Ath。Enoughofwrestling；wewillnowproceedtospeakofothermovementsofthebody。Suchmotionmaybeingeneralcalleddancing，andisoftwokinds：oneofnoblerfigures，imitatingthehonourable，theotherofthemoreignoblefigures，imitatingthemean；
andofboththesetherearetwofurthersubdivisions。Oftheserious，onekindisofthoseengagedinwarandvehementaction，andistheexerciseofanoblepersonandamanlyheart；theotherexhibitsatemperatesoulintheenjoymentofprosperityandmodestpleasures，andmaybetrulycalledandisthedanceofpeace。Thewarriordanceisdifferentfromthepeacefulone，andmayberightlytermedPyrrhic；thisimitatesthemodesofavoidingblowsandmissilesbydroppingorgivingway，orspringingaside，orrisinguporfallingdown；alsotheoppositepostureswhicharethoseofaction，as，forexample，theimitationofarcheryandthehurlingofjavelins，andofallsortsofblows。Andwhentheimitationisofbravebodiesandsouls，andtheactionisdirectandmuscular，givingforthemostpartastraightmovementtothelimbsofthebody-that，Isay，isthetruesort；buttheoppositeisnotright。Inthedanceofpeacewhatwehavetoconsideriswhetheramanbearshimselfnaturallyandgracefully，andafterthemannerofmenwhodulyconformtothelaw。
ButbeforeproceedingImustdistinguishthedancingaboutwhichthereisanydoubt，fromthataboutwhichthereisnodoubt。Whichisthedoubtfulkind，andhowarethetwotobedistinguished？TherearedancesoftheBacchicsort，boththoseinwhich，astheysay，theyimitatedrunkenmen，andwhicharenamedaftertheNymphs，andPan，andSilenuses，andSatyrs；andalsothoseinwhichpurificationsaremadeormysteriescelebrated-allthissortofdancingcannotberightlydefinedashavingeitherapeacefulorawarlikecharacter，orindeedashavinganymeaningwhateverandmay，Ithink，bemosttrulydescribedasdistinctfromthewarlikedance，anddistinctfromthepeaceful，andnotsuitedforacityatall。Thereletitlie；
andsoleavingittolie，wewillproceedtothedancesofwarandpeace，forwiththeseweareundoubtedlyconcerned。Nowtheunwarlikemuse，whichhonoursindancetheGodsandthesonsoftheGods，isentirelyassociatedwiththeconsciousnessofprosperity；
thisclassmaybesubdividedintotwolesserclasses，ofwhichoneisexpressiveofanescapefromsomelabourordangerintogood，andhasgreaterpleasures，theotherexpressiveofpreservationandincreaseofformergood，inwhichthepleasureislessexciting；-inallthesecases，everymanwhenthepleasureisgreater，moveshisbodymore，andlesswhenthepleasureisless；and，again，ifhebemoreorderlyandhaslearnedcouragefromdisciplinehewavesless，butifhebeacoward，andhasnotrainingorself-control，hemakesgreaterandmoreviolentmovements，andingeneralwhenheisspeakingorsingingheisnotaltogetherabletokeephisbodystill；andsooutoftheimitationofwordsingesturesthewholeartofdancinghasarisen。Andinthesevariouskindsofimitationonemanmovesinanorderly，anotherinadisorderlymanner；andastheancientsmaybeobservedtohavegivenmanynameswhichareaccordingtonatureanddeservingofpraise，sothereisanexcellentonewhichtheyhavegiventothedancesofmenwhointheirtimesofprosperityaremoderateintheirpleasures-thegiverofnames，whoeverhewas，assignedtothemaverytrue，andpoetical，andrationalname，whenhecalledthemEmmeleiai，ordancesoforder，thusestablishingtwokindsofdancesofthenoblersort，thedanceofwarwhichhecalledthePyrrhic，andthedanceofpeacewhichhecalledEmmeleia，orthedanceoforder；givingtoeachtheirappropriateandbecomingname。Thesethingsthelegislatorshouldindicateingeneraloutline，andtheguardianofthelawshouldenquireintothemandsearchthemout，combiningdancingwithmusic，andassigningtotheseveralsacrificialfeaststhatwhichissuitabletothem；andwhenhehasconsecratedallofthemindueorder，heshallforthefuturechangenothing，whetherofdanceorsong。Thenceforwardthecityandthecitizensshallcontinuetohavethesamepleasures，themselvesbeingasfaraspossiblealike，andshalllivewellandhappily。
