andcitiesarelikeindividualsinthis，foracityifgoodhasalifeofpeace，butifevil，alifeofwarwithinandwithout。Whereforethecitizensoughttopractisewar-notintimeofwar，butratherwhiletheyareatpeace。Andeverycitywhichhasanysense，shouldtakethefieldatleastforonedayineverymonth；andformoreifthemagistratesthinkfit，havingnoregardtowintercoldorsummerheat；
andtheyshouldgooutenmasse，includingtheirwivesandtheirchildren，whenthemagistratesdeterminetoleadforththewholepeople，orinseparateportionswhensummonedbythem；andtheyshouldalwaysprovidethatthereshouldbegamesandsacrificialfeasts，andtheyshouldhavetournaments，imitatinginaslivelyamannerastheycanrealbattles。Andtheyshoulddistributeprizesofvictoryandvalourtothecompetitors，passingcensuresandencomiumsononeanotheraccordingtothecharacterswhichtheybearinthecontestsandtheirwholelife，honouringhimwhoseemstobethebest，andblaminghimwhoistheopposite。Andletpoetscelebratethevictors-nothowevereverypoet，butonlyonewhointhefirstplaceisnotlessthanfiftyyearsofage；norshouldhebeonewho，althoughhemayhavemusicalandpoeticalgifts，hasneverinhislifedoneanynobleorillustriousaction；butthosewhoarethemselvesgoodandalsohonourableinthestate，creatorsofnobleactions-lettheirpoemsbesung，eventhoughtheybenotverymusical。Andletthejudgmentofthemrestwiththeinstructorofyouthandtheotherguardiansofthelaws，whoshallgivethemthisprivilege，andtheyaloneshallbefreetosing；buttherestoftheworldshallnothavethisliberty。Norshallanyonedaretosingasongwhichhasnotbeenapprovedbythejudgmentoftheguardiansofthelaws，notevenifhisstrainbesweeterthanthesongsofThamyrasandOrpheus；butonlyandOrpheus；butonlysuchpoemsashavebeenjudgedsacredanddedicatedtotheGods，andsuchasaretheworksofgoodmen，whichpraiseofblamehasbeenawardedandwhichhavebeendeemedtofulfiltheirdesignfairly。
Theregulationsaboutandaboutlibertyofspeechinpoitry，oughttoapplyequallytomenandwomen。Thelegislatormaybesupposedtoarguethequestioninhisownmind：-WhoaremycitizensforwhomI
havesetinorderthecity？Aretheynotcompetitorsinthegreatestofallcontests，andhavetheynotinnumerablerivals？Tobesure，willbethenatural，reply。Well，butifweweretrainingboxers，orpancratiasts，oranyothersortofathletes，wouldtheynevermeetuntilthehourofcontestarrived；andshouldwedonothingtoprepareourselvespreviouslybydailypractice？Surely，ifwewereboxersweshouldhavebeenlearningtofightformanydaysbefore，andexercisingourselvesinimitatingallthoseblowsandwardswhichwewereintendingtouseinthehourofconflict；andinorderthatwemightcomeasneartorealityaspossible，insteadofcestusesweshouldputonboxinggloves，thattheblowsandthewardsmightbepractisedbyustotheutmostofourpower。Andiftherewerealackofcompetitors，theridiculeoffoolswouldryotdeterusfromhangingupalifelessimageandpractisingatthat。Orifwehadnoadversaryatall，animateorinanimate，shouldwenotventureinthedearthofantagoniststosparbyourselves？Inwhatothermannercouldweeverstudytheartofself-defence？
Cle。ThewaywhichyoumentionStranger，wouldbetheonlyway。
Ath。Andshallthewarriorsofourcity，whoaredestinedwhenoccasioncallitoenterthegreatestofallcontests，andtofightfortheirlives，andtheirchildren，andtheirproperty，andthewholecity，beworsepreparedthanboxers？Andwillthelegislator，becauseheisafraidthattheirpractisingwithoneanothermayappeartosomeridiculous，abstainfromcommandingthemtogooutandfight；willhenotordainthatsoldiersshallperformlesserexerciseswithoutarmseveryday，makingdancingandallgymnastictendtothisend；andalsowillhenotrequirethattheyshallpractisesomegymnasticexercises，greateraswellaslesser，asoftenaseverymonth；andthattheyshallhavecontestsonewithanotherineverypartofthecountry，seizinguponpostsandlyinginambush，andimitatingineveryrespecttherealityofwar；fightingwithboxing-glovesandhurlingjavelins，andusingweaponssomewhatdangerous，andasnearlyaspossiblelikethetrueones，inorderthatthesportmaynotbealtogetherwithoutfear，butmayhaveterrorsandtoacertaindegreeshowthemanwhohasandwhohasnotcourage；
