第10章
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  Exactly——

  Evenso,asImaintain,neitherwenorourguardians,whomwehavetoeducate,caneverbecomemusicaluntilweandtheyknowtheessentialforms,inalltheircombinations,andcanrecognisethemandtheirimageswherevertheyarefound,notslightingthemeitherinsmallthingsorgreat,butbelievingthemalltobewithinthesphereofoneartandstudy。

  Mostassuredly。

  Andwhenabeautifulsoulharmoniseswithabeautifulform,andthetwoarecastinonemould,thatwillbethefairestofsightstohimwhohasaneyetoseeit?

  Thefairestindeed。

  Andthefairestisalsotheloveliest?

  Thatmaybeassumed。

  Andthemanwhohasthespiritofharmonywillbemostinlovewiththeloveliest;buthewillnotlovehimwhoisofaninharmonioussoul?

  Thatistrue,hereplied,ifthedeficiencybeinhissoul;butiftherebeanymerelybodilydefectinanotherhewillbepatientofit,andwillloveallthesame。

  Iperceive,Isaid,thatyouhaveorhavehadexperiencesofthissort,andIagree。Butletmeaskyouanotherquestion:Hasexcessofpleasureanyaffinitytotemperance?

  Howcanthatbe?hereplied;pleasuredeprivesamanoftheuseofhisfacultiesquiteasmuchaspain。

  Oranyaffinitytovirtueingeneral?

  Nonewhatever。

  Anyaffinitytowantonnessandintemperance?

  Yes,thegreatest。

  Andisthereanygreaterorkeenerpleasurethanthatofsensuallove?

  No,noramadder。

  Whereastrueloveisaloveofbeautyandorder——temperateandharmonious?

  Quitetrue,hesaid。

  Thennointemperanceormadnessshouldbeallowedtoapproachtruelove?

  Certainlynot。

  Thenmadorintemperatepleasuremustneverbeallowedtocomeneartheloverandhisbeloved;neitherofthemcanhaveanypartinitiftheirloveisoftherightsort?

  No,indeed,Socrates,itmustnevercomenearthem。

  ThenIsupposethatinthecitywhichwearefoundingyouwouldmakealawtotheeffectthatafriendshouldusenootherfamiliaritytohislovethanafatherwouldusetohisson,andthenonlyforanoblepurpose,andhemustfirsthavetheother’sconsent;andthisruleistolimithiminallhisintercourse,andheisnevertobeseengoingfurther,or,ifheexceeds,heistobedeemedguiltyofcoarsenessandbadtaste。

  Iquiteagree,hesaid。

  Thusmuchofmusic,whichmakesafairending;forwhatshouldbetheendofmusicifnottheloveofbeauty?

  Iagree,hesaid。

  Aftermusiccomesgymnastic,inwhichouryoutharenexttobetrained。

  Certainly。

  Gymnasticaswellasmusicshouldbegininearlyyears;thetraininginitshouldbecarefulandshouldcontinuethroughlife。Nowmybeliefis,——andthisisamatteruponwhichIshouldliketohaveyouropinioninconfirmationofmyown,butmyownbeliefis,——notthatthegoodbodybyanybodilyexcellenceimprovesthesoul,but,onthecontrary,thatthegoodsoul,byherownexcellence,improvesthebodyasfarasthismaybepossible。Whatdoyousay?

  Yes,Iagree。

  Then,tothemindwhenadequatelytrained,weshallberightinhandingoverthemoreparticularcareofthebody;andinordertoavoidprolixitywewillnowonlygivethegeneraloutlinesofthesubject。

  Verygood。

  Thattheymustabstainfromintoxicationhasbeenalreadyremarkedbyus;forofallpersonsaguardianshouldbethelasttogetdrunkandnotknowwhereintheworldheis。

  Yes,hesaid;thataguardianshouldrequireanotherguardiantotakecareofhimisridiculousindeed。

  Butnext,whatshallwesayoftheirfood;forthemenareintrainingforthegreatcontestofall——aretheynot?

