laches: how strangely he is talking, socrates.
socrates: why do you say so, laches?
laches: why, surely courage is one thing, and wisdom another.
socrates: that is just what nicias denies.
laches: yes, that is what he denies; but he is so silly.
socrates: suppose that we instruct instead of abusing him?
nicias: laches does not want to instruct me, socrates; but having been proved to be talking nonsense himself, he wants to prove that i have been doing the same.
laches: very true, nicias; and you are talking nonsense, as i shall endeavour to show.
