第6章

Ath。Anddoesnotthelegislatorandeveryonewhoisgoodforanything，holdthisfearinthegreatesthonour？Thisiswhathetermsreverence，andtheconfidencewhichisthereverseofthishetermsinsolence；andthelatterhealwaysdeemstobeaverygreatevilbothtoindividualsandtostates。

Cle。True。

Ath。Doesnotthiskindoffearpreserveusinmanyimportantways？Whatistherewhichsosurelygivesvictoryandsafetyinwar？

Fortherearetwothingswhichgivevictory-confidencebeforeenemies，andfearofdisgracebeforefriends。

Cle。Thereare。

Ath。Theneachofusshouldbefearlessandalsofearful；andwhyweshouldbeeitherhasnowbeendetermined。

Cle。Certainly。

Ath。Andwhenwewanttomakeanyonefearless，weandthelawbringhimfacetofacewithmanyfears。

Cle。Clearly。

Ath。Andwhenwewanttomakehimrightlyfearful，mustwenotintroducehimtoshamelesspleasures，andtrainhimtotakeuparmsagainstthem，andtoovercomethem？Ordoesthisprincipleapplytocourageonly，andmusthewhowouldbeperfectinvalourfightagainstandovercomehisownnaturalcharacter-sinceifhebeunpractisedandinexperiencedinsuchconflicts，hewillnotbehalfthemanwhichhemighthavebeen-andarewetosuppose，thatwithtemperanceitisotherwise，andthathewhohasneverfoughtwiththeshamelessandunrighteoustemptationsofhispleasuresandlusts，andconqueredthem，inearnestandinplay，byword，deed，andact，willstillbeperfectlytemperate？

Cle。Amostunlikelysupposition。

Ath。SupposethatsomeGodhadgivenafear-potiontomen，andthatthemoreamandrankofthisthemoreheregardedhimselfateverydraughtasachildofmisfortune，andthathefearedeverythinghappeningorabouttohappentohim；andthatatlastthemostcourageousofmenutterlylosthispresenceofmindforatime，andonlycametohimselfagainwhenhehadsleptofftheinfluenceofthedraught。

Cle。Buthassuchadraught，Stranger，everreallybeenknownamongmen？

Ath。No；but，iftherehadbeen，mightnotsuchadraughthavebeenofusetothelegislatorasatestofcourage？Mightwenotgoandsaytohim，“Olegislator，whetheryouarelegislatingfortheCretan，orforanyotherstate，wouldyounotliketohaveatouchstoneofthecourageandcowardiceofyourcitizens？“

Cle。“Ishould，“willbetheanswerofeveryone。

Ath。“Andyouwouldratherhaveatouchstoneinwhichthereisnoriskandnogreatdangerthanthereverse？“

Cle。Inthatpropositioneveryonemaysafelyagree。

Ath。“Andinordertomakeuseofthedraught，youwouldleadthemamidtheseimaginaryterrors，andprovethem，whentheaffectionoffearwasworkinguponthem，andcompelthemtobefearless，exhortingandadmonishingthem；andalsohonouringthem，butdishonouringanyonewhowillnotbepersuadedbyyoutobeinallrespectssuchasyoucommandhim；andifheunderwentthetrialwellandmanfully，youwouldlethimgounscathed；butifill，youwouldinflictapunishmentuponhim？Orwouldyouabstainfromusingthepotionaltogether，althoughyouhavenoreasonforabstaining？“

Cle。Hewouldbecertain，Stranger，tousethepotion。

Ath。Thiswouldbeamodeoftestingandtrainingwhichwouldbewonderfullyeasyincomparisonwiththosenowinuse，andmightbeappliedtoasingleperson，ortoafew，orindeedtoanynumber；

andhewoulddowellwhoprovidedhimselfwiththepotiononly，ratherthanwithanynumberofotherthings，whetherhepreferredtobebyhimselfinsolitude，andtherecontendwithhisfears，becausehewasashamedtobeseenbytheeyeofmanuntilhewasperfect；ortrustingtotheforceofhisownnatureandhabits，andbelievingthathehadbeenalreadydisciplinedsufficiently，hedidnothesitatetotrainhimselfincompanywithanynumberofothers，anddisplayhispowerinconqueringtheirresistiblechangeeffectedbythedraught-hisvirtuebeingsuch，thatheneverinanyinstancefellintoanygreatunseemliness，butwasalwayshimself，andleftoffbeforehearrivedatthelastcup，fearingthathe，likeallothermen，mightbeovercomebythepotion。

Cle。Yes，Stranger，inthatlastcase，too，hemightequallyshowhisself-control。

Ath。Letusreturntothelawgiver，andsaytohim：-“Well，lawgiver，thereiscertainlynosuchfear-potionwhichmanhaseitherreceivedfromtheGodsorhimselfdiscovered；forwitchcrafthasnoplaceatourboard。Butisthereanypotionwhichmightserveasatestofoverboldnessandexcessiveandindiscreetboasting？

