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Ath。Butiftheyareabsolutelyincommensurable，andyetallofusregardthemascommensurable，havewenotreasontobeashamedofourcompatriots；andmightwenotsaytothem：-OyebestofHellenes，isnotthisoneofthethingsofwhichweweresayingthatnottoknowthemisdisgraceful，andofwhichtohaveabareknowledgeonlyisnogreatdistinction？
Cle。Certainly。
Ath。Andthereareotherthingsakintothese，inwhichtherespringupothererrorsofthesamefamily。
Cle。Whatarethey？
Ath。Thenaturesofcommensurableandincommensurablequantitiesintheirrelationtooneanother。Amanwhoisgoodforathingoughttobeable，whenhethinks，todistinguishthem；anddifferentpersonsshouldcompetewithoneanotherinaskingquestions，whichwillbeafair，betterandmoregracefulwayofpassingtheirtimethantheoldman’sgameofdraughts。
Cle。Idaresay；andthesepastimesarenotsoveryunlikeagameofdraughts。
Ath。Andthese，asImaintain，Cleinias，arethestudieswhichouryouthoughttolearn，fortheyareinnocentandnotdifficult；thelearningofthemwillbeanamusement，andtheywillbenefitthestate。Ifanyoneisofanothermind，lethimsaywhathehastosay。
Cle。Certainly。
Ath。Thenifthesestudiesaresuchaswemaintainwewillincludethem；ifnot，theyshallbeexcluded。
Cle。Assuredly：butmaywenotnow，Stranger，prescribethesestudiesasnecessary，andsofillupthelacunaeofourlaws？
Ath。Theyshallberegardedaspledgeswhichmaybehereafterredeemedandremovedfromourstate，iftheydonotpleaseeitheruswhogivethem，oryouwhoacceptthem。
Cle。Afaircondition。
Ath。Nextletusseewhetherweareorarenotwillingthatthestudyofastronomyshallbeproposedforouryouth。
Cle。Proceed。
Ath。Hereoccursastrangephenomenon，whichcertainlycannotinanypointofviewbetolerated。
Cle。Towhatareyoureferring？
Ath。MensaythatweoughtnottoenquireintothesupremeGodandthenatureoftheuniverse，norbusyourselvesinsearchingoutthecausesofthings，andthatsuchenquiriesareimpious；whereastheveryoppositeisthetruth。
Cle。Whatdoyoumean？
Ath。PerhapswhatIamsayingmayseemparadoxical，andatvariancewiththeusuallanguageofage。ButwhenanyonehasanygoodandtruenotionwhichisfortheadvantageofthestateandineverywayacceptabletoGod，hecannotabstainfromexpressingit。
Cle。Yourwordsarereasonableenough；butshallwefindanygoodortruenotionaboutthestars？
Ath。Mygoodfriends，atthishourallofusHellenestelllies，ifImayusesuchanexpression，aboutthosegreatGods，theSunandtheMoon。
Cle。Liesofwhatnature？
Ath。Wesaythattheyanddiversotherstarsdonotkeepthesamepath，andwecallthemplanetsorwanderers。
Cle。Verytrue，Stranger；andinthecourseofmylifeIhaveoftenmyselfseenthemorningstarandtheeveningstaranddiversothersnotmovingintheiraccustomedcourse，butwanderingoutoftheirpathinallmannerofways，andIhaveseenthesunandmoondoingwhatweallknowthattheydo。
Ath。Justso，MegillusandCleinias；andImaintainthatourcitizensandouryouthoughttolearnaboutthenatureoftheGodsinheaven，sofarastobeabletooffersacrificesandpraytotheminpiouslanguage，andnottoblasphemeaboutthem。
Cle。Thereyouarerightifsuchaknowledgebeonlyattainable；andifwearewronginourmodeofspeakingnow，andcanbebetterinstructedandlearntousebetterlanguage，thenIquiteagreewithyouthatsuchadegreeofknowledgeaswillenableustospeakrightlyshouldbeacquiredbyus。Andnowdoyoutrytoexplaintousyourwholemeaning，andwe，onourpart，willendeavourtounderstandyou。
Ath。Thereissomedifficultyinunderstandingmymeaning，butnotaverygreatone，norwillanygreatlengthoftimeberequired。AndofthisIammyselfaproof；forIdidnotknowthesethingslongago，norinthedaysofmyyouth，andyetIcanexplainthemtoyouinabriefspaceoftime；whereasiftheyhadbeendifficultIcouldcertainlyneverhaveexplainedthemall，oldasIam，tooldmenlikeyourselves。
Cle。True；butwhatisthisstudywhichyoudescribeaswonderfulandfittingforyouthtolearn，butofwhichweareignorant？Tryandexplainthenatureofittou
