Page - 860 - in The Complete Plato

STRANGER: Yes, very—for all the parts of virtue are commonly said to be friendly to one another. YOUNG SOCRATES: Yes. STRANGER: Then let us carefully investigate whether this is universally true, or whether there are not parts of virtue which are at war with their kindred in some respect. YOUNG SOCRATES: Tell me how we shall consider that question. STRANGER: We must extend our enquiry to all those things which we consider beautiful and at the same time place in two opposite classes. YOUNG SOCRATES: Explain; what are they? STRANGER: Acuteness and quickness, whether in body or soul or in the movement of sound, and the imitations of them which painting and music supply, you must have praised yourself before now, or been present when others praised them. YOUNG SOCRATES: Certainly. STRANGER: And do you remember the terms in which they are praised? YOUNG SOCRATES: I do not. STRANGER: I wonder whether I can explain to you in words the thought which is passing in my mind. YOUNG SOCRATES: Why not? STRANGER: You fancy that this is all so easy: Well, let us consider these notions with reference to the opposite classes of action under which they fall. When we praise quickness and energy and acuteness, whether of mind or body or sound, we express our praise of the quality which we admire by one word, and that one word is manliness or courage. YOUNG SOCRATES: How? STRANGER: We speak of an action as energetic and brave, quick and manly, and vigorous too; and when we apply the name of which I speak as the common attribute of all these natures, we certainly praise them. YOUNG SOCRATES: True. STRANGER: And do we not often praise the quiet strain of action also? YOUNG SOCRATES: To be sure. STRANGER: And do we not then say the opposite of what we said of the other? 860