thatontheotherhandexcessiveandsavageservitudemakesmenmeanandabject，andhatersoftheirkind，andthereforemakesthemundesirableassociates。
Cle。Buthowmustthestateeducatethosewhodonotasyetunderstandthelanguageofthecountry，andarethereforeincapableofappreciatinganysortofinstruction？
Ath。Iwilltellyouhow：-Everyanimalthatisborniswonttouttersomecry，andthisisespeciallythecasewithman，andheisalsoaffectedwiththeinclinationtoweepmorethananyotheranimal。
Cle。Quitetrue。
Ath。Donotnurses，whentheywanttoknowwhataninfantdesires，judgebythesesigns？-whenanythingisbroughttotheinfantandheissilent，thenheissupposedtobepleased，but，whenheweepsandcriesout，thenheisnotpleased。Fortearsandcriesaretheinauspicioussignsbywhichchildrenshowwhattheyloveandhate。Nowthetimewhichisthusspentisnolessthanthreeyears，andisaveryconsiderableportionoflifetobepassedillorwell。
Cle。True。
Ath。Doesnotthediscontentedandungraciousnatureappeartoyoutobefulloflamentationsandsorrowsmorethanagoodmanoughttobe？
Cle。Certainly。
Ath。Well，butifduringthesethreeyearseverypossiblecareweretakenthatournurslingshouldhaveaslittleofsorrowandfear，andingeneralofpainaswaspossible，mightwenotexpectinearlychildhoodtomakehissoulmoregentleandcheerful？
Cle。Tobesure，Stranger-moreespeciallyifwecouldprocurehimavarietyofpleasures。
Ath。ThereIcannolongeragree，Cleinias：youamazeme。Tobringhimupinsuchawaywouldbehisutterruin；forthebeginningisalwaysthemostcriticalpartofeducation。LetusseewhetherIamright。
Cle。Proceed。
Ath。ThepointaboutwhichyouandIdifferisofgreatimportance，andIhopethatyou，Megillus，willhelptodecidebetweenus。ForImaintainthatthetruelifeshouldneitherseekforpleasures，nor，ontheotherhand，entirelyavoidpains，butshouldembracethemiddlestate，whichIjustspokeofasgentleandbenign，andisastatewhichwebysomedivinepresageandinspirationrightlyascribetoGod。Now，Isay，heamongmen，too，whowouldbedivineoughttopursueafterthismeanhabit-heshouldnotrushheadlongintopleasures，forhewillnotbefreefrompains；norshouldweallowanyone，youngorold，maleorfemale，tobethusgivenanymorethanourselves，andleastofallthenewly-borninfant，forininfancymorethanatanyothertimethecharacterisengrainedbyhabit。Nay，more，ifIwerenotafraidofappearingtoberidiculous，Iwouldsaythatawomanduringheryearofpregnancyshouldofallwomenbemostcarefullytended，andkeptfromviolentorexcessivepleasuresandpains，andshouldatthattimecultivategentlenessandbenevolenceandkindness。
Cle。Youneednot，askMegillus，Stranger，whichofushasmosttrulyspoken；forImyselfagreethatallmenoughttoavoidthelifeofunmingledpainorpleasure，andpursuealwaysamiddlecourse。
Andhavingspokenwell，mayIaddthatyouhavebeenwellanswered？
Ath。Verygood，Cleinias；andnowletusallthreeconsiderafurtherpoint。
Cle。Whatisit？
Ath。Thatallthematterswhichwearenowdescribingarecommonlycalledbythegeneralnameofunwrittencustoms，andwhataretermedthelawsofourancestorsareallofsimilarnature。Andthereflectionwhichlatelyaroseinourminds，thatwecanneithercallthesethingslaws，noryetleavethemunmentioned，isjustified；fortheyarethebondsofthewholestate，andcomeinbetweenthewrittenlawswhichareorarehereaftertobelaiddown；theyarejustancestralcustomsofgreatantiquity，which，iftheyarerightlyorderedandmadehabitual，shieldandpreservethepreviouslyexistingwrittenlaw；butiftheydepartfromrightandfallintodisorder，thentheyarelikethepropsofbuilderswhichslipawayoutoftheirPlaceandcauseauniversalruin-onepartdragsanotherdown，andthefairsuper-structurefallsbecausetheoldfoundationsareundermined。Reflectinguponthis，Cleinias，yououghttobindtogetherthenewstateineverypossibleway，omittingnothing，whethergreatorsmall，ofwhatarecalledlawsormannersorpursuits，forbythesemeansacityisboundtogether，andallthesethingsareonlylastingwhentheydependupononeanother；and，therefore，wemustnotwonderifwefindthatmanyapparentlytriflingcustomsorusagescomepouringinandlengtheningoutourlaws。
Cle。Verytrue：wearedisposedtoagreewithyou。