Cle。Isupposethathewillsay，Yes-meaningthatwineissuchapotion。

Ath。Isnottheeffectofthisquitetheoppositeoftheeffectoftheother？Whenamandrinkswinehebeginstobebetterpleasedwithhimself，andthemorehedrinksthemoreheisfilledfullofbravehopes，andconceitofhispower，andatlastthestringofhistongueisloosened，andfancyinghimselfwise，heisbrimmingoverwithlawlessness，andhasnomorefearorrespect，andisreadytodoorsayanything。

Cle。Ithinkthateveryonewilladmitthetruthofyourdescription。

Meg。Certainly。

Ath。Now，letusremember，asweweresaying，thattherearetwothingswhichshouldbecultivatedinthesoul：first，thegreatestcourage；secondly，thegreatestfear-

Cle。Whichyousaidtobecharacteristicofreverence，ifIamnotmistaken。

Ath。Thankyouforremindingme。Butnow，asthehabitofcourageandfearlessnessistobetrainedamidfears，letusconsiderwhethertheoppositequalityisnotalsotobetrainedamongopposites。

Cle。Thatisprobablythecase。

Ath。Therearetimesandseasonsatwhichwearebynaturemorethancommonlyvaliantandbold；nowweoughttotrainourselvesontheseoccasionstobeasfreefromimpudenceandshamelessnessaspossible，andtobeafraidtosayorsufferordoanythingthatisbase。

Cle。True。

Ath。Arenotthemomentsinwhichweareapttobeboldandshamelesssuchasthese？-whenweareundertheinfluenceofanger，love，pride，ignorance，avarice，cowardice？orwhenwealth，beauty，strength，andalltheintoxicatingworkingsofpleasuremaddenus？

Whatisbetteradaptedthanthefestiveuseofwine，inthefirstplacetotest，andinthesecondplacetotrainthecharacterofaman，ifcarebetakenintheuseofit？Whatistherecheaper，ormoreinnocent？Fordobutconsiderwhichisthegreaterrisk：-Wouldyourathertestamanofamoroseandsavagenature，whichisthesourceoftenthousandactsofinjustice，bymakingbargainswithhimatarisktoyourself，orbyhavinghimasacompanionatthefestivalofDionysus？Orwouldyou，ifyouwantedtoapplyatouchstonetoamanwhoispronetolove，entrustyourwife，oryoursons，ordaughterstohim，perillingyourdearestinterestsinordertohaveaviewoftheconditionofhissoul？Imightmentionnumberlesscases，inwhichtheadvantagewouldbemanifestofgettingtoknowacharacterinsport，andwithoutpayingdearlyforexperience。AndIdonotbelievethateitheraCretan，oranyotherman，willdoubtthatsuchatestisafairtest，andsafer，cheaper，andspeedierthananyother。

Cle。Thatiscertainlytrue。

Ath。Andthisknowledgeofthenaturesandhabitsofmen’ssoulswillbeofthegreatestuseinthatartwhichhasthemanagementofthem；andthatart，ifIamnotmistaken，ispolitics。

Cle。Exactlyso。

BOOKII

AthenianStranger。Andnowwehavetoconsiderwhethertheinsightintohumannatureistheonlybenefitderivedfromwellorderedpotations，orwhethertherearenototheradvantagesgreatandmuchtobedesired。Theargumentseemstoimplythatthereare。Buthowandinwhatwaythesearetobeattained，willhavetobeconsideredattentively，orwemaybeentangledinerror。

Cleinias。Proceed。

Ath。Letmeoncemorerecallourdoctrineofrighteducation；which，ifIamnotmistaken，dependsonthedueregulationofconvivialintercourse。

Cle。Youtalkrathergrandly。

Ath。PleasureandpainImaintaintobethefirstperceptionsofchildren，andIsaythattheyaretheformsunderwhichvirtueandviceareoriginallypresenttothem。Astowisdomandtrueandfixedopinions，happyisthemanwhoacquiresthem，evenwhendeclininginyears；andwemaysaythathewhopossessesthem，andtheblessingswhicharecontainedinthem，isaperfectman。NowImeanbyeducationthattrainingwhichisgivenbysuitablehabitstothefirstinstinctsofvirtueinchildren；-whenpleasure，andfriendship，andpain，andhatred，arerightlyimplantedinsoulsnotyetcapableofunderstandingthenatureofthem，andwhofindthem，aftertheyhaveattainedreason，tobeinharmonywithher。Thisharmonyofthesoul，takenasawhole，isvirtue；buttheparticulartraininginrespectofpleasureandpain，whichleadsyoualwaystohatewhatyououghttohate，andlovewhatyououghttolovefromthebeginningoflifetotheend，maybeseparatedoff；and，inmyview，willberightlycallededucation。

Cle。Ithink，Stranger，thatyouarequiterightinallthatyouhavesaidandaresayingabouteducation。