A right side kick,straight left kick,direct right punch-Laches threw a direct left fist,evaded it-ended the sequence with a fist to his stomach;he was shocked;I took advantage and started battering him,but he was stronger,more sturdy than me,who always resembled a runner more than a heavy weight fighter.He blocked my side punch and with the same hand entwining mine like a serpent he immobilised me subsequently throwing a fist with the other hand!now I was shocked and bleeding.Now he had my head locked in a grip;I brought my right leg in front and between his two;his left leg was behind and in between mine;I passed my two hands behind his knee and pulled:we both fell backwards but he had to suffer my weight as well;that and my elbow in his gut!!Cleon,our trainer who owned this palestra, ended our fight,but didn't name the winner,even though it was obvious.He was very careful with my arrogance and with good reason!Yet I was happy!I wasn't perfect in something in particular, but very good in every sport,though I didn't like the discus or the sphere!I just had the body-cut first and most for a runner,than for a fighter.

"So you are getting better twink,huh?what gods did you worship this time? or perhaps ran to the mongers of Orpheus for a spell?..."

"The only spell I would run for is that which would extinguish your stench Laches!"

I avoid the hungry glances and stares at the interior court.I used to fix my gaze on the sweaty,bloody earth;that brought me down to earth...At the time I was hearing about the intentions of men and all different theories of the facets of friendship,but wasn't interested.Without having any clue(for noone dared to come close for fear of my much respected name,though it made me even more attractive)of their intentions,I avoided out of instict the habitues of the palestra;those shallow people!At the time I generalised a lot and very easily condemned...

But as I was making my way to the showers leaving Laches red I caught the shine of one man's smile in the darkness of the atrium who moved passed all the rest approaching me.I shortened my pace gradually,for I knew this extaordinary person!He alone in a time of general negation had earned my respect,due to his conduct and its expression in ideas that could provide some interesting originality in contrast to the rumination of cynical,frivolous,road philosophy.

Menocles will never go down in history,for he never wanted to.He wrote his treatises and then tore them(what a waste of money),just for the sake of shaping his ideas,but people said he had the virtue of Socrates,the idealism of Plato and the esoteric wisdom of Pythagoras,though he never qualified himself or people or things under any terms or labels;he regarded it hybris to the nature of the Cosmos-all those names and terms were mere sounds to my ears at the time,but Menocles approached steadily and calmly with a smile that talked much about the way I handled Laches provocative invitation for a fight.He was
endorcing my resolution as one of nobility and witty tactics.

So we walked to the showers spinning the thread of our conversation with the typical questions of everyday encounters,for I deem such is the way that even the most interesting debates start;from "how are you today"and "where do you come from"...