The Opposite of Wisdom?

Plato, Alcibiades 2

Socrates: “I suppose you remember agreeing that madness is the opposite of wisdom?

Alkibiades: Yes, I do…

Soc. And isn’t it also the case that there is no third stage in the middle which makes a person neither wise nor mad?

Alk. I agreed to that too.

Soc. For, clearly, there how could there be two opposites for a single thing?!

Alk. Yeah, that’s not happening.

Soc. So, then, foolishness and madness run the risk of being the same thing.

Alk. It appears so.”

ΣΩ. Οὐκοῦν μέμνησαι ὁμολογήσας ὑπεναντίον εἶναι μανίαν φρονήσει;
ΑΛΚ. Ἔγωγε.
ΣΩ. Οὐκοῦν καὶ μηδὲν εἶναι διὰ μέσου τρίτον πάθος, ὃ ποιεῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον μήτε φρόνιμον μήτε ἄφρονα εἶναι;
ΑΛΚ. Ὡμολόγησα γάρ.
ΣΩ. Καὶ μὴν δύο γε ὑπεναντία ἑνὶ πράγματι πῶς ἂν εἴη;
ΑΛΚ. Οὐδαμῶς.
ΣΩ. Ἀφροσύνη ἄρα καὶ μανία κινδυνεύει ταὐτὸν εἶναι.
ΑΛΚ. Φαίνεται.