Ath。Thetemplesaretobeplacedallroundtheagora，andthewholecitybuiltontheheightsinacircle，forthesakeofdefenceandforthesakeofpurity。Nearthetemplesaretobeplacedbuildingsforthemagistratesandthecourtsoflaw；intheseplaintiffanddefendantwillreceivetheirdue，andtheplaceswillberegardedasmostholy，partlybecausetheyhavetodowiththeholythings：andpartlybecausetheyarethedwelling-placesofholyGods：andinthemwillbeheldthecourtsinwhichcasesofhomicideandothertrialsofcapitaloffensesmayfitlytakeplace。Astothewalls，Megillus，IagreewithSpartainthinkingthattheyshouldbeallowedtosleepintheearth，andthatweshouldnotattempttodisinterthem；thereisapoeticalsaying，whichisfinelyexpressed，that“wallsoughttobeofsteelandiron，andnotofearth；besides，howridiculousofustobesendingoutouryoungmenannuallyintothecountrytodigandtotrench，andtokeepofftheenemybyfortifications，undertheideathattheyarenottobeallowedtosetfootinourterritory，andthen，thatweshouldsurroundourselveswithawall，which，inthefirstplace，isbynomeansconducivetothehealthofcities，andisalsoapttoproduceacertaineffeminacyinthemindsoftheinhabitants，invitingmentorunthitherinsteadofrepellingtheirenemies，andleadingthemtoimaginethattheirsafetyisduenottotheirkeepingguarddayandnight，butthatwhentheyareprotectedbywallsandgates，thentheymaysleepinsafety；asiftheywerenotmeanttolabour，anddidnotknowthattruereposecomesfromlabour，andthatdisgracefulindolenceandacarelesstemperofmindisonlytherenewaloftrouble。Butifmenmusthavewalls，theprivatehousesoughttobesoarrangedfromthefirstthatthewholecitymaybeonewall，havingallthehousescapableofdefencebyreasonoftheiruniformityandequalitytowardsthestreets。Theformofthecitybeingthatofasingledwellingwillhaveanagreeableaspect，andbeingeasilyguardedwillbeinfinitelybetterforsecurity。Untiltheoriginalbuildingiscompleted，theseshouldbetheprincipalobjectsoftheinhabitants；andthewardensofthecityshouldsuperintendthework，andshouldimposeafineonhimwhoisnegligent；andinallthatrelatestothecitytheyshouldhaveacareofcleanliness，andnotallowaprivatepersontoencroachuponanypublicpropertyeitherbybuildingsorexcavations。Further，theyoughttotakecarethattherainsfromheavenflowoffeasily，andofanyothermatterswhichmayhavetobeadministeredeitherwithinorwithoutthecity。Theguardiansofthelawshallpassanyfurtherenactmentswhichtheirexperiencemayshowtobenecessary，andsupplyanyotherpointsinwhichthelawmaybedeficient。Andnowthatthesematters，andthebuildingsabouttheagora，andthegymnasia，andplacesofinstruction，andtheatres，areallreadyandwaitingforscholarsandspectators，letusproceedtothesubjectswhichfollowmarriageintheorderoflegislation。
Cle。Byallmeans。
Ath。Assumingthatmarriagesexistalready，Cleinias，themodeoflifeduringtheyearaftermarriage，beforechildrenareborn，willfollownextinorder。Inwhatwaybrideandbridegroomoughttoliveinacitywhichistobesuperiortoothercities，isamatternotatalleasyforustodetermine。Therehavebeenmanydifficultiesalready，butthiswillbethegreatestofthem，andthemostdisagreeabletothemany。StillIcannotbutsaywhatappearstometoberightandtrue，Cleinias。
Cle。Certainly。
Ath。Hewhoimaginesthathecangivelawsforthepublicconductofstates，whileheleavestheprivatelifeofcitizenswhollytotakecareofitself；whothinksthatindividualsmaypassthedayastheyplease，andthatthereisnonecessityoforderinallthings；he，I