andthatthehonouranddishonourwhichareassignedtothemrespectively，maypreparethewholecityforthetrueconflictoflife？Ifanyonediesinthesemimiccontests，thehomicideisinvoluntary，andwewillmaketheslayer，whenhehasbeenpurifiedaccordingtolaw，tobepureofblood，consideringthatifafewmenshoulddie，othersasgoodastheywillbeborn；butthatiffearisdeadthenthecitizenswillneverfindatestofsuperiorandinferiornatures，whichisafargreatereviltothestatethanthelossofafew。
Cle。Wearequiteagreed，Stranger，thatweshouldlegislateaboutsuchthings，andthatthewholestateshouldpractisethemsupposedAth。Andwhatisthereasonthatdancesandcontestsofthissorthardlyeverexistinstates，atleastnottoanyextentworthspeakingof？Isthisduetotheignoranceofmankindandtheirlegislators？
Cle。Perhaps。
Ath。Certainlynot，sweetCleinias；therearetwocauses，whicharequiteenoughtoaccountforthedeficiency。
Cle。Whatarethey？
Ath。Onecauseistheloveofwealth，whichwhollyabsorbsmen，andneverforamomentallowsthemtothinkofanythingbuttheirownprivatepossessions；onthisthesoulofeverycitizenhangssuspended，andcanattendtonothingbuthisdailygain；mankindarereadytolearnanybranchofknowledge，andtofollowanypursuitwhichtendstothisend，andtheylaughateveryother：-thatisonereasonwhyacitywillnotbeinearnestaboutsuchcontestsoranyothergoodandhonourablepursuit。Butfromaninsatiableloveofgoldandsilver，everymanwillstooptoanyartorcontrivance，seemlyorunseemly，inthehopeofbecomingrich；andwillmakenoobjectiontoperforminganyaction，holy，orunholyandutterlybase，ifonlylikeabeasthehavethepowerofeatinganddrinkingallkindsofthings，andprocuringforhimselfineverysortofwaythegratificationofhislusts。
Cle。True。
Ath。Letthis，then，bedeemedoneofthecauseswhichpreventstatesfrompursuinginanefficientmannertheartofwar，oranyothernobleaim，butmakestheorderlyandtemperatepartofmankindintomerchants，andcaptainsofships，andservants，andconvertsthevaliantsortintothievesandburglarsandrobbersoftemples，andviolent，tyrannicalpersons；manyofwhomarenotwithoutability，buttheyareunfortunate。
Cle。Whatdoyoumean？
Ath。Mustnottheybetrulyunfortunatewhosesoulsarecompelledtopassthroughlifealwayshungering？
Cle。Thenthatisonecause，Stranger；butyouspokeofanother。
Ath。Thankyouforremindingme。
Cle。Theinsatiablelifelongloveofwealth，asyouweresayingisoneclausewhichabsorbsmankind，andpreventsthemfromrightlypractisingtheartsofwar：-Granted；andnowtellme，whatistheother？
Ath。DoyouimaginethatIdelaybecauseIaminaperplexity？
Cle。No；butwethinkthatyouaretoosevereuponthemoney-lovingtemper，ofwhichyouseeminthepresentdiscussiontohaveapeculiardislike。
Ath。Thatisaveryfairrebuke，Cleinias；andIwillnowproceedtothesecondcause。
Cle。Proceed。