Ath。Uptotheageofthreeyears，whetherofboyorgirl，ifapersonstrictlycarriesoutourpreviousregulationsandmakesthemaprincipalaim，hewilldomuchfortheadvantageoftheyoungcreatures。Butatthree，four，five，andevensixyearsthechildishnaturewillrequiresports；nowisthetimetogetridofself-willinhim，punishinghim，butnotsoastodisgracehim。Weweresayingaboutslaves，thatweoughtneithertoaddinsulttopunishmentsoastoangerthem，noryettoleavethemunpunishedlesttheybecomeself-willed；andalikeruleistobeobservedinthecaseofthefree-born。Childrenatthatagehavecertainnaturalmodesofamusementwhichtheyfindoutforthemselveswhentheymeet。Andallthechildrenwhoarebetweentheagesofthreeandsixoughttomeetatthetemplesthevillages，theseveralfamiliesofavillageunitingononespot。Thenursesaretoseethatthechildrenbehaveproperlyandorderly-theythemselvesandalltheircompaniesaretobeunderthecontroloftwelvematrons，oneforeachcompany，whoareannuallyselectedtoinspectthemfromthewomenpreviouslymentioned，[i。e。，thewomenwhohaveauthorityovermarriage]，whomtheguardiansofthelawappoint。Thesematronsshallbechosenbythewomenwhohaveauthorityovermarriage，oneoutofeachtribe；allaretobeofthesameage；andleteachofthem，assoonassheisappointed，holdofficeandgotothetempleseveryday，punishingalloffenders，maleorfemale，whoareslavesorstrangers，bythehelpofsomeofthepublicslaves；butifanycitizendisputesthepunishment，letherbringhimbeforethewardensofthecity；or，iftherebenodispute，letherpunishhimherself。Aftertheageofsixyearsthetimehasarrivedfortheseparationofthesexes-letboyslivewithboys，andgirlsinlikemannerwithgirls。Nowtheymustbegintolearn-theboysgoingtoteachersofhorsemanshipandtheuseofthebow，thejavelin，andsling，andthegirlstoo，iftheydonotobject，atanyrateuntiltheyknowhowtomanagetheseweapons，andespeciallyhowtohandleheavyarms；forImaynote，thatthepracticewhichnowprevailsisalmostuniversallymisunderstood。
Cle。Inwhatrespect？
Ath。Inthattherightandlefthandaresupposedtobebynaturedifferentlysuitedforourvarioususesofthem；whereasnodifferenceisfoundintheuseofthefeetandthelowerlimbs；butintheuseofthehandsweare，asitwere，maimedbythefollyofnursesandmothers；foralthoughourseverallimbsarebynaturebalanced，wecreateadifferenceinthembybadhabit。Insomecasesthisisofnoconsequence，as，forexample，whenweholdthelyreinthelefthand，andtheplectrumintheright，butitisdownrightfollytomakethesamedistinctioninothercases。ThecustomoftheScythiansprovesourerror；fortheynotonlyholdthebowfromthemwiththelefthandanddrawthearrowtothemwiththeirright，butuseeitherhandforbothpurposes。Andtherearemanysimilarexamplesincharioteeringandotherthings，fromwhichwemaylearnthatthosewhomaketheleftsideweakerthantherightactcontrarytonature。Inthecaseoftheplectrum，whichisofhornonly，andsimilarinstruments，asIwassaying，itisofnoconsequence，butmakesagreatdifference，andmaybeofverygreatimportancetothewarriorwhohastouseironweapons，bowsandjavelins，andthelike；aboveall，wheninheavyarmour，hehastofightagainstheavyarmour。Andthereisaverygreatdifferencebetweenonewhohaslearntandonewhohasnot，andbetweenonewhohasbeentrainedingymnasticexercisesandonewhohasnotbeen。ForashewhoisperfectlyskilledinthePancratiumorboxingorwrestling，isnotunabletofightfromhisleftside，anddoesnotlimpanddraggleinconfusionwhenhisopponentmakeshimchangehisposition，soinheavy-armedfighting，andinallotherthingsifIamnotmistaken，thelikeholds-hewhohasthesedoublepowersofattackanddefenceoughtnotinanycasetoleavethemeitherunusedoruntrained，ifhecanhelp；andifapersonhadthenatureofGeryonorBriareusheoughttobeablewithhishundredhandstothrowahundreddarts。Now，themagistrates，maleandfemale，shouldseetoallthesethings，thewomensuperintendingthenursingandamusementsofthechildren，andthemensuperintendingtheireducation，thatallofthem，boysandgirlsalike，maybesoundhandandfoot，andmaynot，iftheycanhelp，spoilthegiftsofnaturebybadhabits。
