at least over the last century and a half,

至少在过去一个半世纪
you have to ask yourself: is this the reading that Plato intended?

但你须自问这是柏拉图的本意吗
Did Plato want us to read the dialogue this way?

柏拉图是想让我们如此解读吗
As a teacher of mine used to say, "You read Plato your way, I'll read

正如我的一位老师所说"你用你的方法读柏拉图
him his way."

我用他的方法来读"
But, how did Plato intend this dialogue to be understood?

然而柏拉图想让我们怎样理解这篇对话呢
Note that Socrates never defends himself by reference to the doctrine

注意苏格拉底的自辩从未涉及
of unlimited free speech.

无限制自由言论主义
He doesn't make that claim.

他从未这样主张
He doesn't make the claim about the general utility of freedom

他没有宣扬自由或无限制言由的
or unlimited speech.

普遍功用
Rather, he maintains as he puts it near the end of the defense speech,

实际上他把主张放在了自辩演说靠近结尾的部分