WhentherhetoricaladvantageofrecitingtheDialoguehasbeengained, theattentionisnotdistractedbyanyreferencetotheaudience; , threeonlytakeanyseriouspartinthediscussion; norareweinformedwhetherintheeveningtheywenttothetorch-race, ortalked, asintheSymposium, :—SocratesandhiscompanionGlauconareabouttoleavethefestivalwhentheyaredetainedbyamessagefromPolemarchus, whospeedilyappearsaccompaniedbyAdeimantus, thebrotherofGlaucon, andwithplayfulviolencecompelsthemtoremain, promisingthemnotonlythetorch-race, butthepleasureofconversationwiththeyoung, , Polemarchus’ father, nowinextremeoldage, whoisfoundsittinguponacushionedseatcrownedforasacrifice.‘Youshouldcometomeoftener, Socrates, forIamtoooldtogotoyou; andatmytimeoflife, havinglostotherpleasures, Icarethemoreforconversation.’ Socratesaskshimwhathethinksofage, towhichtheoldmanreplies, thatthesorrowsanddiscontentsofagearetobeattributedtothetempersofmen, , repliesSocrates, buttheworldwillsay, Cephalus, thatyouarehappyinoldagebecauseyouarerich.‘Andthereissomethinginwhattheysay, Socrates, butnotsomuchastheyimagine—asThemistoclesrepliedtotheSeriphian, “Neitheryou, ifyouhadbeenanAthenian, norI, ifIhadbeenaSeriphian, wouldeverhavebeenfamous,” Imightinlikemannerreplytoyou, Neitheragoodpoormancanbehappyinage, noryetabadrichman.’ SocratesremarksthatCephalusappearsnottocareaboutriches, aqualitywhichheascribestohishavinginherited, notacquiredthem, , andthentohavedonejusticeandnevertohavebeencompelledtodoinjusticethroughpoverty, andnevertohavedeceivedanyone, , whoisevidentlypreparingforanargument, nextasks, Whatisthemeaningofthewordjustice? Totellthetruthandpayyourdebts? Nomorethanthis? Ormustweadmitexceptions? OughtI, forexample, toputbackintothehandsofmyfriend, whohasgonemad, theswordwhichIborrowedofhimwhenhewasinhisrightmind? ‘Theremustbeexceptions.’ ‘Andyet,’ saysPolemarchus, ‘thedefinitionwhichhasbeengivenhastheauthorityofSimonides.’ HereCephalusretirestolookafterthesacrifices, andbequeaths, asSocratesfacetiouslyremarks, thepossessionoftheargumenttohisheir, Polemarchus...