  Yes,hesaid。

  Andwillthehabitofbodyofourordinaryathletesbesuitedtothem?

  Whynot?

  Iamafraid,Isaid,thatahabitofbodysuchastheyhaveisbutasleepysortofthing,andratherperiloustohealth。Doyounotobservethattheseathletessleepawaytheirlives,andareliabletomostdangerousillnessesiftheydepart,ineversoslightadegree,fromtheircustomaryregimen?

  Yes,Ido。

  Then,Isaid,afinersortoftrainingwillberequiredforourwarriorathletes,whoaretobelikewakefuldogs,andtoseeandhearwiththeutmostkeenness;amidthemanychangesofwaterandalsooffood,ofsummerheatandwintercold,whichtheywillhavetoendurewhenonacampaign,theymustnotbeliabletobreakdowninhealth。

  Thatismyview。

  Thereallyexcellentgymnasticistwinsisterofthatsimplemusicwhichwewerejustnowdescribing。

  Howso?

  Why,Iconceivethatthereisagymnasticwhich,likeourmusic,issimpleandgood;andespeciallythemilitarygymnastic。

  Whatdoyoumean?

  MymeaningmaybelearnedfromHomer;he,youknow,feedshisheroesattheirfeasts,whentheyarecampaigning,onsoldiers’fare;theyhavenofish,althoughtheyareontheshoresoftheHellespont,andtheyarenotallowedboiledmeatsbutonlyroast,whichisthefoodmostconvenientforsoldiers,requiringonlythattheyshouldlightafire,andnotinvolvingthetroubleofcarryingaboutpotsandpans。

  True。

  AndIcanhardlybemistakeninsayingthatsweetsaucesarenowherementionedinHomer。Inproscribingthem,however,heisnotsingular;allprofessionalathletesarewellawarethatamanwhoistobeingoodconditionshouldtakenothingofthekind。

  Yes,hesaid;andknowingthis,theyarequiterightinnottakingthem。

  ThenyouwouldnotapproveofSyracusandinners,andtherefinementsofSiciliancookery?

  Ithinknot。

  Nor,ifamanistobeincondition,wouldyouallowhimtohaveaCorinthiangirlashisfairfriend?

  Certainlynot。

  Neitherwouldyouapproveofthedelicacies,astheyarethought,ofAthenianconfectionery?

  Certainlynot。

  Allsuchfeedingandlivingmayberightlycomparedbyustomelodyandsongcomposedinthepanharmonicstyle,andinalltherhythms。Exactly。

  Therecomplexityengenderedlicense,andheredisease;whereassimplicityinmusicwastheparentoftemperanceinthesoul;andsimplicityingymnasticofhealthinthebody。

  Mosttrue,hesaid。

  ButwhenintemperanceanddiseasemultiplyinaState,hallsofjusticeandmedicinearealwaysbeingopened;andtheartsofthedoctorandthelawyergivethemselvesairs,findinghowkeenistheinterestwhichnotonlytheslavesbutthefreemenofacitytakeaboutthem。

  Ofcourse。

  Andyetwhatgreaterproofcantherebeofabadanddisgracefulstateofeducationthanthis,thatnotonlyartisansandthemeanersortofpeopleneedtheskilloffirst—ratephysiciansandjudges,butalsothosewhowouldprofesstohavehadaliberaleducation?Isitnotdisgraceful,andagreatsignofwantofgood—breeding,thatamanshouldhavetogoabroadforhislawandphysicbecausehehasnoneofhisownathome,andmustthereforesurrenderhimselfintothehandsofothermenwhomhemakeslordsandjudgesoverhim?

