BOOK IL  CHAP. V.                                  61
 

OHAPTEE   V.
 

ARGUMENT.
 

The following short conversation appears to have been called forth by
the neglect of a very poor friend by one of the disciples of Socrates, and
was held in the presence of the offender as an admonition to him (§ 1).
It seems, at first view,- to be aimed at the neglected rather than the
neglecting friend. But the application which it was designed that the
offender should make to himself, seems to be this: since you do not show
yourself useful to your friend, when he is in distress, you must expect
that you in turn will be deserted by others as a worthless friend.

The value of friends is as various -as that of slaves (§ 2, 3). Whoever
then would not be discarded by his friends, as a slave of little value is
disposed of by its owner, must seek to become as useful to them as
possible (§ 4, 5).
 

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