached,and how much labour it involves. For the man who has heard this, if hehas the true philosophic spirit and that godlike temperament whichmakes him a kin to philosophy and worthy of it, thinks that he hasbeen told of a marvellous road lying before him, that he mustforthwith press on with all his strength, and that life is not worthliving if he does anything else. After this he uses to the full hisown powers and those of his guide in the path, and relaxes not hisefforts, till he has either reached the end of the whole course ofstudy or gained such power that he is not incapable of directing hissteps without the aid of a guide. This is the spirit and these are thethoughts by which such a man guides his life, carrying out his work,whatever his occupation may be, but throughout it all ever cleaving tophilosophy and to such rules of diet in his daily life as will givehim inward sobriety and therewith quickness in learning, a goodmemory, and reasoning power; the kind of life which is opposed to thishe consistently hates. Those who have not the true philosophic temper,but a mere surface colouring of opinions penetrating, like sunburn,only skin deep, when they see how great the range of studies is, howmuch labour is involved in it, and how necessary to the pursuit itis to have an orderly regulation of the daily life, come to theconclusion that the thing is difficult and impossible for them, andare actually incapable of carrying out the course of study; while someof them persuade themselves that they have sufficiently studied thewhole matter and have no need of any further effort. This is thesure test and is the safest one to apply to those who live in luxuryand are incapable of continuous effort; it ensures that such a manshall not throw the blame upon his teacher but on himself, becausehe cannot bring to the pursuit all the qualities necessary to it. Thusit came about that I said to Dionysios what I did say on thatoccasion.

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