Meno: Socrates, you know you are always welcome at my table, except when I am suffering from my ulcer, which you aggravate greatly, or at times when I am entertaining the highest nobles of the land, and you would appear out of place in your clothing. (Socrates was known for his simple attire, and for wearing his garments over and over till they wore out. However, the only surviving example of his writing is a laundry list, so we know he kept his clothes clean and somewhat presentable, though simple) Socrates: I would hope you would have me over because I was a good influence on your development, than for any other reason. I notice you did not respond to my claim to have increased your virtue, through the exorcism of your error. Meno: Well Socrates, you know that it is not always the easiest thing to give up one's ways, even though one has found them to be in error. Therefore, please forgive me if I am not sounding as grateful as you would like for your lessons. Socrates: The easier one finds it to give up the ways of error, the easier it is to replace the error with that which we hope is not in error. Is this not the way to virtue? Meno: Yes, Socrates, and you know the path is hard, and that we often stumble and fall. Socrates: Yes, but is it not true that we stumble and fall over the obstacles which we make for ourselves to trip over? Meno: Certainly that is most true, Socrates, in some cases. Socrates: Well, then, let us proceed, for I see the hour is upon us when I do my best thinking, and that hour shall be passed soon, and hopefully with it shall pass a bit of your ignorance. Meno: Well said, Socrates. I am with you. Socrates: And shall have we a wager on the events of today? Meno: Certainly, Socrates. Socrates: And what shall you wager against this boy proving that the length of the root of a square with an area of two square feet, cannot be made by the ratio of two whole numbers? Meno: You may have anything it is in my power to give, unless it cause harm to myself or to another to give it. Socrates: Well said, my friend Meno, and I shall leave it at that. And what shall I offer you as a return wager? Meno: Well, the easiest thing which comes to mind is to wager all those dinners you won from me the other day. Socrates: Very well, so be it. Meno: Now Socrates, since you are my friend, I must give you this friendly warning: you know that the Pythagoreans jealously guard their secrets with secret meetings, protected by secret handshakes, secret signs, passwords, and all that, do you not? Socrates: I have heard as much, friend Meno. Meno: Then be sure that they will seek revenge upon you for demystifying the ideas and concepts which they worked so long and hard and secretly to create and protect; for they are a jealous lot in the extreme, hiding in mountain caves, which are hardly fit to be called monasteries by even the most hardened monk.