Educationhastwobranches-oneofgymnastic，whichisconcernedwiththebody，andtheotherofmusic，whichisdesignedfortheimprovementofthesoul。Andgymnastichasalsotwobranches-dancingandwrestling；andonesortofdancingimitatesmusicalrecitation，andaimsatpreservingdignityandfreedom，theotheraimsatproducinghealth，agility，andbeautyinthelimbsandpartsofthebody，givingtheproperflexionandextensiontoeachofthem，aharmoniousmotionbeingdiffusedeverywhere，andformingasuitableaccompanimenttothedance。Asregardswrestling，thetrickswhichAntaeusandCercyondevisedintheirsystemsoutofavainspiritofcompetition，orthetricksofboxingwhichEpeiusorAmycusinvented，areuselessandunsuitableforwar，anddonotdeservetohavemuchsaidaboutthem；buttheartofwrestlingerectandkeepingfreetheneckandhandsandsides，workingwithenergyandconstancy，withacomposedstrength，andforthesakeofhealth-thesearealwaysuseful，andarenottobeneglected，buttobeenjoinedalikeonmastersandscholars，whenwereachthatpartoflegislation；andwewilldesiretheonetogivetheirinstructionsfreely，andtheotherstoreceivethemthankfully。Nor，again，mustweomitsuitableimitationsofwarinourchoruses；hereinCreteyouhavethearmeddancesiftheCuretes，andtheLacedaemonianshavethoseoftheDioscuri。Andourvirginlady，delightingintheamusementofthedance，thoughtitnotfittoamuseherselfwithemptyhands；shemustbeclothedinacompletesuitofarmour，andinthisattiregothroughthedance；andyouthsandmaidensshouldineveryrespectimitateher，esteeminghighlythefavouroftheGoddess，bothwithaviewtothenecessitiesofwar，andtofestiveoccasions：itwillberightalsofortheboys，untilsuchtimeastheygoouttowar，tomakeprocessionsandsupplicationstoalltheGodsingoodlyarray，armedandonhorseback，indances，andmarches，fastorslow，offeringupprayerstotheGodsandtothesonsofGods；
andalsoengagingincontestsandpreludesofcontests，ifatall，withtheseobjects：Forthesesortsofexercises，andnoothers，areusefulbothinpeaceandwar，andarebeneficialaliketostatesandtoprivatehouses。Butotherlaboursandsportsandexercisesofthebodyareunworthyoffreemen，OMegillusandCleinias。
IhavenowcompletelydescribedthekindofgymnasticwhichIsaidatfirstoughttobedescribed；ifyouknowofanybetter，willyoucommunicateyourthoughts？
Cle。Itisnoteasy，Stranger，toputasidetheseprinciplesofgymnasticandwrestlingandtoenunciatebetterones。
Ath。NowwemustsaywhathasyettobesaidaboutthegiftsoftheMusesandofApollo：before，wefanciedthatwehadsaidall，andthatgymnasticaloneremained；butnowweseeclearlywhatpointshavebeenomitted，andshouldbefirstproclaimed；ofthese，then，letusproceedtospeak。
Cle。Byallmeans。
Ath。Letmetellyouoncemore-althoughyouhaveheardmesaythesamebeforethatcautionmustbealwaysexercised，bothbythespeakerandbythehearer，aboutanythingthatisverysingularandunusual。
Formytaleisone，whichmanyamanwouldbeafraidtotell，andyetIhaveaconfidencewhichmakesmegoon。
Cle。Whathaveyoutosay，Stranger？
Ath。Isaythatinstatesgenerallynoonehasobservedthattheplaysofchildhoodhaveagreatdealtodowiththepermanenceorwantofpermanenceinlegislation。Forwhenplaysareorderedwithaviewtochildrenhavingthesameplays，andamusingthemselvesafterthesamemanner，andfindingdelightinthesameplaythings，themoresolemninstitutionsofthestateareallowedtoremainundisturbed。
Whereasifsportsaredisturbed，andinnovationsaremadeinthem，andtheyconstantlychange，andtheyoungneverspeakoftheirhavingthesamelikings，orthesameestablishednotionsofgoodandbadtaste，eitherinthebearingoftheirbodiesorintheirdress，buthewhodevisessomethingnewandoutofthewayinfiguresandcoloursandthelikeisheldinspecialhonour，wemaytrulysaythatnogreaterevilcanhappeninastate；forhewhochangesthesportsissecretlychangingthemannersoftheyoung，andmakingtheoldtobedishonouredamongthemandthenewtobehonoured。AndIaffirmthatthereisnothingwhichisagreaterinjurytoallstatesthansayingorthinkingthus。WillyouhearmetellhowgreatIdeemtheeviltobe？
Cle。Youmeantheevilofblamingantiquityinstates？
Ath。Exactly。
Cle。Ifyouarespeakingofthat，youwillfindinushearerswhoaredisposedtoreceivewhatyousaynotunfavourablybutmostfavourably。