Page - 1339 - in The Complete Plato
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not quarrel with one another about a word, provided that the proposition
which has just been granted hold good: to wit, that those who are rightly
educated generally become good men. Neither must we cast a slight upon
education, which is the first and fairest thing that the best of men can ever
have, and which, though liable to take a wrong direction, is capable of
reformation. And this work of reformation is the great business of every man
while he lives.
Cleinias. Very true; and we entirely agree with you.
Athenian. And we agreed before that they are good men who are able to
rule themselves, and bad men who are not.
Cleinias. You are quite right.
Athenian. Let me now proceed, if I can, to clear up the subject a little
further by an illustration which I will offer you.
Cleinias. Proceed.
Athenian. Do we not consider each of ourselves to be one?
Cleinias. We do.
Athenian. And each one of us has in his bosom two counsellors, both
foolish and also antagonistic; of which we call the one pleasure, and the other
pain.
Cleinias. Exactly.
Athenian. Also there are opinions about the future, which have the general
name of expectations; and the specific name of fear, when the expectation is
of pain; and of hope, when of pleasure; and further, there is reflection about
the good or evil of them, and this, when embodied in a decree by the State, is
called Law.
Cleinias. I am hardly able to follow you; proceed, however, as if I were.
Megillus. I am in the like case.
Athenian. Let us look at the matter thus: May we not conceive each of us
living beings to be a puppet of the Gods, either their plaything only, or created
with a purpose—which of the two we cannot certainly know? But we do
know, that these affections in us are like cords and strings, which pull us
different and opposite ways, and to opposite actions; and herein lies the
difference between virtue and vice. According to the argument there is one
among these cords which every man ought to grasp and never let go, but to
pull with it against all the rest; and this is the sacred and golden cord of
reason, called by us the common law of the State; there are others which are
1339
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book The Complete Plato"
The Complete Plato
- Title
- The Complete Plato
- Author
- Plato
- Date
- ~347 B.C.
- Language
- English
- License
- PD
- Size
- 21.0 x 29.7 cm
- Pages
- 1612
- Keywords
- Philosophy, Antique, Philosophie, Antike, Dialogues, Metaphysik, Metaphysics, Ideologie, Ideology, Englisch
- Categories
- Geisteswissenschaften
- International