[373a]
Now if you choose to deliver a long speech, I tell you beforehand that you would not cure me—for I could not follow you—but if you are willing to answer me, as you did just now, you will do me a great deal of good, and I think you yourself will not be injured, either. And I might fairly call upon you also, son of Apemantus, for help; for you stirred me up to converse with Hippias; so now, if Hippias is unwilling to answer me, ask him in my behalf to do so.Eudicus
Well, Socrates, I imagine Hippias will need no asking from us; [373b] for that is not what he announced; he announced that he would not avoid the questioning of any man. How is that, Hippias? Is not that what you said?Hippias
Yes, I did; but Socrates, Eudicus, always makes confusion in arguments, and seems to want to make trouble.Socrates
Most excellent Hippias, I do not do these voluntarily at all—for then I should be wise and clever, according to you—but involuntarily, so forgive me; for you say,1 too, that he who does evil involuntarily ought to be forgiven. [373c] Eudicus
And do not refuse, Hippias; but for our sake, and also because of your previous announcements, answer any questions Socrates asks you.Hippias
Well, I will answer since you request it. Ask whatever questions you like.Socrates
I certainly have a great desire, Hippias, to investigate what we are just at present talking about, namely which are better, those who err voluntarily or those who err involuntarily. Now I think the best way to go at the investigation is this. Just answer. Do you call some one a good runner? [373d] Hippias
I do.Socrates
And a bad one?Hippias
Yes.Socrates
Now, he who runs well is a good runner, and he who runs badly a bad one; is it not so?Hippias
Yes.Socrates
Then does not he who runs slowly run badly, and he who runs fast run well?Hippias
Yes.Socrates
In a race, then, and in running, rapidity is a good thing, and slowness an evil.Hippias
Why, of course.Socrates
Which, then, is the better runner, he who runs slowly voluntarily or he who does so involuntarily?Hippias
He who does it voluntarily.Socrates
Well, then, is not running doing something?Hippias
Yes, it is doing. [373e] Socrates
And if doing, is it not also performing some act?Hippias
Yes.Socrates
Then he who runs badly performs a bad and disgraceful act in a race?Hippias
Yes, a bad act of course.Socrates
But he runs badly who runs slowly?Hippias
Yes.Socrates
Then the good runner performs this bad and disgraceful act voluntarily, and the bad runner involuntarily?Hippias
So it seems.Socrates
In running, then, he who does bad acts involuntarily is worse than he who does them voluntarily?Hippias
Yes, in running.
Well, Socrates, I imagine Hippias will need no asking from us; [373b] for that is not what he announced; he announced that he would not avoid the questioning of any man. How is that, Hippias? Is not that what you said?Hippias
Yes, I did; but Socrates, Eudicus, always makes confusion in arguments, and seems to want to make trouble.Socrates
Most excellent Hippias, I do not do these voluntarily at all—for then I should be wise and clever, according to you—but involuntarily, so forgive me; for you say,1 too, that he who does evil involuntarily ought to be forgiven. [373c] Eudicus
And do not refuse, Hippias; but for our sake, and also because of your previous announcements, answer any questions Socrates asks you.Hippias
Well, I will answer since you request it. Ask whatever questions you like.Socrates
I certainly have a great desire, Hippias, to investigate what we are just at present talking about, namely which are better, those who err voluntarily or those who err involuntarily. Now I think the best way to go at the investigation is this. Just answer. Do you call some one a good runner? [373d] Hippias
I do.Socrates
And a bad one?Hippias
Yes.Socrates
Now, he who runs well is a good runner, and he who runs badly a bad one; is it not so?Hippias
Yes.Socrates
Then does not he who runs slowly run badly, and he who runs fast run well?Hippias
Yes.Socrates
In a race, then, and in running, rapidity is a good thing, and slowness an evil.Hippias
Why, of course.Socrates
Which, then, is the better runner, he who runs slowly voluntarily or he who does so involuntarily?Hippias
He who does it voluntarily.Socrates
Well, then, is not running doing something?Hippias
Yes, it is doing. [373e] Socrates
And if doing, is it not also performing some act?Hippias
Yes.Socrates
Then he who runs badly performs a bad and disgraceful act in a race?Hippias
Yes, a bad act of course.Socrates
But he runs badly who runs slowly?Hippias
Yes.Socrates
Then the good runner performs this bad and disgraceful act voluntarily, and the bad runner involuntarily?Hippias
So it seems.Socrates
In running, then, he who does bad acts involuntarily is worse than he who does them voluntarily?Hippias
Yes, in running.
