Dialogues

change of the winds or other celestial influences, something else happened to be better for them⁠—would he not venture to suggest this new remedy, although not contemplated in his former prescription? Would he persist in observing the original law, neither himself giving any new commandments, nor the patient daring to do otherwise than was prescribed, under the idea that this course only was healthy and medicinal, all others noxious and heterodox? Viewed in the light of science and true art, would not all such enactments be utterly ridiculous? Young Socrates Utterly. Stranger And if he who gave laws, written or unwritten, determining what was good or bad, honourable or dishonourable, just or unjust, to the tribes of men who flock together in their several cities, and are governed in accordance with them; if, I say, the wise legislator were suddenly to come again, or another like to him, is he to be prohibited from changing them?⁠—would not this prohibition be in reality quite as ridiculous as the other? Young Socrates Certainly. Stranger Do you know a plausible saying of the common people which is in point? Young Socrates I do not recall what you mean at the moment. Stranger They say that if anyone knows how the ancient laws may be improved, he must first persuade his own State of the improvement, and then he may legislate, but not otherwise. Young Socrates And are they not right? Stranger I dare say. But supposing that he does use some gentle violence for their good, what is this violence to be called? Or rather, before you answer, let me ask the same question in reference to our previous instances. Young Socrates What do you mean? Stranger Suppose that a skilful physician has a patient, of whatever sex or age, whom he compels against his will to do something for his good which is contrary to the written rules; what is this compulsion to be called? Would you ever dream of calling it a violation of the art, or a breach of the laws of health? Nothing could be more unjust than for the patient to whom such violence is applied, to charge the physician who practises the violence with wanting skill or aggravating his disease. Young Socrates Most true. Stranger In the political art error is not called disease, but evil, or disgrace, or injustice. Young Socrates Quite true. Stranger And when the citizen, contrary to law and custom, is compelled to do what is juster and better and nobler than he did before, the last and most absurd thing which he could say about such violence is that he has incurred disgrace or evil or injustice at the hands of those who compelled him. Young Socrates Very true. Stranger And shall we say that the violence, if exercised by a rich man, is just, and if by a poor man, unjust? May not any man, rich or poor, with or without laws, with the will of the citizens or against the will of the citizens, do what is for their interest? Is not this the true principle of government, according to which the wise and good man will order the affairs of his subjects? As the pilot, by watching continually over the interests of the ship and of the crew⁠—not by laying down rules, but by making his art a law⁠—preserves the lives of his fellow-sailors, even so, and in the selfsame way, may there not be a true form of polity created by those who are able to govern in a similar spirit, and who show a strength of art which is superior to the law? Nor can wise rulers ever err while they observing the one great rule of distributing justice to the citizens with intelligence and skill, are able to preserve them, and, as far as may be, to make them better from being worse. Young Socrates No one can deny what has been now said. Stranger Neither, if you consider, can anyone deny the other statement. Young Socrates What was it? Stranger We said that no great number of persons, whoever they may be, can attain political knowledge, or order a State wisely, but that the true government is to be found in a small body, or in an individual, and that other States are but imitations of this, as we said a little while ago, some for the better and some for the worse. Young Socrates What do you mean? I cannot have understood your previous remark about imitations. Stranger And yet the mere suggestion which I hastily threw out is highly important, even if we leave the question where it is, and do not seek by the discussion of it to expose the error which prevails in this matter. Young Socrates What do you mean? Stranger The idea which has to be grasped by us is not easy or familiar; but we may attempt to express it thus:⁠—Supposing the government of which I have been speaking to be the only true model, then the others must use the written laws of this⁠—in no other way can they be saved; they will have to do what is now generally approved, although not the best thing in the world. Young Socrates What is this? Stranger No citizen should do anything contrary to the laws, and any infringement of them should be punished with death and the most extreme penalties; and this is very right and good when regarded as the second best thing, if you set aside the first, of which I was just now speaking. Shall I explain the nature of what I call the second best? Young Socrates By all means. Stranger I must again have recourse to my favourite images; through them, and them alone, can I describe kings and rulers. Young Socrates What images? Stranger The noble pilot and the wise physician, who “is worth many another man’⁠—in the similitude of these let us endeavour to discover some image of the king. Young Socrates What sort of an image? Stranger Well, such as this:⁠—Every man will reflect that he suffers strange things at the hands of both of them; the physician saves any whom