[35,3] ἀλλ´ ἐγὼ δέδοικα μὴ οὐδὲν ᾖ τοῖς ἀνοήτοις ὄφελος τοῦ κομᾶν, {ὥσπερ οὐκ ἔστιν,} οὐδ´ ἂν τὴν καρδίαν αὐτὴν γένωνται δασεῖς, καθάπερ Ἀριστομένη τὸν Μεσσήνιόν φασιν, ὃς πλεῖστα Λακεδαιμονίοις πράγματα παρέσχε, καὶ πολλάκις ἁλοὺς ἀπέδρα {παρ´ αὐτῶν}, τοῦτον, ἐπεὶ δή ποτε ἀπέθανεν, οὕτως ἔχοντα εὑρεθῆναι. φημὶ τοίνυν οὐδὲν ὄφελος εἶναι τοῖς γυμνῆσι τούτοις, {οὐδ´ ἂν πελτασταὶ γένωνται}, πρός γε τὸ δίκαιον καὶ σωφροσύνην ἀληθῆ καὶ φρόνησιν, οὐδ´ ἂν ἔτι μᾶλλον ἀποδύσωνται καὶ γυμνοὶ περιτρέχωσι τοῦ χειμῶνος ἢ τὴν Μήδων καὶ Ἀράβων στολὴν λάβωσιν, ὥσπερ οὐδὲ αὐλεῖν ἱκανοὶ ἔσονται τὰ τῶν αὐλητῶν ἐνδεδυκότες. οὐδὲ γὰρ τοὺς ὄνους ἵππους γενέσθαι δυνατόν, οὐδ´ ἂν ἔτι πλέον τὰς ῥῖνας ἀνατμηθῶσιν, οὐδ´ ἂν τὰς γνάθους τρήσαντες αὐτῶν ψάλιον ἐμβάλωσιν, οὐδὲ ἂν ἀφέλῃ τις τὰ σάγματα· ἀλλὰ ὀγκήσονται πρὸ τῶν τειχῶν πάνυ μέγα καὶ τἄλλα ποιήσουσι τὰ πρέποντα αὐτοῖς.

[35,3] However, I fear that fools get no good from their long hair, not even if they get shaggy to the very heart — as in the case of Aristomenes, the Messenian, who caused a deal of trouble for the Spartans, and who, though taken captive many times, always managed to escape from them— he, we are told, when at last he met his death, was found to be in that condition. I claim, therefore, that these nude philosophers get no good from their shagginess — not even if they should join the light infantry- at least with regard to justice and true sobriety and wisdom, nay, not even if they should strip off still more clothing and run about stark naked in winter time, or else adopt the garb of Medes and Arabs; just as they will not acquire proficiency with the flute by merely donning the costume of flautists. Neither can asses become horses even if they have their nostrils slit still more, or even if they have their jaws bored and a curb-chain placed between their teeth, or even if their pack-saddles are taken from them; nay, they will still bray before the walls right lustily and perform the other acts that befit their nature.

[35,4] ὥστε μηδεὶς ἕνεκα τοῦ σχήματος νομισάτω διαφέρειν με μηδενὸς μηδὲ τούτῳ πεποιθότα λέγειν, ἀλλὰ τοὐναντίον ὁρᾶν, ἂν μὲν ἡσυχίαν ἄγω καθάπαξ καὶ διαλέγωμαι μηδενί, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὑπονοεῖν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, ὡς ἂν οἶμαι σεμνυνόμενον, ὡς σπουδαῖον κρύπτοντα—πολλοὶ γὰρ δὴ δι´ αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἐθαυμάσθησαν, τὸ σιγᾶν—ἐὰν δὲ ἐν τῷ μέσῳ καταστὰς μηδενὸς ἄμεινον λέγων φαίνωμαι τῶν καπήλων καὶ τῶν ὀρεοκόμων, οὐκ ἐνοχλήσειν, σαφῶς αὐτοὺς ἑωρακότας ὁποῖός εἰμι.

[35,4] Therefore, let no one suppose that my guise makes me different from any other man, or that it is this that gives me confidence to speak. On the contrary, let it be understood by all that I can see that, if I keep absolutely silent and do not talk with anyone at all, people are much more likely to distrust me, I fancy, as giving myself airs, as concealing something of importance—for, in fact, in many instances men have won admiration merely by reason of their silence ; whereas, if I take my stand in your midst and show myself to be no better as a speaker than any huckster or muleteer, I see that none will be vexed with me, once they have seen for themselves what sort of man I am.