ALCIBIADES I.

Η, ΠΕΡΙ ΦΥΣΕΩΣ ΑΝΘΡΩΠΟΥ.

THE title expressing the subject of this dialogue (like that of Lysis) is wrong. Dacier rightly observes, that the titles are commonly nothing to the purpose; but he is strangely mistaken in saying, they are of modern invention, and that Diogenes Laertius makes no mention

NOTES ON THE GREEK TEXT.

Platon. Op. Edit. Serrani, Vol. 2. p. 103.

P. 104. Meyaкλеа ежɩтрожоν.] Megacles (the father of Dinomache, the mother of Alcibiades), and Agariste, the mother of Pericles, were brother and sister. Alcibiades was not above three years old, and his brother Clinias was still younger, when they lost their father at the battle of Coronea, Ol. 83. 1.

106. Ievai eti To ẞnua.] Boys when they had undergone the Aоkiμaσia before the Thesmotheta who presided in the court of Heliæa, (V. Lysiam in Diogeiton. p. 508 and 515., Aristophan. in Vespis, v. 576., and Antiphont. de cæde Choreutæ, p. 143, ed. H. Steph. fol.), and were enrolled among the men, though they were for a year excused from all AeTоûpyiai, seem to have been at liberty (at this time of the republick) to vote and speak in the assembly of the people. Therefore, Potter (Archæolog. L. 1, c. 17.) is not correct when he affirms that they could not speak there, who were under thirty years of age. They could not indeed be chosen into the senate, &c. till that age.

Ib. Γραμματα και κιθαρίζειν.] The usual education of the Athenian children from seven years old to fifteen. See schines de Axioco, p. 94, ed. Le Clerc, and Aristoph. in Nubibus, v. 961.

of them. That author actually mentions them all, and from his account they appear to be more ancient than Thrasyllus, who lived probably under Augustus and Tiberius, and who seemingly took them to be all of Plato's own hand.

NOTES.

P. 113. Zov rade Kivduvevels.] These are the words of Phædra in the Hippolytus of Euripides, v. 352. Σου ταδ' ουκ εμου κλύεις, which was played full three years after the time of this dialogue; but this is only a slight anachronism, and I wish that Plato had never been guilty of any greater.

Ib. Zкevaρiw v.] It is here used for clothes.

118. IIu@okλeiôn.] He was a musician of great note, as well as Damon. See Aristotle, cited by Plutarch in his life of Pericles. Some attribute to Pythoclides the invention of the Mixo-Lydian harmony, used in tragedy; but Aristoxenus ascribes it to Sappho. See Plutarch de Musicâ, and Burette's notes in the Mémoires de L'Acad. des Inscriptions, &c. vol. 13. p. 234.

Ib. Hλiliw eɣeveσonv.] He speaks of Xanthippus and Paralus, as already dead, though in reality they were living two years after the time of this dialogue.

119. Pythodorus, son of Isolochus and scholar to Zeno of Elea. Qu?-Whether he were the same who was Archon Ol. 94. 1. ?

120. Meidiav.] He is mentioned by Aristophanes in Avibus. Ih. Avdpaπodwdŋ тpixa.] This is explained by Potter, L. 1.

c. 10.

121. Nv ai yuvaikes.] One office of the Ephori was, to watch over the chastity of the queen.

122. Ovdevi μeλel. Of old the court of Areopagus were inspectors of the education of youth. The members of it divided that care among them, and each of them in his province took note of such fathers as gave not their children an education suitable to their fortune and way of life, as Isocrates shews at large in his beautiful Areopagitick oration. At what time their vigilance on this head began to decline, I cannot fix; but it was probably towards the beginning of the administration of Pericles,

The true subject certainly is, to demonstrate the necessity of knowing one's self, and that, without this foundation, all other acquisitions in science are not only useless, but pernicious.

NOTES.

when the authority of that venerable body was lessened and restrained by Ephialtes, that is, before Ol. 80. 1; yet I find the form of the thing still continued, though not the force of it: for Æschines speaking of the discipline young men were subject to, from about the age of eighteen to twenty, has these words ; Πας ὁ του μειρακίσκου χρονος εστιν ύπο Σωφρονιστας, και την επι τους νεους αιρεσιν της εξ Αρειου παγου βουλης. (Æschin. in Axiocho, p. 96.) The Sophronistæ here mentioned, are distinct from the Areopagites, being the name of a magistracy thus described in Etymolog. Magn. Σωφρονισται, αρχοντες τινες χειροτονητοι, δεκα τον αριθμον έκαστης φυλής, επεμελοῦντο δε της των εφήβων σωφροσύνης.

