17a2
The Apology of Socrates 17a2 · The lie that amazed him most17a2The lie that amazed him most
Of all their lies, one surprises him more than the rest: the warning that he is a dangerous speaker.
· · ·
μάλιστα1
málista
most of all
δὲ2
dè
And
αὐτῶν7
autôn
of theirs
ἓν8
hèn
one thing
ἐθαύμασα9
ethaúmasa
I was amazed atI wondered at
τῶν3
tôn
the
πολλῶν4
pollôn
many things
ὧν5
hôn
that
ἐψεύσαντο6
epseúsanto
they lied about
, τοῦτο10
toûto
this
ἐν11
en
in
ᾧ12
hôi
which
ἔλεγον13
élegon
they said
ὡς14
hōs
that
χρῆν15
chrên
you oughtit was needful
ὑμᾶς16
hymâs
you
εὐλαβεῖσθαι17
eulabeîsthai
to be carefulto take good hold
μὴ18
mḕ
not
ὑπʼ19
hyp’
by
ἐμοῦ20
emoû
me
ἐξαπατηθῆτε21
exapatēthête
be deceivedbe tricked out
ὡς22
hōs
since
δεινοῦ23
deinoû
cleverterrible
ὄντος24
óntos
I am
λέγειν25
légein
at speakingto speak
. And most of all, of the many things that they lied about, one thing of theirs I was amazed at: this, in which they said that you ought to be careful not to be deceived by me, since I am clever at speaking.
And most of all, of the many things that they lied about, one thing of theirs I was amazed at: this, in which they said that you ought to be careful not to be deceived by me, since I am clever at speaking.
Interpretation
And of the many lies they told, one amazed me most: when they said you must be careful not to be deceived by me, since I am a clever speaker.
Deinos legein, "clever at speaking," is a double-edged phrase. Deinos first means "terrible, fearsome," then "wondrously able." A man who is deinos legein can make the weaker case look the stronger, which is exactly what the comic poets had accused Socrates of teaching. The accusers warned the jury against his tongue. He turns the warning into the next part of his defence.
17b
The Apology of Socrates 17b · Unless "clever" means telling the truth17bUnless "clever" means telling the truth
Socrates says the warning will be disproved the moment he opens his mouth, and calls it the most shameless thing they said.
· · ·
For that they felt no shame that they will at once be proved wrong by me in fact, when I turn out not clever at speaking in any way at all, this seemed to me the most shameless thing of them, unless perhaps these men call the man who speaks the truth clever at speaking.