203a1 I was on my way from the Academy straight to the Lyceum along the rad that runs outside the wall, under the wall itself; but when I'd got to the small gate where the spring of Panops is, there I chanced on Hippothales son of Hieronymus and Ctesippus of the Paeania deme and other young lads 203a5 with them, all standing in a group. And when Hippothales caught sight of me coming towards them, he said ‘Socrates! Where is it you're on your way to, and 203b1 where from?’

‘From the Academy, ’ I said; ‘I'm on my way straight to the Lyceum. ’

‘Come straight here to us, ’ he said. ‘Won't you come over? It really will be worth your while.’

203b5 ‘Where do you mean, ’ I said, ‘and who are the “us” you want me to come over to?’

‘I mean here, ’ he said, showing me just over from the wall a kind of precinct with its door standing open; ‘and the ones passing our time there are those of us here now and others as well – quite a lot of them, and beauties too.’

204a1 ‘So what is this place, and how do you pass your time?’

‘It's a wrestling-school,’ he said, ‘one just recently built; we spend most of our time in discussions, and would gladly make you a part of them.’

‘Fine,’ I said, ‘if you do that; but who's teaching there?’