Timaeus — Plato

fighter all in a day, whether with heavy-armed or any other kind of troops? Yes, he said, the tools which would teach men their own use would be beyond price. And the higher the duties of the guardian, I said, the more time, and skill, and art, and application will be needed by him? No doubt, he replied. Will he not also require natural aptitude for his calling? Certainly.

Then it will be our duty to select, if we can, natures which are fitted for the task of guarding the city? It will. And the selection will be no easy matter, I said ; but we must be brave and do our best. We must. Is not the noble youth very like a well-bred dog in respect 37 of guarding and watching? What do you mean?

I mean that both of them ought to be quick to see, and swift to overtake the enemy when they see him ; and strong too if, when they have caught him, they have to fight with him. All these qualities, he repHed, will certainly be required by them. Well, and your guardian must be brave if he is to fight well? Certainly. And is he likely to be brave who has no spirit, whether horse or dog or any other animal?

Have you never observed how invincible and unconquerable is spirit and how the presence of it makes the soul of any creature to be absolutely fearless and indomitable? I have. Then now we have a clear notion of the bodily qualities which are required in the guardian. True. And also of the mental ones ; his soul is to be full of spirit? Yes. But are not these spirited natures apt to be savage with one another, and with everybody else?

gentle to friends, and dangerous to enemies. 57 A difficulty by no means easy to overcome, he replied. Republic 11. Whereas, I said, they ought to be dangerous to their Sockates, enemies, and gentle to their friends ; if not, they will de- ^^^^^°^- stroy themselves without waiting for their enemies to destroy them. True, he said. What is to be done then?

I said; how shall we find a gentle nature which has also a great spirit, for the one is the contradiction of the other? True. He will not be a good guardian who is wanting in either of The guardian these two qualities; and yet the combination of them appears '""^^""'^f ^ -^ *■ '^ the opposite to be impossible ; and hence we must infer that to be a good qualities of guardian is impossible. gentleness *-' ^ and spirit.

I am afraid that what you say is true, he replied. Here feeling perplexed I began to think over what had preceded. — My friend, I said, no wonder that we are in a perplexity ; for we have lost sight of the image which we had before us. What do you mean? he said. I mean to say that there do exist natures gifted with those opposite quahties. And where do you find them?

Many animals, I replied, furnish examples of them ; our Such a comfriend the do^ is a very good one : you know that well-bred ^'"^"°" ""^y o ./ o y be observed m dogs are perfectly gentle to their familiars and acquaintances, the dog. and the reverse to strangers. Yes, I know. Then there is nothing impossible or out of the order of nature in our finding a guardian who has a similar combination of qualities? Certainly not.

Would not he who is fitted to be a guardian, besides the spirited nature, need to have the qualities of a philosopher? I do not apprehend your meaning. 376 The trait of which I am speaking, I replied, may be also seen in the dog, and is remarkable in the animal. What trait? Why, a dog, whenever he sees a stranger, is angry ; when The dog an acquaintance, he welcomes him, although the one has '^""^"'^ *^

p. 58

The dog a philosopher.

Republic II. Socrates, Glaucon, Adeimantus. friend and enemy by the criterion of knowing and not knowing :

whereby he is shown to be a philosopher.

How are our citizens to be reared and educated?