HIDIAS was born about 500 B. C. at Athens. He studied under Ageladas of Argos; began his great work as a sculptor in the time of Cimon and brought it to its zenith in the Age of Pericles. His great statue of Athena in the Parthenon, composed of gold, ivory and precious stones, was completed in 437 B. C.; his colossal statue of Zeus, wrought of like materials, was set up at Olympia about 433 B. C. Nothing but small wretched copies of these works, and their fame, remains. He superintended all the public architecture and sculpture of Athens, and himself executed some of the friezes of the temple of Athena. He was the greatest sculptor of Greece.

Euclid. Are you only just arrived from the country, Terpsion? Terpsion. No, I came some time ago: and I have been in the Agora looking for you, and wondering that I could not find you. Euc. Why, I was not in the city at all.

Terp. Where then?

Euc. As I was going down to the harbour, I met Theaetetus; he was being carried up to Athens from the army at Corinth.

Terp. Do you mean that he was alive or dead?

Euc. He was scarcely alive; for he has been badly wounded, and what is worse, the sickness which prevails in the army has fastened upon him.

Terp. Alas! what a loss he will be!

Euc. Yes, Terpsion, he is a noble fellow; I heard some one highly praising his behaviour in this very battle.

Terp. I do not wonder at that; I should wonder at hearing anything else of him. But why did he go on, instead of stopping at Megara?

Euc. He wanted to get home, for the fact was that I begged and advised him to remain, but he would not; so I set him on his way, and turned back, and then I remembered what Socrates had said of him, and thought how remarkably this, like all his predictions, had been fulfilled. I believe that he had seen him a little before his own death, when Theaetetus was a youth, and he had a conversation with him, which he repeated to me when I came to Athens; he was full of admiration of his genius, and said that he would most certainly be a great man, if he lived.

Terp. That has certainly proved true; but what was the conversation? can you tell me?