Timaeus — Plato

Republic IX. sockates, Glaucon.

The wise man will employ his energies in freeing and harmonizing the nobler elements of his nature and in regulating his bodily habits.

His first aim not health but harmony of soul.

He will not heap up riches,

3o6

*The city ivhich is in heaven.''

Republic IX. Socrates, Glaucon. and he will only accept such political honours as will not deteriorate his character.

He has a city of his own, and the ideal pattern of this will be the law of his life.

such honours as he deems likely to make him a better man ; 592 but those, whether private or public, which are likely to disorder his life, he will avoid? Then, if that is his motive, he will not be a statesman. By the dog of Egypt, he will! in the city which is his own he certainly will, though in the land of his birth perhaps not, unless he have a divine call. I understand ; you mean that he will be a ruler in the city of which we are the founders, and which exists in idea only ; for I do not believe that there is such an one anywhere on earth? In heaven, I replied, there is laid up a pattern of it, methinks, which he who desires may behold, and beholding, may set his own house in order ^ But whether such an one exists, or ever will exist in fact, is no matter ; for he will live after the manner of that city, having nothing to do with any other. I think so, he said.

' Or * take up his abode there.*

BOOK X.

steph. Of the many excellences which I perceive in the order of 595 our State, there is none which upon reflection pleases me better than the rule about poetry. To what do you refer? To the rejection of imitative poetry, which certainly ought not to be received ; as I see far more clearly now that the parts of the soul have been distinguished. What do you mean? Speaking in confidence, for I should not like to have my words repeated to the tragedians and the rest of the imitative tribe — but I do not mind saying to you, that all poetical imitations are ruinous to the understanding of the hearers, and that the knowledge of their true nature is the only antidote to them. Explain the purport of your remark. Well, I will tell you, although I have always from my earhest youth had an awe and love of Homer, which even now makes the words falter on my lips, for he is the great captain and teacher of the whole of that charming tragic company ; but a man is not to be reverenced more than the truth, and therefore I will speak out. Very good, he said. Listen to me then, or rather, answer me. Put your question. Can you tell me what imitation is? for I really do not know. A likely thing, then, that I should know. 596 Why not? for the duller eye may often see a thing sooner than the keener. Very true, he said ; but in your presence, even if I had any

Republic X. Socrates, Glaucon.

Poetical imitations are ruinous to the mind of the hearer.

The nature of imitation.

3o8

(i) The idea of a bed ; (2) the actual bed ;

Republic X. Socrates, Glaucon.

The idea is one, but the objects comprehended under it are many.

The universal creator an extraordinary person. But note also that everybody is a creator in a sense. For all things may be made by the reflection of them in a mirror.

faint notion, I could not muster courage to utter it. Will you enquire yourself? Well then, shall we begin the enquiry in our usual manner : Whenever a number of individuals have a common name, we assume them to have also a corresponding idea or form : — do you understand me? I do. Let us take any common instance ; there are beds and tables in the world — plenty of them, are there not ? Yes.

But there are only two ideas or forms of them — one the. idea of a bed, the other of a table. True. And the maker of either of them makes a bed or he makes a table for our use, in accordance with the idea — that is our way of speaking in this and similar instances — but no artificer makes the ideas themselves : how could he ? Impossible. And there is another artist, — I should like to know what you would say of him. Who is he?

One who is the maker of all the works of all other workmen. What an extraordinary man! Wait a little,, and there will be more reason for your saying so. For this is he who is able to make not only vessels of every kind, but plants and animals, himself and all other things — the earth and heaven, and the things which are in heaven or under the earth ; he makes the gods also. He must be a wizard and no mistake. Oh! you are incredulous, are you?

Do you mean that there is no such maker or creator, or that in one sense there might be a maker of all these things but in another not? Do you see that there is a way in which you could make them all yourself? What way?

An easy way enough ; or rather, there are many ways in which the feat might be quickly and easily accomplished, none quicker than that of turning a mirror round and round — you would soon enough make the sun and the heavens, and the earth and yourself, and other animals and plants, and