XV XENOPHON Xenophon, son of Gryllus, from Erchia (434-354 B.C.) Among Socrates's near companions were two young cavalrymen of about the same age, both of aristo- cratic and semi-treasonable traditions, which seriously hampered any political ambition they might entertain, and neither quite contented to be a mere man of letters. Plato stayed on in Athens, learning music, mathematics, rhetoric, philosophy ; performing his military duties ; writing and burning love-poems ; making efforts at Euripidean tragedy. Xenophon went to seek his for- tune abroad. The story goes that Socrates, on first meeting Xeno- phon in his boyhood, stopped him with his stick and asked abruptly where various marketable articles were to be had. The boy knew, and answered politely, till Socrates proceeded : " And where can you get men KaXol KU'yadoi [beaux et bons) ? " — that untranslatable conception which includes the 'fine fellow' and the 'good man.' The boy was confused; did not know. "Then follow me," said the philosopher. The legend is well fitted. Xenophon was never a philosopher, but he was a typical Kao<^ Ka'yado'^ : a healthy-minded man, religious through and through ; a good sportsman and 314
