第38章
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  Nowwedonotneedmanyhorses,fortheycannotbeofmuchuseinacountrylikeCrete,andhencewenaturallydonottakegreatpainsabouttherearingofthemorabouthorseraces。Thereisnoonewhokeepsachariotamongus,andanyrivalryinsuchmatterswouldbealtogetheroutofplace;therewouldbenosensenoranyshadowofsenseininstitutingcontestswhicharenotafterthemannerofourcountry。Andthereforewegiveourprizesforsinglehorses-forcoltswhohavenotyetcasttheirteeth,andforthosewhoareintermediate,andforthefull-grownhorsesthemselves;andthusourequestriangameswillaccordwiththenatureofthecountry。Letthemhaveconflictandrivalryinthesemattersinaccordancewiththelaw,andletthecolonelsandgeneralsofhorsedecidetogetheraboutallcoursesandaboutthearmedcompetitorsinthem。Butwehavenothingtosaytotheunarmedeitheringymnasticexercisesorinthesecontests。Ontheotherhand,theCretanbowmanorjavelin-manwhofightsinarmouronhorsebackisuseful,andthereforewemayaswellplaceacompetitionofthissortamongamusements。Womenarenottobeforcedtocompetebylawsandordinances;butiffromprevioustrainingtheyhaveacquiredthehabitandarestrongenoughandliketotakepart,letthemdoso,girlsaswellasboys,andnoblametothem。

  Thusthecompetitioningymnasticandthemodeoflearningithavebeendescribed;andwehavespokenalsoofthetoilsofthecontest,andofdailyexercisesunderthesuperintendenceofmasters。Likewise,whatrelatestomusichasbeen,forthemostpart,completed。Butastorhapsodesandthelike,andthecontestsofchoruseswhicharetoperformatfeasts,allthisshallbearrangedwhenthemonthsanddaysandyearshavebeenappointedforGodsanddemi-gods,whethereverythirdyear,oragaineveryfifthyear,orinwhateverwayormannertheGodsmayputintomen’smindsthedistributionandorderofthem。Atthesametime,wemayexpectthatthemusicalcontestswillbecelebratedintheirturnbythecommandofthejudgesandthedirectorofeducationandtheguardiansofthelawmeetingtogetherforthispurpose,andthemselvesbecominglegislatorsofthetimesandnatureandconditionsofthechoralcontestsandofdancingingeneral。Whattheyoughtseverallytobeinlanguageandsong,andintheadmixtureofharmonywithrhythmandthedance,hasbeenoftendeclaredbytheoriginallegislator;andhissuccessorsoughttofollowhim,makingthegamesandsacrificesdulytocorrespondatfittingtimes,andappointingpublicfestivals。Itisnotdifficulttodeterminehowtheseandthelikemattersmayhavearegularorder;

  nor,again,willthealterationofthemdoanygreatgoodorharmtothestate。Thereis,however,anothermatterofgreatimportanceanddifficulty,concerningwhichGodshouldlegislate,iftherewereanypossibilityofobtainingfromhimanordinanceaboutit。Butseeingthatdivineaidisnottobehad,thereappearstobeaneedofsomeboldmanwhospeciallyhonoursplainnessofspeech,andwillsayoutrightwhathethinksbestforthecityandcitizens-ordainingwhatisgoodandconvenientforthewholestateamidthecorruptionsofhumansouls,opposingthemightiestlusts,andhavingnomanhishelperbuthimselfstandingaloneandfollowingreasononly。