say，whogivesupthecontroloftheirprivatelives，andsupposesthattheywillconformtolawintheircommonandpubliclife，ismakingagreatmistake。WhyhaveImadethisremark？Why，becauseIamgoingtoenactthatthebridegroomsshouldliveatthecommontables，justastheydidbeforemarriage。Thiswasasingularitywhenfirstenactedbythelegislatorinyourpartsoftheworld，MegillusandCleinias，asIshouldsuppose，ontheoccasionofsomewarorothersimilardanger，whichcausedthepassingofthelaw，andwhichwouldbelikelytooccurinthinly-peopledplaces，andintimesofpressure。Butwhenmenhadoncetriedandbeenaccustomedtoacommontable，experienceshowedthattheinstitutiongreatlyconducedtosecurity；andinsomesuchmannerthecustomofhavingcommontablesaroseamongyou。
Cle。Likelyenough。
Ath。Isaidthattheremayhavebeensingularityanddangerinimposingsuchacustomatfirst，butthatnowthereisnotthesamedifficulty。Thereis，however，anotherinstitutionwhichisthenaturalsequeltothis，andwouldbeexcellent，ifitexistedanywhere，butatpresentitdoesnot。TheinstitutionofwhichIamabouttospeakisnoteasilydescribedorexecuted；andwouldbelikethelegislator“combingwoolintothefire，“aspeoplesay，orperforminganyotherimpossibleanduselessfeat。
Cle。Whatisthecause，Stranger，ofthisextremehesitation？
Ath。Youshallhearwithoutanyfruitlesslossoftime。Thatwhichhaslawandorderinastateisthecauseofeverygood，butthatwhichisdisorderedorill-orderedisoftentheruinofthatwhichiswell-ordered；andatthispointtheargumentisnowwaiting。Forwithyou，CleiniasandMegillus，thecommontablesofmenare，asI
said，aheaven-bornandadmirableinstitution，butyouaremistakeninleavingthewomenunregulatedbylaw。Theyhavenosimilarinstitutionofpublictablesinthelightofday，andjustthatpartofthehumanracewhichisbynaturepronetosecrecyandstealthonaccountoftheirweakness-Imeanthefemalesex-hasbeenleftwithoutregulationbythelegislator，whichisagreatmistake。And，inconsequenceofthisneglect，manythingshavegrownlaxamongyou，whichmighthavebeenfarbetter，iftheyhadbeenonlyregulatedbylaw；fortheneglectofregulationsaboutwomenmaynotonlyberegardedasaneglectofhalftheentirematter，butinproportionaswoman’snatureisinferiortothatofmenincapacityforvirtue，inthatdegreetheconsequenceofsuchneglectismorethantwiceasimportant。Thecarefulconsiderationofthismatter，andthearrangingandorderingonacommonprincipleofallourinstitutionsrelatingbothtomenandwomen，greatlyconducestothehappinessofthestate。
Butatpresent，suchistheunfortunateconditionofmankind，thatnomanofsensewillevenventuretospeakofcommontablesinplacesandcitiesinwhichtheyhaveneverbeenestablishedatall；
andhowcananyoneavoidbeingutterlyridiculous，whoattemptstocompelwomentoshowinpublichowmuchtheyeatanddrink？Thereisnothingatwhichthesexismorelikelytotakeoffence。Forwomenareaccustomedtocreepintodarkplaces，andwhendraggedoutintothelighttheywillexerttheirutmostpowersofresistance，andbefartoomuchforthelegislator。Andtherefore，asIsaidbefore，inmostplacestheywillnotenduretohavethetruthspokenwithoutraisingatremendousoutcry，butinthisstateperhapstheymay。Andifwemayassumethatourwholediscussionaboutthestatehasnotbeenmereidletalk，Ishouldliketoprovetoyou，ifyouwillconsenttolisten，thatthisinstitutionisgoodandproper；butifyouhadrathernot，Iwillrefrain。
Cle。Thereisnothingwhichweshouldbothofuslikebetter，Stranger，thantohearwhatyouhavetosay。
