The Meno by Plato. - HTML preview

32

Meno

SOCRATES: And if I went on to say: That is what SOCRATES: And is not this true of size and I desire to know, Meno; tell me what is the qual-strength? If a woman is strong, she will be strong ity in which they do not differ, but are all alike;—

by reason of the same form and of the same would you be able to answer?

strength subsisting in her which there is in the MENO: I should.

man. I mean to say that strength, as strength, SOCRATES: And so of the virtues, however many whether of man or woman, is the same. Is there and different they may be, they have all a com-any difference?

mon nature which makes them virtues; and on MENO: I think not.

this he who would answer the question, ‘What SOCRATES: And will not virtue, as virtue, be the is virtue?’ would do well to have his eye fixed: same, whether in a child or in a grown-up per-Do you understand?

son, in a woman or in a man?

MENO: I am beginning to understand; but I do MENO: I cannot help feeling, Socrates, that this not as yet take hold of the question as I could wish.

case is different from the others.

SOCRATES: When you say, Meno, that there is SOCRATES: But why? Were you not saying that one virtue of a man, another of a woman, anthe virtue of a man was to order a state, and the other of a child, and so on, does this apply only virtue of a woman was to order a house?

to virtue, or would you say the same of health, MENO: I did say so.

and size, and strength? Or is the nature of health SOCRATES: And can either house or state or any-always the same, whether in man or woman?

thing be well ordered without temperance and MENO: I should say that health is the same, both without justice?

in man and woman.

MENO: Certainly not.