# First Alcibiades explained — Dialogues

> Chapter companion for Dialogues by Plato.

## What happens

Socrates engages Alcibiades in a dialectical examination, revealing his ignorance about justice, the good, and political affairs. Through a series of questions, Socrates shows that Alcibiades, despite his ambition, lacks self-knowledge and is unfit to rule until he learns to care for his soul. The dialogue emphasizes the necessity of self-knowledge, the superiority of the soul over the body, and the importance of virtue over wealth or power.

## Themes in this chapter

### Knowledge and Ignorance

The dialogue centers on Alcibiades' ignorance of justice, the good, and the expedient, and Socrates' argument that self-knowledge is essential for wisdom and political competence.

### Education and Virtue

Socrates insists that Alcibiades must pursue education and virtue before engaging in politics, emphasizing that virtue is identical to knowledge and that self-humiliation is the first step to learning.

### The Soul and Immortality

Socrates distinguishes the true self (the soul) from the body, arguing that self-knowledge involves looking into the soul, especially its divine part associated with wisdom and knowledge.

## Character check-ins

### Socrates

Socrates cross-examines Alcibiades, leading him to confess his ignorance and urging him to pursue self-knowledge and virtue before entering politics.

### Alcibiades

Alcibiades is shown to be ignorant of the greatest matters (justice, the good, the expedient) and is convinced by Socrates to seek education and reform.

### Pericles

Mentioned as Alcibiades' guardian and a statesman who failed to educate his own sons or impart wisdom to others, illustrating the theme of failed political education.

### Anaxagoras

Referenced as one of the philosophers with whom Pericles associated in pursuit of wisdom.

### Zeno

Mentioned as a philosopher who taught Pythodorus and Callias, for which they paid him a hundred minae.

## Key lines

> Self-knowledge can be obtained only by looking into the mind and virtue of the soul, which is the diviner part of a man, as we see our own image in another’s eye.

To know oneself, one must contemplate the soul, especially its divine aspect, much like seeing one's reflection in another's eye.

_Socrates uses the analogy of the eye seeing itself in a mirror (another eye) to explain how the soul knows itself by looking at the divine part of the soul._

> The evil and unjust should have no power—they should be the slaves of better men than themselves. None but the virtuous are deserving of freedom.

Only the virtuous deserve freedom; the unjust should be ruled by those who are better.

_Socrates argues that justice and temperance, not wealth or power, should be the aims of both individuals and the state._

> And are you, Alcibiades, a freeman? 'I feel that I am not; but I hope, Socrates, that by your aid I may become free, and from this day forward I will never leave you.'

Alcibiades admits he is not truly free and pledges to follow Socrates in order to attain freedom through wisdom.

_This marks Alcibiades' recognition of his ignorance and his commitment to philosophical guidance._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/dialogues_se/chapters/first-alcibiades
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