Ath。Anddoesnotthelegislatorandeveryonewhoisgoodforanything，holdthisfearinthegreatesthonour？Thisiswhathetermsreverence，andtheconfidencewhichisthereverseofthishetermsinsolence；andthelatterhealwaysdeemstobeaverygreatevilbothtoindividualsandtostates。
Cle。True。
Ath。Doesnotthiskindoffearpreserveusinmanyimportantways？Whatistherewhichsosurelygivesvictoryandsafetyinwar？
Fortherearetwothingswhichgivevictory-confidencebeforeenemies，andfearofdisgracebeforefriends。
Cle。Thereare。
Ath。Theneachofusshouldbefearlessandalsofearful；andwhyweshouldbeeitherhasnowbeendetermined。
Cle。Certainly。
Ath。Andwhenwewanttomakeanyonefearless，weandthelawbringhimfacetofacewithmanyfears。
Cle。Clearly。
Ath。Andwhenwewanttomakehimrightlyfearful，mustwenotintroducehimtoshamelesspleasures，andtrainhimtotakeuparmsagainstthem，andtoovercomethem？Ordoesthisprincipleapplytocourageonly，andmusthewhowouldbeperfectinvalourfightagainstandovercomehisownnaturalcharacter-sinceifhebeunpractisedandinexperiencedinsuchconflicts，hewillnotbehalfthemanwhichhemighthavebeen-andarewetosuppose，thatwithtemperanceitisotherwise，andthathewhohasneverfoughtwiththeshamelessandunrighteoustemptationsofhispleasuresandlusts，andconqueredthem，inearnestandinplay，byword，deed，andact，willstillbeperfectlytemperate？
Cle。Amostunlikelysupposition。
Ath。SupposethatsomeGodhadgivenafear-potiontomen，andthatthemoreamandrankofthisthemoreheregardedhimselfateverydraughtasachildofmisfortune，andthathefearedeverythinghappeningorabouttohappentohim；andthatatlastthemostcourageousofmenutterlylosthispresenceofmindforatime，andonlycametohimselfagainwhenhehadsleptofftheinfluenceofthedraught。
Cle。Buthassuchadraught，Stranger，everreallybeenknownamongmen？
Ath。No；but，iftherehadbeen，mightnotsuchadraughthavebeenofusetothelegislatorasatestofcourage？Mightwenotgoandsaytohim，“Olegislator，whetheryouarelegislatingfortheCretan，orforanyotherstate，wouldyounotliketohaveatouchstoneofthecourageandcowardiceofyourcitizens？“
Cle。“Ishould，“willbetheanswerofeveryone。
Ath。“Andyouwouldratherhaveatouchstoneinwhichthereisnoriskandnogreatdangerthanthereverse？“
Cle。Inthatpropositioneveryonemaysafelyagree。
Ath。“Andinordertomakeuseofthedraught，youwouldleadthemamidtheseimaginaryterrors，andprovethem，whentheaffectionoffearwasworkinguponthem，andcompelthemtobefearless，exhortingandadmonishingthem；andalsohonouringthem，butdishonouringanyonewhowillnotbepersuadedbyyoutobeinallrespectssuchasyoucommandhim；andifheunderwentthetrialwellandmanfully，youwouldlethimgounscathed；butifill，youwouldinflictapunishmentuponhim？Orwouldyouabstainfromusingthepotionaltogether，althoughyouhavenoreasonforabstaining？“
Cle。Hewouldbecertain，Stranger，tousethepotion。
Ath。Thiswouldbeamodeoftestingandtrainingwhichwouldbewonderfullyeasyincomparisonwiththosenowinuse，andmightbeappliedtoasingleperson，ortoafew，orindeedtoanynumber；
andhewoulddowellwhoprovidedhimselfwiththepotiononly，ratherthanwithanynumberofotherthings，whetherhepreferredtobebyhimselfinsolitude，andtherecontendwithhisfears，becausehewasashamedtobeseenbytheeyeofmanuntilhewasperfect；ortrustingtotheforceofhisownnatureandhabits，andbelievingthathehadbeenalreadydisciplinedsufficiently，hedidnothesitatetotrainhimselfincompanywithanynumberofothers，anddisplayhispowerinconqueringtheirresistiblechangeeffectedbythedraught-hisvirtuebeingsuch，thatheneverinanyinstancefellintoanygreatunseemliness，butwasalwayshimself，andleftoffbeforehearrivedatthelastcup，fearingthathe，likeallothermen，mightbeovercomebythepotion。
Cle。Yes，Stranger，inthatlastcase，too，hemightequallyshowhisself-control。
Ath。Letusreturntothelawgiver，andsaytohim：-“Well，lawgiver，thereiscertainlynosuchfear-potionwhichmanhaseitherreceivedfromtheGodsorhimselfdiscovered；forwitchcrafthasnoplaceatourboard。Butisthereanypotionwhichmightserveasatestofoverboldnessandexcessiveandindiscreetboasting？
