下载辰思小说免费APP
Ath。ShallItryandfindsomesortofpersuasiveargumentwhichwillprovetoyouthatsuchenactmentsarepossible，andnotbeyondhumannature？
Cle。Byallmeans。
Ath。Isamanmorelikelytoabstainfromthepleasuresofloveandtodowhatheisbiddenaboutthem，whenhisbodyisinagoodcondition，orwhenheisinanillcondition，andoutoftraining？
Cle。Hewillbefarmoretemperatewhenheisintraining。
Ath。AndhavewenotheardofIccusofTarentum，who，withaviewtotheOlympicandothercontests，inhiszealforhisart，indalsobecausehewasofamanlyandtemperatedisposition，neverhadanyconnectionwithawomanorayouthduringthewholetimeofhistraining？AndthesameissaidofCrisonandAstylusandDiopompusandmanyothers；andyet，Cleinias，theywerefarworseeducatedintheirmindsthanyourandmycitizens，andintheirbodiesfarmorelusty。
Cle。Nodoubtthisfacthasbeenoftenaffirmedpositivelybytheancientsoftheseathletes。
Ath。Andhadthey；couragetoabstainfromwhatisordinarillydeemedapleasureforthesakeofavictoryinwrestling，running，andthelike；andshallouryoungmenbeincapableofasimilarenduranceforthesakeofamuchnoblervictory，whichisthenoblestofall，asfromtheiryouthupwardswewilltellthem，charmingthem，aswehope，intothebeliefofthisbytalesandsayingsandsongs？
Cle。Ofwhatvictoryareyouspeaking？
Ath。Ofthevictoryoverpleasure，whichiftheywin，theywilllivehappily；oriftheyareconquered，thereverseofhappily。And，further，maywenotsupposethatthefearofimpietywillenablethemtomasterthatwhichotherinferiorpeoplehavemastered？
Cle。Idaresay。
Ath。Andsincewehavereachedthispointinourlegislation，andhavefallenintoadifficultybyreasonofthevicesofmankind，I
affirmthatourordinanceshouldsimplyruninthefollowingterms：
Ourcitizensoughtnottofallbelowthenatureofbirdsandbeastsingeneral，whoareborningreatmultitudes，andyetremainuntiltheageforprocreationvirginandunmarried，butwhentheyhavereachedthepropertimeoflifearecoupled，maleandfemale，andlovinglypairtogether，andlivetherestoftheirlivesinholinessandinnocence，abidingfirmlyintheiroriginalcompact：-surely，wewillsaytothem，youshouldbebetterthantheanimals。ButiftheyarecorruptedbytheotherHellenesandthecommonpracticeofbarbarians，andtheyseewiththeireyesandhearwiththeirearsoftheso-calledfreeloveeverywhereprevailingamongthem，andtheythemselvesarenotabletogetthebetterofthetemptation，theguardiansofthelaw，exercisingthefunctionsoflawgivers，shalldeviseasecondlawagainstthem。
Cle。Andwhatlawwouldyouadvisethemtopassifthisonefailed？
Ath。Clearly，Cleinias，theonewhichwouldnaturallyfollow。
Cle。Whatisthat？
Ath。Ourcitizensshouldnotallowpleasurestostrengthenwithindulgence，butshouldbytoildivertthealimentandexuberanceofthemintootherpartsofthebody；andthiswillhappenifnoimmodestybeallowedinthepracticeoflove。Thentheywillbeashamedoffrequentintercourse，andtheywillfindpleasure，ifseldomenjoyed，tobealessimperiousmistress。Theyshouldnotbefoundoutdoinganythingofthesort。Concealmentshallbehonourable，andsanctionedbycustomandmadelawbyunwrittenprescription；ontheotherhand，tobedetectedshallbeesteemeddishonourable，butnot，toabstainwholly。Inthiswaytherewillbeasecondlegalstandardofhonourableanddishonourable，involvingasecondnotionofright。Threeprincipleswillcomprehendallthosecorruptnatureswhomwecallinferiortothemselves，andwhoformbutonedass，andwillcompelthemnottotransgress。
Cle。Whatarethey？
Ath。Theprincipleofpiety，theloveofhonour，andthedesireofbeauty，notinthebodybutinthesoul。Theseare，perhaps，romanticaspirations；buttheyarethenoblestofaspirations，iftheycouldonlyberealizedinallstates，and，Godwilling，inthematteroflovewemaybeabletoenforceoneoftwothings-eitherthatnooneshallventuretotouchanypersonofthefreebornornobleclassexcepthisweddedwife，orso