  Cle。Whatisthis,Stranger,thatyouaresaying?Forwedonotasyetunderstandyourmeaning。

  Ath。Verylikely;Iwillendeavourtoexplainmyselfmoreclearly。

  WhenIcametothesubjectofeducation,Ibeheldyoungmenandmaidensholdingfriendlyintercoursewithoneanother。Andtherenaturallyaroseinmymindasortofapprehension-Icouldnothelpthinkinghowoneistodealwithacityinwhichyouthsandmaidensarewellnurtured,andhavenothingtodo,andarenotundergoingtheexcessiveandserviletoilswhichextinguishwantonness,andwhoseonlycaresduringtheirwholelifearesacrificesandfestivalsanddances。How,insuchastateasthis,willtheyabstainfromdesireswhichthrustmanyamanandwomanintoperdition;andfromwhichreason,assumingthefunctionsoflaw,commandsthemtoabstain?Theordinancesalreadymademaypossiblygetthebetterofmostofthesedesires;theprohibitionofexcessivewealthisaveryconsiderablegaininthedirectionoftemperance,andthewholeeducationofouryouthimposesalawofmoderationonthem;moreover,theeyeoftherulersisrequiredalwaystowatchovertheyoung,andnevertolosesightofthem;andtheseprovisionsdo,asfarashumanmeanscaneffectanything,exercisearegulatinginfluenceuponthedesiresingeneral。Buthowcanwetakeprecautionsagainsttheunnaturallovesofeithersex,fromwhichinnumerableevilshavecomeuponindividualsandcities?Howshallwedevisearemedyandwayofescapeoutofsogreatadanger?Truly,Cleinias,hereisadifficulty。InmanywaysCreteandLacedaemonfurnishagreathelptothosewhomakepeculiarlaws;butinthematteroflove,aswearealone,Imustconfessthattheyarequiteagainstus。ForifanyonefollowingnatureshouldlaydownthelawwhichexistedbeforethedaysofLaius,anddenouncetheselustsascontrarytonature,adducingtheanimalsasaproofthatsuchunionsweremonstrous,hemightprovehispoint,buthewouldbewhollyatvariancewiththecustomofyourstates。

  Further,theyarerepugnanttoaprinciplewhichwesaythatalegislatorshouldalwaysobserve;forwearealwaysenquiringwhichofourenactmentstendstovirtueandwhichnot。Andsupposewegrantthattheselovesareaccountedbylawtobehonourable,oratleastnotdisgraceful,inwhatdegreewilltheycontributetovirtue?Willsuchpassionsimplantinthesoulofhimwhoisseducedthehabitofcourage,orinthesouloftheseducertheprincipleoftemperance?

  Whowilleverbelievethis?-orrather,whowillnotblametheeffeminacyofhimwhoyieldstopleasuresandisunabletoholdoutagainstthem?Willnotallmencensureaswomanlyhimwhoimitatesthewoman?Andwhowouldeverthinkofestablishingsuchapracticebylaw?Certainlynoonewhohadinhismindtheimageoftruelaw。Howcanweprove,thatwhatIamsayingistrue?Hewhowouldrightlyconsiderthesemattersmustseethenatureoffriendshipanddesire,andoftheseso-calledloves,fortheyareoftwokinds,andoutofthetwoarisesathirdkind,havingthesamename;andthissimilarityofnamecausesallthedifficultyandobscurity。

  Cle。Howisthat?

  Ath。Dearisthelikeinvirtuetothelike,andtheequaltotheequal;dearalso,thoughunlike,ishewhohasabundancetohimwhoisinwant。Andwheneitherofthesefriendshipsbecomesexcessive,wetermtheexcesslove。

  Cle。Verytrue。

  Ath。Thefriendshipwhicharisesfromcontrariesishorribleandcoarse,andhasoftennotieofcommunion;butthatwhich,arisesfromlikenessisgentle,andhasatieofcommunionwhichlaststhroughlife。Astothemixedsortwhichismadeupofthemboth,thereis,firstofall,aindeterminingwhathewhoispossessedbythisthirdlovedesires;moreover,heisdrawndifferentways,andisindoubtbetweenthetwoprinciples;theoneexhortinghimtoenjoythebeautyofyouth,andtheotherforbiddinghim。Fortheoneisaloverofthebody,andhungersafterbeauty,likeripefruit,andwouldfainsatisfyhimselfwithoutanyregardtothecharacterofthebeloved;theotherholdsthedesireofthebodytobeasecondarymatter,andlookingratherthanlovingandwithhissouldesiringthesouloftheotherinabecomingmanner,regardsthesatisfactionofthebodilyloveaswantonness;hereverencesandrespectstemperanceandcourageandmagnanimityandwisdom,andwishestolivechastelywiththechasteobjectofhisaffection。Nowthesortoflovewhichismadeupoftheothertwoisthatwhichwehavedescribedasthethird。Seeingthenthattherearethesethreesortsoflove,oughtthelawtoprohibitandforbidthemalltoexistamongus?Isitnotratherclearthatweshouldwishtohaveinthestatethelovewhichisofvirtueandwhichdesiresthebelovedyouthtobethebestpossible;andtheothertwo,ifpossible,weshouldhinder?Whatdoyousay,friendMegillus?

