Socrates and Theaetetus

Theaetetus sat and listened to his master talk to his old friend, Socrates. Even though most of the talk went over his head, he still enjoyed sitting here listening to them. It made a nice change from the math drills and geometry Theodorus was always giving him. Theodorus said that Thea and Socrates looked alike. Thea doesn't see it. Socrates is much older, for one thing, but that's not the main difference. Socrates had a defined look to him, not like the wrestlers at the Olympics, but like ... like those statues of the gods. Manly, as if he could do anything.

He's a wise man, wiser than Theodorus. Thea knows Socrates is wise even though he's asking all these odd questions because he seems to know the answer to them already. He just wants Theodorus to agree with him without Socrates having to do anything. This was a lecture disguised as a discussion. It was a very clever way of doing it, and Thea admired him for that, as well as his six pack. He must work out. Thea couldn't help thinking about what it would feel like to touch it.

The youth suddenly came back from his thoughts when he realized Socrates was asking him a question. "Is not learning growing wiser about that which you learn?" Socrates asked again.

"Of course" replied Thea, startled that this great man was involving him in the conversation.

"And by wisdom the wise are wise?"

Thea was confused. Why was Socrates asking these simple questions? Was it a test? "Yes" he replied carefully.

"And is that different in any way from knowledge?"

"What?" Now Theaetetus was mortified. If it was a test, he'd definitely failed it now. But Socrates was forgiving. He repeated the question, and then the rest of the lecture/discussion continued, with Thea being asked occasional simple questions. Socrates wasn't excluding him from this conversation, as Theodorus would have done. He must see something in Thea, and want it. Thea wanted Socrates as well. He tried his hardest to follow the conversation, but some parts confused him. When Socrates and Theodorus started talking about wrestling naked, he wasn't sure what to make of it. Unless ...

Had Theodorus and Socrates been ... together, before? Was that why Socrates had come to visit? No! Now Thea didn't have a chance. Theodorus was stuffy, and Thea couldn't see what Socrates saw in him, but his teacher had so much more experience than him.

But then again ... Socrates was paying him a lot of attention. And he did specifically call him over when he was already talking to Theodorus. Maybe he was just trying to make him jealous? But no, it was more than that. Socrates wouldn't act this way if he just wanted to get back at Theodorus! Look, he was asking about wine, asking if it was pleasing to the tongue. Thea knew from the look in his eyes that he wasn't thinking about wine being pleasing to his tongue, but something else entirely.

Finally Socrates stood up, declaring something about 'wind-eggs', and swept off to the courthouse, but not before beckoning for Thea to follow him. Thea knew several secret nooks where they could 'discuss' this in private ...