Ρ. 122. Πολλας γαρ ηδη γενεας. ] We are not told, I believe, by any other writer, that the use of money was so early introduced into Lacedæmon; but the following passage of Posidonius in Athenæus, may help to explain it; Λακεδαιμονιοι ύπο των εθων κωλυομενοι εισφερειν εις την Σπαρτην, (ὡς ὁ αυτος ἱστορει Ποσειδώνιος), και κτᾶσθαι χρυσον και αργυρον, εκτῶντο μεν ουδεν ήττον, παρακατετίθετο δε τοις όμοροις Αρκασιν, ειτα πολεμίους αυτους εσχον αντι φιλων, όπως ανυπευθυνον το απιστον δια την εχθραν γενηται· τω μεν ουν εν Δελφοις Απολλωνι τον προτερον εν τη Λακεδαιμονι χρυσον και αργυρον ἱστορούσιν ανατεθηναι. κτλ. Athen. L. 6. p. 233, and we may consult also Plato's Hip. Maj. p. 283, and De Republicâ, L. 8, p. 548. Plutarch says, that money was not even allowed for the uses of the publick, till after the siege of Athens and its surrendering to Lysander, when that point was carried after a great struggle; though, at the same time, it was made capital to apply it to private occasions. This happened twenty seven years after the date of this dialogue.

Ib. Γενεθλια.] The birthday of the Persian king was yearly observed by all Asia.

Ib. Και Μεσσηνης. ] Messenia was a country far surpassing

The time of this dialogue is towards the end of Alcibiades's nineteenth year, which (as Dodwell reckons) is Ol. 87.1. Socrates was then about thirty-nine years old.

NOTES.

Laconia in fertility, and equal to the best in Greece: Euripides describes them both. See ap. Strabonem, L. 8, p. 367, and Pausanias, L. 4, p. 285.

Ρ. 122. Των τε αλλων και των Ειλωτικων.] The Spartans, therefore, made use of other slaves besides the Heilotæ.

123. Aeɩvoμaxns.] The value of an Athenian matron's wardrobe and ornaments was about fifty minæ, (£161. 9s. 2d.)

Ib. Γης πλεθρα Ερχιασιν.] Three hundred Πλεθρα of land was a great estate for an Athenian: a plethrum is one hundred feet square. Observe, that the lands of Alcibiades did not lie in that Anuos to which he belonged, for he was of Scambonidæ.

Ib. Baσiλikos popos.] Herodotus, L. 6, enumerates the privileges and prerogatives of the Spartan kings, but makes no mention of this revenue, which was probably instituted after his time.

124. Observe that Agis did not come to the crown till five years after this conversation.

ALCIBIADES II.

Η, ΠΕΡΙ ΠΡΟΣΕΥΧΗΣ.

THIS is a continuation of the same subject; for what is said on prayer is rather accidental, and only introductory to the main purpose of the dialogue. It is nothing inferior in elegance to the former. Some have attributed it to Xenophon, but it is undoubtedly Plato's, and designed as a second part to the former.

I could be glad if it were as easy to fix the time of it, as Dacier would persuade us, who boldly fixes it Ol. 93. 1, but there are facts alluded to in it, that will

NOTES ON THE GREEK TEXT.

Plat. Op. Serrani, Vol. 2. p. 138.

Vol. 2. p. 138. Xaλkw dieλeσ0αi.] See Eschylus Sept. cont. Theb.

141. Τα παιδικα.] Craterus conspired with Hellenocrates and Decamnichus to murder that prince, (Archelaus of Macedonia) as he was hunting. Aristotle calls him Cratæus, and gives a fuller account of this conspiracy than any other author. Aristot. Politic. L. 5. c. 10. Archelaus had promised him one of his daughters in marriage, for he had two, but gave one to the king of Elimea and the other to his own son Amyntas. Hellenocrates was a Larissaan who had likewise been subservient to the king's pleasures.

143. Αντικα μαλα παρασταιη-ειπειν βουλομενον, &c.] A11 words importing the present time, and not to be in any way interpreted of the past, as Dacier pretends.