  Megillus。Ithink,Stranger,thatyouareperfectlyrightinwhatyouhavebeennowsaying。

  Ath。Iknewwell,myfriend,thatIshouldobtainyourassent,whichIaccept,andthereforehavenoneedtoanalyseyourcustomanyfurther。Cleiniasshallbeprevailedupontogivemehisassentatsomeothertime。Enoughofthis;andnowletusproceedtothelaws。

  Meg。Verygood。

  Ath。UponreflectionIseeawayofimposingthelaw,which,inonerespect,iseasy,but,inanother,isoftheutmostdifficulty。

  Meg。Whatdoyoumean?

  Ath。Weareallawarethatmostmen,inspiteoftheirlawlessnatures,areverystrictlyandpreciselyrestrainedfromintercoursewiththefair,andthisisnotatallagainsttheirwill,butentirelywiththeirwill。

  Meg。Whendoyoumean?

  Ath。Whenanyonehasabrotherorsisterwhoisfair;andaboutasonordaughterthesameunwrittenlawholds,andisamostperfectsafeguard,sothatnoopenorsecretconnectionevertakesplacebetweenthem。Nordoesthethoughtofsuchathingeverenteratallintothemindsofmostofthem。

  Meg。Verytrue。

  Ath。Doesnotalittlewordextinguishallpleasuresofthatsort?

  Meg。Whatword?

  Ath。Thedeclarationthattheyareunholy,hatedofGod,andmostinfamous;andisnotthereasonofthisthatnoonehaseversaidtheopposite,buteveryonefromhisearliestchildhoodhasheardmenspeakinginthesamemanneraboutthemalwaysandeverywhere,whetherincomedyorinthegraverlanguageoftragedy?WhenthepoetintroducesonthestageaThyestesoranOedipus,oraMacareushavingsecretintercoursewithhissister,herepresentshim,whenfoundout,readytokillhimselfasthepenaltyofhissin。

  Meg。Youareveryrightinsayingthattradition,ifnobreathofoppositioneverassailsit,hasamarvellouspower。

  Ath。AmInotalsorightinsayingthatthelegislatorwhowantstomasteranyofthepassionswhichmastermanmayeasilyknowhowtosubduethem?Hewillconsecratethetraditionoftheirevilcharacteramongall,slavesandfreemen,womenandchildren,throughoutthecity:-thatwillbethesurestfoundationofthelawwhichhecanmake。

  Meg。Yes;butwillheeversucceedinmakingallmankindusethesamelanguageaboutthem?

  Ath。Agoodobjection;butwasInotjustnowsayingthatIhadawaytomakemenusenaturalloveandabstainfromunnatural,notintentionallydestroyingtheseedsofhumanincrease,orsowingtheminstonyplaces,inwhichtheywilltakenoroot;andthatIwouldcommandthemtoabstaintoofromanyfemalefieldofincreaseinwhichthatwhichissownisnotlikelytogrow?Nowifalawtothiseffectcouldonlybemadeperpetual,andgainanauthoritysuchasalreadypreventsintercourseofparentsandchildren-suchalaw,extendingtoothersensualdesires,andconqueringthem,wouldbethesourceoftenthousandblessings。For,inthefirstplace,moderationistheappointmentofnature,anddetersmenfromallfrenzyandmadnessoflove,andfromalladulteriesandimmoderateuseofmeatsanddrinks,andmakesthemgoodfriendstotheirownwives。

  Andinnumerableotherbenefitswouldresultifsuchacouldonlybeenforced。Icanimaginesomelustyyouthwhoisstandingby,andwho,onhearingthisenactment,declaresinscurriloustermsthatwearemakingfoolishandimpossiblelaws,andfillstheworldwithhisoutcry。AndthereforeIsaidthatIknewawayofenactingandperpetuatingsuchalaw,whichwasveryeasyinonerespect,butinanothermostdifficult。Thereisnodifficultyinseeingthatsuchalawispossible,andinwhatway;for,asIwassaying,theordinanceonceconsecratedwouldmasterthesoulof,everyman,andterrifyhimintoobedience。Butmattershavenowcometosuchapassthateventhenthedesiredresultseemsasifitcouldnotbeattained,justasthecontinuanceofanentirestateinthepracticeofcommonmealsisalsodeemedimpossible。Andalthoughthislatterispartlydisprovenbythefactoftheirexistenceamongyou,stilleveninyourcitiesthecommonmealsofwomenwouldberegardedasunnaturalandimpossible。IwasthinkingoftherebelliousnessofthehumanheartwhenIsaidthatthepermanentestablishmentofthesethingsisverydifficult。

  Meg。Verytrue。

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