Ath。Verygood；andyoumustnotbesurprisedifIgobackalittle，forwehaveplentyofleisure，andthereisnothingtopreventusfromconsideringineverypointofviewthesubjectoflaw。
Cle。True。
Ath。Thenletusreturnoncemoretowhatweweresayingatfirst。
Everymanshouldunderstandthatthehumanraceeitherhadnobeginningatall，andwillneverhaveanend，butalwayswillbeandhasbeen；orthatitbegananimmensewhileago。
Cle。Certainly。
Ath。Well，andhavetherenotbeenconstitutionsanddestructionsofstates，andallsortsofpursuitsbothorderlyanddisorderly，anddiversedesiresofmeatsanddrinksalways，andinalltheworld，andallsortsofchangesoftheseasonsinwhichanimalsmaybeexpectedtohaveundergoneinnumerabletransformationsofthemselves？
Cle。Nodoubt。
Ath。Andmaywenotsupposethatvinesappeared，whichhadpreviouslynoexistence，andalsoolives，andthegiftsofDemeterandherdaughter，ofwhichoneTriptolemuswastheminister，andthat，beforetheseexisted，animalstooktodevouringeachotherastheydostill？
Cle。True。
Ath。Again，thepracticeofmensacrificingoneanotherstillexistsamongmanynations；while，ontheotherhand，wehearofotherhumanbeingswhodidnotevenventuretotastethefleshofacowandhadnoanimalsacrifices，butonlycakesandfruitsdippedinhoney，andsimilarpureofferings，butnofleshofanimals；fromthesetheyabstainedundertheideathattheyoughtnottoeatthem，andmightnotstainthealtarsoftheGodswithblood。ForinthosedaysmenaresaidtohavelivedasortofOrphiclife，havingtheuseofalllifelessthings，butabstainingfromalllivingthings。
Cle。Suchhasbeentheconstanttradition，andisverylikelytrue。
Ath。Someonemightsaytous，Whatisthedriftofallthis？
Cle。Averypertinentquestion，Stranger。
Ath。AndthereforeIwillendeavour，Cleinias，ifIcan，todrawthenaturalinference。
Cle。Proceed。
Ath。Iseethatamongmenallthingsdependuponthreewantsanddesires，ofwhichtheendisvirtue，iftheyarerightlyledbythem，ortheoppositeifwrongly。Nowtheseareeatinganddrinking，whichbeginatbirth-everyanimalhasanaturaldesireforthem，andisviolentlyexcited，andrebelsagainsthimwhosaysthathemustnotsatisfyallhispleasuresandappetites，andgetridofallthecorrespondingpains-andthethirdandgreatestandsharpestwantanddesirebreaksoutlast，andisthefireofsexuallust，whichkindlesinmeneveryspeciesofwantonnessandmadness。Andthesethreedisorderswemustendeavourtomasterbythethreegreatprinciplesoffearandlawandrightreason；turningthemawayfromthatwhichiscalledpleasantesttothebest，usingtheMusesandtheGodswhopresideoverconteststoextinguishtheirincreaseandinflux。
Buttoreturn：-Aftermarriageletusspeakofthebirthofchildren，andaftertheirbirthoftheirnurtureandeducation。Inthecourseofdiscussiontheseverallawswillbeperfected，andweshallatlastarriveatthecommontables。Whethersuchassociationsaretobeconfinedtomen，orextendedtowomenalso，weshallseebetterwhenweapproachandtakeanearerviewofthem；andwemaythendeterminewhatpreviousinstitutionsarerequiredandwillhavetoprecedethem。AsIsaidbeforeweshallseethemmoreindetail，andshallbebetterabletolaydownthelawswhichareproperorsuitedtothem。
Cle。Verytrue。
Ath。Letuskeepinmindthewordswhichhavenowbeenspoken；forhereaftertheremaybeneedofthem。
Cle。Whatdoyoubiduskeepinmind？
Ath。Thatwhichwecomprehendedunderthethreewords-first，eating，secondly，drinking，thirdly，theexcitementoflove。
Cle。Weshallbesuretoremember，Stranger。
Ath。Verygood。Thenletusnowproceedtomarriage，andteachpersonsinwhatwaytheyshallbegetchildren，threateningthem，iftheydisobey，withtheterrorsofthelaw。
Cle。Whatdoyoumean？