Ihavedescribedthedanceswhichareappropriatetonoblebodiesandgeneroussouls。Butitisnecessaryalsotoconsiderandknowuncomelypersonsandthoughts，andthosewhichareintendedtoproducelaughterincomedy，andhaveacomiccharacterinrespectofstyle，song，anddance，andoftheimitationswhichtheseafford。Forseriousthingscannotbeunderstoodwithoutlaughablethings，noroppositesatallwithoutopposites，ifamanisreallytohaveintelligenceofeither；buthecannotcarryoutbothinaction，ifheistohaveanydegreeofvirtue。Andforthisveryreasonheshouldlearnthemboth，inorderthathemaynotinignorancedoorsayanythingwhichisridiculousandoutofplace-heshouldcommandslavesandhiredstrangerstoimitatesuchthings，butheshouldnevertakeanyseriousinterestinthemhimself，norshouldanyfreemanorfreewomanbediscoveredtakingpainstolearnthem；andthereshouldalwaysbesomeelementofnoveltyintheimitation。Letthesethenbelaiddown，bothinlawandinourdiscourse，astheregulationsoflaughableamusementswhicharegenerallycalledcomedy。And，ifanyoftheseriouspoets，astheyaretermed，whowritetragedy，cometousandsay-“Ostrangers，maywegotoyourcityandcountryormaywenot，andshallwebringwithusourpoetry-whatisyourwillaboutthesematters？“-howshallweanswerthedivinemen？Ithinkthatouranswershouldbeasfollows：-Bestofstrangers，wewillsaytothem，wealsoaccordingtoourabilityaretragicpoets，andourtragedyisthebestandnoblest；forourwholestateisanimitationofthebestandnoblestlife，whichweaffirmtobeindeedtheverytruthoftragedy。Youarepoetsandwearepoets，bothmakersofthesamestrains，rivalsandantagonistsinthenoblestofdramas，whichtruelawcanaloneperfect，asourhopeis。Donotthensupposethatweshallallinamomentallowyoutoerectyourstageintheagora，orintroducethefairvoicesofyouractors，speakingaboveourown，andpermityoutoharangueourwomenandchildren，andthecommonpeople，aboutourinstitutions，inlanguageotherthanourown，andveryoftentheoppositeofourown。Forastatewouldbemadwhichgaveyouthislicence，untilthemagistrateshaddeterminedwhetheryourpoetrymightberecited，andwasfitforpublicationornot。
Wherefore，OyesonsandscionsofthesofterMuses，firstofallshowyoursongstothemagistrates，andletthemcomparethemwithourown，andiftheyarethesameorbetterwewillgiveyouachorus；butifnot，then，myfriends，wecannot。Letthese，then，bethecustomsordainedbylawaboutalldancesandtheteachingofthem，andletmattersrelatingtoslavesbeseparatedfromthoserelatingtomasters，ifyoudonotobject。
Cle。Wecanhavenohesitationinassentingwhenyouputthematterthus。
Ath。Therestillremainthreestudiessuitableforfreemen。
Arithmeticisoneofthem；themeasurementoflength，surface，anddepthisthesecond；andthethirdhastodowiththerevolutionsofthestarsinrelationtooneanother。Noteveryonehasneedtotoilthroughallthesethingsinastrictlyscientificmanner，butonlyafew，andwhotheyaretobewewillhereafterindicateattheend，whichwillbetheproperplace；nottoknowwhatisnecessaryformankindingeneral，andwhatisthetruth，isdisgracefultoeveryone：andyettoenterintothesemattersminutelyisneithereasy，noratallpossibleforeveryone；butthereissomethinginthemwhichisnecessaryandcannotbesetaside，andprobablyhewhomadetheproverbaboutGodoriginallyhadthisinviewwhenhesaid，that“notevenGodhimselfcanfightagainstnecessity“；-hemeant，ifI
amnotmistaken，divinenecessity；forastothehumannecessitiesofwhichthemanyspeak，whentheytalkinthismanner，nothingcanbemoreridiculousthansuchanapplicationofthewords。
Cle。Andwhatnecessitiesofknowledgearethere，Stranger，whicharedivineandnothuman？
