"where are you going?"
"to the heavenly city, to see our mansions there."
"and who are these with you?"
"strangers to me, until a little while ago; i know them better now. but you i have known for a long time, john weightman. don't you remember your old doctor?"
"are you not ashamed, socrates, of asking a question when you are asked one?"
"well," i said, "but then what am i to do? for i will do whatever you bid; when i do not know what you are asking, you tell me to answer nevertheless, and not to ask again."
"why, you surely have some notion of my meaning," he said.
"yes," i replied.
"well, then, answer according to your notion of my meaning."
"yes," i said, "but if the question which you ask in one sense is understood and answered by me in another, will that please you-if i answer what is not to the point?"
"that will please me very well; but will not please you equally well, as i imagine."
"i certainly will not answer unless i understand you," i said.
"you will not answer," he said, "according to your view of the meaning, because you will be prating, and are an ancient."
now i saw that he was getting angry with me for drawing distinctions, when he wanted to catch me in his springes of words. and i remembered that connus was always angry with me when i opposed him, and then he neglected me, because he thought that i was stupid; and as i was intending to go to euthydemus as a pupil, i reflected that i had better let him have his way, as he might think me a blockhead, and refuse to take me. so i said: "you are a far better dialectician than myself, euthydemus, for i have never made a profession of the art, and therefore do as you say; ask your questions once more, and i will answer."
"answer then," he said, "again, whether you know what you know with something, or with nothing."
"yes," i said, "i know with my soul."
"the man will answer more than the question; for i did not ask you," he said, "with what you know, but whether you know with something."
"again," i replied, "through ignorance i have answered too much, but i hope that you will forgive me. and now i will answer simply that i always know what i know with something."
"and is that something," he rejoined, "always the same, or sometimes one thing, and sometimes another thing?"
"always," i replied, "when i know, i know with this."
