Page - 1339 - in The Complete Plato

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