Cle。Isupposethathewillsay，Yes-meaningthatwineissuchapotion。
Ath。Isnottheeffectofthisquitetheoppositeoftheeffectoftheother？Whenamandrinkswinehebeginstobebetterpleasedwithhimself，andthemorehedrinksthemoreheisfilledfullofbravehopes，andconceitofhispower，andatlastthestringofhistongueisloosened，andfancyinghimselfwise，heisbrimmingoverwithlawlessness，andhasnomorefearorrespect，andisreadytodoorsayanything。
Cle。Ithinkthateveryonewilladmitthetruthofyourdescription。
Meg。Certainly。
Ath。Now，letusremember，asweweresaying，thattherearetwothingswhichshouldbecultivatedinthesoul：first，thegreatestcourage；secondly，thegreatestfear-
Cle。Whichyousaidtobecharacteristicofreverence，ifIamnotmistaken。
Ath。Thankyouforremindingme。Butnow，asthehabitofcourageandfearlessnessistobetrainedamidfears，letusconsiderwhethertheoppositequalityisnotalsotobetrainedamongopposites。
Cle。Thatisprobablythecase。
Ath。Therearetimesandseasonsatwhichwearebynaturemorethancommonlyvaliantandbold；nowweoughttotrainourselvesontheseoccasionstobeasfreefromimpudenceandshamelessnessaspossible，andtobeafraidtosayorsufferordoanythingthatisbase。
Cle。True。
Ath。Arenotthemomentsinwhichweareapttobeboldandshamelesssuchasthese？-whenweareundertheinfluenceofanger，love，pride，ignorance，avarice，cowardice？orwhenwealth，beauty，strength，andalltheintoxicatingworkingsofpleasuremaddenus？
Whatisbetteradaptedthanthefestiveuseofwine，inthefirstplacetotest，andinthesecondplacetotrainthecharacterofaman，ifcarebetakenintheuseofit？Whatistherecheaper，ormoreinnocent？Fordobutconsiderwhichisthegreaterrisk：-Wouldyourathertestamanofamoroseandsavagenature，whichisthesourceoftenthousandactsofinjustice，bymakingbargainswithhimatarisktoyourself，orbyhavinghimasacompanionatthefestivalofDionysus？Orwouldyou，ifyouwantedtoapplyatouchstonetoamanwhoispronetolove，entrustyourwife，oryoursons，ordaughterstohim，perillingyourdearestinterestsinordertohaveaviewoftheconditionofhissoul？Imightmentionnumberlesscases，inwhichtheadvantagewouldbemanifestofgettingtoknowacharacterinsport，andwithoutpayingdearlyforexperience。AndIdonotbelievethateitheraCretan，oranyotherman，willdoubtthatsuchatestisafairtest，andsafer，cheaper，andspeedierthananyother。
Cle。Thatiscertainlytrue。
Ath。Andthisknowledgeofthenaturesandhabitsofmen’ssoulswillbeofthegreatestuseinthatartwhichhasthemanagementofthem；andthatart，ifIamnotmistaken，ispolitics。
Cle。Exactlyso。
BOOKII
AthenianStranger。Andnowwehavetoconsiderwhethertheinsightintohumannatureistheonlybenefitderivedfromwellorderedpotations，orwhethertherearenototheradvantagesgreatandmuchtobedesired。Theargumentseemstoimplythatthereare。Buthowandinwhatwaythesearetobeattained，willhavetobeconsideredattentively，orwemaybeentangledinerror。
Cleinias。Proceed。
Ath。Letmeoncemorerecallourdoctrineofrighteducation；which，ifIamnotmistaken，dependsonthedueregulationofconvivialintercourse。
Cle。Youtalkrathergrandly。
Ath。PleasureandpainImaintaintobethefirstperceptionsofchildren，andIsaythattheyaretheformsunderwhichvirtueandviceareoriginallypresenttothem。Astowisdomandtrueandfixedopinions，happyisthemanwhoacquiresthem，evenwhendeclininginyears；andwemaysaythathewhopossessesthem，andtheblessingswhicharecontainedinthem，isaperfectman。NowImeanbyeducationthattrainingwhichisgivenbysuitablehabitstothefirstinstinctsofvirtueinchildren；-whenpleasure，andfriendship，andpain，andhatred，arerightlyimplantedinsoulsnotyetcapableofunderstandingthenatureofthem，andwhofindthem，aftertheyhaveattainedreason，tobeinharmonywithher。Thisharmonyofthesoul，takenasawhole，isvirtue；buttheparticulartraininginrespectofpleasureandpain，whichleadsyoualwaystohatewhatyououghttohate，andlovewhatyououghttolovefromthebeginningoflifetotheend，maybeseparatedoff；and，inmyview，willberightlycallededucation。
Cle。Ithink，Stranger，thatyouarequiterightinallthatyouhavesaidandaresayingabouteducation。