Ath。IconceivethemtobethoseofwhichhewhohasnousenoranyknowledgeatallcannotbeaGod，ordemi-god，orherotomankind，orabletotakeanyseriousthoughtorchargeofthem。Andveryunlikeadivinemanwouldhebe，whoisunabletocountone，two，three，ortodistinguishoddandevennumbers，orisunabletocountatall，orreckonnightandday，andwhoistotallyunacquaintedwiththerevolutionofthesunandmoon，andtheotherstars。Therewouldbegreatfollyinsupposingthatallthesearenotnecessarypartsofknowledgetohimwhointendstoknowanythingaboutthehighestkindsofknowledge；butwhichtheseare，andhowmanythereareofthem，andwhentheyaretobelearned，andwhatistobelearnedtogetherandwhatapart，andthewholecorrelationofthem，mustberightlyapprehendedfirst；andtheseleadingthewaywemayproceedtotheotherpartsofknowledge。Forsonecessitygroundedinnatureconstrainsus，againstwhichwesaythatnoGodcontends，oreverwillcontend。
Cle。Ithink，Stranger，thatwhatyouhavenowsaidisverytrueandagreeabletonature。
Ath。Yes，Cleinias，thatisso。Butitisdifficultforthelegislatortobeginwiththesestudies；atamoreconvenienttimewewillmakeregulationsforthem。
Cle。Youseem，Stranger，tobeafraidofourhabitualignoranceofthesubject：thereisnoreasonwhythatshouldpreventyoufromspeakingout。
Ath。Icertainlyamafraidofthedifficultiestowhichyouallude，butIamstillmoreafraidofthosewhoapplythemselvestothissortofknowledge，andapplythemselvesbadly。Forentireignoranceisnotsoterribleorextremeanevil，andisfarfrombeingthegreatestofall；toomuchclevernessandtoomuchlearning，accompaniedwithanillbringingup，arefarmorefatal。
Cle。True。
Ath。Allfreemen，Iconceive，shouldlearnasmuchofthesebranchesofknowledgeaseverychildinEgyptistaughtwhenhelearnsthealphabet。Inthatcountryarithmeticalgameshavebeeninventedfortheuseofmerechildren，whichtheylearnasapleasureandamusement。Theyhavetodistributeapplesandgarlands，usingthesamenumbersometimesforalargerandsometimesforalessernumberofpersons；andtheyarrangepugilists，andwrestlersastheypairtogetherbylotorremainover，andshowhowtheirturnscomeinnaturalorder。Anothermodeofamusingthemistodistributevessels，sometimesofgold，brass，silver，andthelike，intermixedwithoneanother，sometimesofonemetalonly；asIwassayingtheyadapttotheiramusementthenumbersincommonuse，andinthiswaymakemoreintelligibletotheirpupilsthearrangementsandmovementsofarmiesandexpeditions，inthemanagementofahouseholdtheymakepeoplemoreusefultothemselves，andmorewideawake；andagaininmeasurementsofthingswhichhavelength，andbreadth，anddepth，theyfreeusfromthatnaturalignoranceofallthesethingswhichissoludicrousanddisgraceful。
Cle。Whatkindofignorancedoyoumean？
Ath。OmydearCleinias，I，likeyourself，havelateinlifeheardwithamazementofourignoranceinthesematters；tomeweappeartobemorelikepigsthanmen，andIamquiteashamed，notonlyofmyself，butofallHellenes。
Cle。Aboutwhat？Say，Stranger，whatyoumean。
Ath。Iwill；orratherIwillshowyoumymeaningbyaquestion，anddoyoupleasetoanswerme：Youknow，Isuppose，whatlengthis？
Cle。Certainly。
Ath。Andwhatbreadthis？
Cle。Tobesure。
Ath。Andyouknowthatthesearetwodistinctthings，andthatthereisathirdthingcalleddepth？
Cle。Ofcourse。
Ath。Anddonotalltheseseemtoyoutobecommensurablewiththemselves？
Cle。Yes。
Ath。Thatistosay，lengthisnaturallycommensurablewithlength，andbreadthwithbreadth，anddepthinlikemannerwithdepth？
Cle。Undoubtedly。
Ath。Butifsomethingsarecommensurableandotherswhollyincommensurable，andyouthinkthatallthingsarecommensurable，whatisyourpositioninregardtothem？
Cle。Clearly，farfromgood。
Ath。Concerninglengthandbreadthwhencomparedwithdepth，orbreadthwhenandlengthwhencomparedwithoneanother，arenotalltheHellenesagreedthatthesearecommensurablewithoneinsomeway？
Cle。Quitetrue。