Ath。Isaythatgovernmentsareacause-democracy，oligarchy，tyranny，concerningwhichIhaveoftenspokeninthepreviousdiscourse；orrathergovernmentstheyarenot，fornoneofthemexercisesavoluntaryruleovervoluntarysubjects；buttheymaybetrulycalledstatesofdiscord，inwhichwhilethegovernmentisvoluntary，thesubjectsalwaysobeyagainsttheirwill，andhavetobecoerced；andtherulerfearsthesubject，andwillnot，ifhecanhelp，allowhimtobecomeeithernoble，orrich，orstrong，orvaliant，orwarlikeatall。Thesetwoarethechiefcausesofalmostallevils，andoftheevilsofwhichIhavebeenspeakingtheyarenotablythecauses。Butourstatehasescapedbothofthem；forhercitizenshavethegreatestleisure，andtheyarenotsubjecttooneanother，andwill，Ithink，bemadebytheselawsthereverseofloversofmoney。Suchaconstitutionmaybereasonablysupposedtobetheonlyoneexistingwhichwillaccepttheeducationwhichwehavedescribed，andthemartialpastimeswhichhavebeenperfectedaccordingtoouridea。
Cle。True。
Ath。Thennextwemustremember，aboutallgymnasticcontests，thatonlythewarlikesortofthemaretobepractisedandtohaveprizesofvictory；andthosewhicharenotmilitaryaretobegivenup。Themilitarysorthadbetterbecompletelydescribedandestablishedbylaw；andfirst，letusspeakofrunningandswiftness。
Cle。Verygood。
Ath。Certainlythemostmilitaryofallqualitiesisgeneralactivityofbody，whetheroffootorhand。Forescapingorforcapturinganenemy，quicknessoffootisrequired；buthand-to-handconflictandcombatneedvigourandstrength。
Cle。Verytrue。
Ath。Neitherofthemcanattaintheirgreatestefficiencywithoutarms。
Cle。Howcanthey？
Ath。Thenourherald，inaccordancewiththeprevailingpractice，willfirstsummontherunner；-hewillappeararmed，fortoanunarmedcompetitorwewillnotgiveaprize。Andheshallenterfirstwhoistorunthesinglecoursebearingarms；next，hewhoistorunthedoublecourse；third，hewhoistorunthehorse-course；andfourthly，hewhoistorunthelongcourse；thefifthwhomwestart，shallbethefirstsentforthinheavyarmour，andshallrunacourseofsixtystadiatosometempleofAres-andwewillsendforthanother，whomwewillstylethemoreheavilyarmed，torunoversmootherground。Thereremainsthearcher；andheshallruninthefullequipmentsofanarcheradistanceof100stadiaovermountains，andacrosseverysortofcountry，toatempleofApolloandArtemis；thisshallbetheorderofthecontest，andwewillwaitforthemuntiltheyreturn，andwillgiveaprizetotheconquerorineach。
Cle。Verygood。
Ath。Letussupposethattherearethreekindsofcontests-oneofboys，anotherofbeardlessyouths，andathirdofmen。Fortheyouthswewillfixthelengthofthecontestattwo-thirds，andfortheboysathalfoftheentirecourse，whethertheycontendasarchersorasheavyarmed。Touchingthewomen，letthegirlswhoarenotgrownupcompetenakedinthestadiumandthedoublecourse，andthehorse-courseandthelongcourse，andletthemrunontherace-grounditself；thosewhoarethirteenyearsofageandupwardsuntiltheirmarriageshallcontinuetoshareincontestsiftheyarenotmorethantwenty，andshallbecompelledtorunuptoeighteen；
andtheyshalldescendintothearenainsuitabledresses。Letthesebetheregulationsaboutcontestsinrunningbothformenandwomen。
Respectingcontestsofstrength，insteadofwrestlingandsimilarcontestsoftheheaviersort，wewillinstituteconflictsinarmourofoneagainstone，andtwoagainsttwo，andsoonuptotenagainstten。
Astowhatamanoughtnottosufferordo，andtowhatextent，inordertogainthevictory-asinwrestling，themastersofthearthavelaiddownwhatisfairandwhatisnotfair，soinfightinginarmour-weoughttocallinskilfulpersons，whoshalljudgeforusandbeourassessorsintheworkoflegislation；theyshallsaywhodeservestobevictorincombatsofthissort，andwhatheisnottodoorhavedonetohim，andinlikemannerwhatruledetermineswhoisdefeated；andlettheseordinancesapplytowomenuntiltheymarriedaswellastomen。Thepancrationshallhaveacounterpartinacombatofthelightarmed；theyshallcontendwithbowsandwithlightshieldsandwithjavelinsandinthethrowingofstonesbyslingsandbyhand：andlawsshallbemadeaboutit，andrewardsandprizesgiventohimwhobestfulfilstheordinancesofthelaw。
Nextinorderweshallhavetolegislateaboutthehorsecontests。