_Socrates._ Consider whether you are not inspired to make some such demand as this to me:--Come, Socrates, since you have found in Homer an accurate description of these arts, assist me also in the inquiry as to his competence on the subject of soothsayers and divination; and how far he speaks well or ill on such subjects; for he often treats of them in the Odyssey, and especially when he introduces Theoclymenus the Soothsayer of the Melampians, prophesying to the Suitors:-- Δαίμονι, τί κακὸν τόδε πάσχετε; νυκτὶ μὲν ὑμέων Εἱλύαται κεφαλαί τε προσωπά τε νέρθε τε γυῖα, Οἰμωγὴ δὲ δέδηε, δεδάκρυνται δὲ παρειαί. Εἰδώλων τε πλέον πρόθυρον, πλείη δὲ καὶ αὐλὴ Ἱεμένων ἕρεβόσδε ὑπὸ ζόφον· ἠέλιος δὲ Οὐρανοῦ ἐξαπόλωλε, κακὴ δ’ ἐπδέδρομεν ἁχλύς. _Odyss._ υ. 351. Often too in the Iliad, as at the battle at the walls; for he there says-- Ὄρνις γάρ σφιν ἐπῆλθε περησέμεναι μεμαῶσιν, Αἰετὸς ὑψιπέτης, ἐπ’ ἀριστερὰ λαὸν ἐέργων, Φοινήεντα δράκοντα φέρων ὀνύχεσσι πέλωρον, Ζωὸν, ἔτ’ ἀσπαίροντα· καὶ οὔπω λήθετο χάρμης. Κόψε γὰρ αὐτὸν ἔχοντα κατὰ στῆθος παρὰ δειρὴν, Ἰδνωθεὶς ὀπίσω. ὁ δ’ ἀπὸ ἕθεν ἧκε χαμάζε Ἀλγήσας ὀδύνῃσι, μέσῳ δ’ ἐγκάββαλ’ ὁμίλῳ· Αὐτὸς δὲ κλάγξας ἕπετο πνοιῇς ἀνέμοιο. _Il._ μʹ. I assert, it belongs to a soothsayer both to observe and to judge respecting such appearances as these. _Ion._ And you assert the truth, O Socrates. _Socrates._ And you also, my dear Ion. For we have in our turn recited from the Odyssey and the Iliad, passages relating to vaticination, to medicine and the piscatorial art; and as you are more skilled in Homer than I can be, do you now make mention of whatever relates to the rhapsodist and his art; for a rhapsodist is competent above all other men to consider and pronounce on whatever has relation to his art. _Ion._ Or with respect to everything else mentioned by Homer. _Socrates._ Do not be so forgetful as to say everything. A good memory is particularly necessary for a rhapsodist. _Ion._ And what do I forget? _Socrates._ Do you not remember that you admitted the art of reciting verses was different from that of driving chariots? _Ion._ I remember. _Socrates._ And did you not admit that being different, the subjects of its knowledge must also be different? _Ion._ Certainly. _Socrates._ You will not assert that the art of rhapsody is that of universal knowledge; a rhapsodist may be ignorant of some things. _Ion._ Except, perhaps, such things as we now discuss, O Socrates. _Socrates._ What do you mean by _such_ subjects, besides those which relate to other arts? And with which among them do you profess a competent acquaintance, since not with all? _Ion._ I imagine that the rhapsodist has a perfect knowledge of what it is becoming for a man to speak--what for a woman; what for a slave, what for a free man; what for the ruler, what for him who is governed.