greatness　of　the　difficulty　in　which　you；　like　others；　have　your　part。　　For
  you　change　about　in　all　directions；　and　never　come　to　rest　anywhere：　　what
  you　once　most　strongly　inclined　to　suppose；　you　put　aside　again　and　quite
  alter　your　mind。　　If　the　God　to　whose　shrine　you　are　going　should　appear　at
  this　moment；　and　ask　before　you　made　your　prayer；　'Whether　you　would　desire
  to　have　one　of　the　things　which　we　mentioned　at　first；　or　whether　he　should
  leave　you　to　make　your　own　request：'what　in　either　case；　think　you；　would
  be　the　best　way　to　take　advantage　of　the　opportunity？
  ALCIBIADES：　　Indeed；　Socrates；　I　could　not　answer　you　without
  consideration。　　It　seems　to　me　to　be　a　wild　thing　（The　Homeric　word　margos
  is　said　to　be　here　employed　in　allusion　to　the　quotation　from　the
  'Margites'　which　Socrates　has　just　made；　but　it　is　not　used　in　the　sense
  which　it　has　in　Homer。）　to　make　such　a　request；　a　man　must　be　very　careful
  lest　he　pray　for　evil　under　the　idea　that　he　is　asking　for　good；　when
  shortly　after　he　may　have　to　recall　his　prayer；　and；　as　you　were　saying；
  demand　the　opposite　of　what　he　at　first　requested。
  SOCRATES：　　And　was　not　the　poet　whose　words　I　originally　quoted　wiser　than
  we　are；　when　he　bade　us　（pray　God）　to　defend　us　from　evil　even　though　we
  asked　for　it？
  ALCIBIADES：　　I　believe　that　you　are　right。
  SOCRATES：　　The　Lacedaemonians；　too；　whether　from　admiration　of　the　poet　or
  because　they　have　discovered　the　idea　for　themselves；　are　wont　to　offer　the
  prayer　alike　in　public　and　private；　that　the　Gods　will　give　unto　them　the
  beautiful　as　well　as　the　good：no　one　is　likely　to　hear　them　make　any
  further　petition。　　And　yet　up　to　the　present　time　they　have　not　been　less
  fortunate　than　other　men；　or　if　they　have　sometimes　met　with　misfortune；
  the　fault　has　not　been　due　to　their　prayer。　　For　surely；　as　I　conceive；　the
  Gods　have　power　either　to　grant　our　requests；　or　to　send　us　the　contrary　of
  what　we　ask。
  And　now　I　will　relate　to　you　a　story　which　I　have　heard　from　certain　of　our
  elders。　　It　chanced　that　when　the　Athenians　and　Lacedaemonians　were　at　war；
  our　city　lost　every　battle　by　land　and　sea　and　never　gained　a　victory。　　The
  Athenians　being　annoyed　and　perplexed　how　to　find　a　remedy　for　their
  troubles；　decided　to　send　and　enquire　at　the　shrine　of　Ammon。　　Their　envoys
  were　also　to　ask；　'Why　the　Gods　always　granted　the　victory　to　the
  Lacedaemonians？'　　'We；'　（they　were　to　say；）　'offer　them　more　and　finer
  sacrifices　than　any　other　Hellenic　state；　and　adorn　their　temples　with
  gifts；　as　nobody　else　does；　moreover；　we　make　the　most　solemn　and　costly
  processions　to　them　every　year；　and　spend　more　money　in　their　service　than
  all　the　rest　of　the　Hellenes　put　together。　　But　the　Lacedaemonians　take　no
  thought　of　such　matters；　and　pay　so　little　respect　to　the　Gods　that　they
  have　a　habit　of　sacrificing　blemished　animals　to　them；　and　in　various　ways
  are　less　zealous　than　we　are；　although　their　wealth　is　quite　equal　to
  ours。'　　When　they　had　thus　spoken；　and　had　made　their　request　to　know　what
  remedy　they　could　find　against　the　evils　which　troubled　them；　the　prophet
  made　no　direct　answer；clearly　because　he　was　not　allowed　by　the　God　to　do
  so；but　he　summoned　them　to　him　and　said：　　'Thus　saith　Ammon　to　the
  Athenians：　　〃The　silent　worship　of　the　Lacedaemonians　pleaseth　me　better
  than　all　the　offerings　of　the　other　Hellenes。〃'　　Such　were　the　words　of　the
  God；　and　nothing　more。　　He　seems　to　have　meant　by　'silent　worship'　the
  prayer　of　the　Lacedaemonians；　which　is　indeed　widely　different　from　the
  usual　requests　of　the　Hellenes。　　For　they　either　bring　to　the　altar　bulls
  with　gilded　horns　or　make　offerings　to　the　Gods；　and　beg　at　random　for　what
  they　need；　good　or　bad。　　When；　therefore；　the　Gods　hear　them　using　words　of
  ill　omen　they　reject　these　costly　processions　and　sacrifices　of　theirs。
  And　we　ought；　I　think；　to　be　very　careful　and　consider　well　what　we　should
  say　and　what　leave　unsaid。　　Homer；　too；　will　furnish　us　with　similar
