SCRATES - Se, enquanto tivesse a vista confusa -- porque bastante tempo se passaria antes que os olhos se afizessem de novo

obscuridade -- tivesse ele de dar opinio sobre as sombras e a este respeito entrasse em discusso com os companheiros ainda presos em cadeias, no certo que os faria rir? No lhe diriam que, por ter subido regio superior, cegara, que no valera a pena o esforo, e que assim, se algum quisesse fazer com eles o mesmo e dar-lhes a liberdade, mereceria ser agarrado e morto? "Do you ask what moral obligation I owe to my fellow men? Noneexcept the obligation I owe to myself, to material objects and to all of existence: rationality. I deal with men as my nature and theirs demands: by means of reason. I seek or desire nothing from them except such relations as they care to enter of their own voluntary choice. It is only with their mind that I can deal and only for my own self interest, when they see that my interest coincides with theirs. When they don't, I enter no relationship; I let dissenters go their way and I do not swerve from mine. I win by means of nothing but logic and I surrender to nothing but logic. I do not surrender my reason or deal with men who surrender theirs. I have nothing to gain from fools or cowards; I have no benefits to seek from human vices: from stupidity, dishonesty or fear. The only value men can offer me is the work of their mind. When I disagree with a rational man, I let reality be our final arbiter; if I am right, he will learn; if I am wrong, I will; one of us will win, but both will profit.