  stories。　　For　he　tells　us　how　the　Trojans　in　making　their　encampment；
  'Offered　up　whole　hecatombs　to　the　immortals；'
  and　how　the　'sweet　savour'　was　borne　'to　the　heavens　by　the　winds；
  'But　the　blessed　Gods　were　averse　and　received　it　not。
  For　exceedingly　did　they　hate　the　holy　Ilium；
  Both　Priam　and　the　people　of　the　spear…skilled　king。'
  So　that　it　was　in　vain　for　them　to　sacrifice　and　offer　gifts；　seeing　that
  they　were　hateful　to　the　Gods；　who　are　not；　like　vile　usurers；　to　be　gained
  over　by　bribes。　　And　it　is　foolish　for　us　to　boast　that　we　are　superior　to
  the　Lacedaemonians　by　reason　of　our　much　worship。　　The　idea　is
  inconceivable　that　the　Gods　have　regard；　not　to　the　justice　and　purity　of
  our　souls；　but　to　costly　processions　and　sacrifices；　which　men　may
  celebrate　year　after　year；　although　they　have　committed　innumerable　crimes
  against　the　Gods　or　against　their　fellow…men　or　the　state。　　For　the　Gods；
  as　Ammon　and　his　prophet　declare；　are　no　receivers　of　gifts；　and　they　scorn
  such　unworthy　service。　　Wherefore　also　it　would　seem　that　wisdom　and
  justice　are　especially　honoured　both　by　the　Gods　and　by　men　of　sense；　and
  they　are　the　wisest　and　most　just　who　know　how　to　speak　and　act　towards
  Gods　and　men。　　But　I　should　like　to　hear　what　your　opinion　is　about　these
  matters。
  ALCIBIADES：　　I　agree；　Socrates；　with　you　and　with　the　God；　whom；　indeed；　it
  would　be　unbecoming　for　me　to　oppose。
  SOCRATES：　　Do　you　not　remember　saying　that　you　were　in　great　perplexity；
  lest　perchance　you　should　ask　for　evil；　supposing　that　you　were　asking　for
  good？
  ALCIBIADES：　　I　do。
  SOCRATES：　　You　see；　then；　that　there　is　a　risk　in　your　approaching　the　God
  in　prayer；　lest　haply　he　should　refuse　your　sacrifice　when　he　hears　the
  blasphemy　which　you　utter；　and　make　you　partake　of　other　evils　as　well。
  The　wisest　plan；　therefore；　seems　to　me　that　you　should　keep　silence；　for
  your　'highmindedness'to　use　the　mildest　term　which　men　apply　to　folly
  will　most　likely　prevent　you　from　using　the　prayer　of　the　Lacedaemonians。
  You　had　better　wait　until　we　find　out　how　we　should　behave　towards　the　Gods
  and　towards　men。
  ALCIBIADES：　　And　how　long　must　I　wait；　Socrates；　and　who　will　be　my
  teacher？　　I　should　be　very　glad　to　see　the　man。
  SOCRATES：　　It　is　he　who　takes　an　especial　interest　in　you。　　But　first　of
  all；　I　think；　the　darkness　must　be　taken　away　in　which　your　soul　is　now
  enveloped；　just　as　Athene　in　Homer　removes　the　mist　from　the　eyes　of
  Diomede　that
  'He　may　distinguish　between　God　and　mortal　man。'
  Afterwards　the　means　may　be　given　to　you　whereby　you　may　distinguish
  between　good　and　evil。　　At　present；　I　fear；　this　is　beyond　your　power。
  ALCIBIADES：　　Only　let　my　instructor　take　away　the　impediment；　whether　it
  pleases　him　to　call　it　mist　or　anything　else！　　I　care　not　who　he　is；　but　I
  am　resolved　to　disobey　none　of　his　commands；　if　I　am　likely　to　be　the
  better　for　them。
  SOCRATES：　　And　surely　he　has　a　wondrous　care　for　you。
  ALCIBIADES：　　It　seems　to　be　altogether　advisable　to　put　off　the　sacrifice
  until　he　is　found。
  SOCRATES：　　You　are　right：　　that　will　be　safer　than　running　such　a
  tremendous　risk。
  ALCIBIADES：　　But　how　shall　we　manage；　Socrates？At　any　rate　I　will　set
  this　crown　of　mine　upon　your　head；　as　you　have　given　me　such　excellent
  advice；　and　to　the　Gods　we　will　offer　crowns　and　perform　the　other
  customary　rites　when　I　see　that　day　approaching：　　nor　will　it　be　long
  hence；　if　they　so　will。
  SOCRATES：　　I　accept　your　gift；　and　shall　be　ready　and　willing　to　receive
  whatever　else　you　may　proffer。　　Euripides　makes　Creon　say　in　the　play；　when
  he　beholds　Teiresias　with　his　crown　and　hears　that　he　has　gained　it　by　his
  skill　as　the　first…fruits　of　the　spoil：
  'An　auspicious　omen　I　deem　thy　victor's　wreath：
  For　well　thou　knowest　that　wave　and　storm　oppress　us。'
  And　so　I　count　your　gift　to　be　a　token　of　good…fortune；　for　I　am　in　no　less
  stress　than　Creon；　and　would　fain　carry　off　the　victory　over　your　lovers。
  End