  Ofallthings,hesaid,themostdisgraceful。

  Wouldyousay’most,’Ireplied,whenyouconsiderthatthereisafurtherstageoftheevilinwhichamanisnotonlyalife—longlitigant,passingallhisdaysinthecourts,eitherasplaintiffordefendant,butisactuallyledbyhisbadtastetopridehimselfonhislitigiousness;heimaginesthatheisamasterindishonesty;abletotakeeverycrookedturn,andwriggleintoandoutofeveryhole,bendinglikeawithyandgettingoutofthewayofjustice:andallforwhat?——inordertogainsmallpointsnotworthmentioning,henotknowingthatsotoorderhislifeastobeabletodowithoutanappingjudgeisafarhigherandnoblersortofthing。Isnotthatstillmoredisgraceful?

  Yes,hesaid,thatisstillmoredisgraceful。

  Well,Isaid,andtorequirethehelpofmedicine,notwhenawoundhastobecured,oronoccasionofanepidemic,butjustbecause,byindolenceandahabitoflifesuchaswehavebeendescribing,menfillthemselveswithwatersandwinds,asiftheirbodieswereamarsh,compellingtheingenioussonsofAsclepiustofindmorenamesfordiseases,suchasflatulenceandcatarrh;isnotthis,too,adisgrace?

  Yes,hesaid,theydocertainlygiveverystrangeandnewfanglednamestodiseases。

  Yes,Isaid,andIdonotbelievethattherewereanysuchdiseasesinthedaysofAsclepius;andthisIinferfromthecircumstancethattheheroEurypylus,afterhehasbeenwoundedinHomer,drinksapossetofPramnianwinewellbesprinkledwithbarley—mealandgratedcheese,whicharecertainlyinflammatory,andyetthesonsofAsclepiuswhowereattheTrojanwardonotblamethedamselwhogiveshimthedrink,orrebukePatroclus,whoistreatinghiscase。

  Well,hesaid,thatwassurelyanextraordinarydrinktobegiventoapersoninhiscondition。

  Notsoextraordinary,Ireplied,ifyoubearinmindthatinformerdays,asiscommonlysaid,beforethetimeofHerodicus,theguildofAsclepiusdidnotpractiseourpresentsystemofmedicine,whichmaybesaidtoeducatediseases。ButHerodicus,beingatrainer,andhimselfofasicklyconstitution,byacombinationoftraininganddoctoringfoundoutawayoftorturingfirstandchieflyhimself,andsecondlytherestoftheworld。

  Howwasthat?hesaid。

  Bytheinventionoflingeringdeath;forhehadamortaldiseasewhichheperpetuallytended,andasrecoverywasoutofthequestion,hepassedhisentirelifeasavaletudinarian;hecoulddonothingbutattenduponhimself,andhewasinconstanttormentwheneverhedepartedinanythingfromhisusualregimen,andsodyinghard,bythehelpofsciencehestruggledontooldage。

  Ararerewardofhisskill!

  Yes,Isaid;arewardwhichamanmightfairlyexpectwhoneverunderstoodthat,ifAsclepiusdidnotinstructhisdescendantsinvaletudinarianarts,theomissionarose,notfromignoranceorinexperienceofsuchabranchofmedicine,butbecauseheknewthatinallwell—orderedstateseveryindividualhasanoccupationtowhichhemustattend,andhasthereforenoleisuretospendincontinuallybeingill。Thisweremarkinthecaseoftheartisan,but,ludicrouslyenough,donotapplythesameruletopeopleoftherichersort。

  Howdoyoumean?hesaid。

  Imeanthis:Whenacarpenterisillheasksthephysicianforaroughandreadycure;anemeticorapurgeoracauteryortheknife,——thesearehisremedies。Andifsomeoneprescribesforhimacourseofdietetics,andtellshimthathemustswatheandswaddlehishead,andallthatsortofthing,herepliesatoncethathehasnotimetobeill,andthatheseesnogoodinalifewhichisspentinnursinghisdiseasetotheneglectofhiscustomaryemployment;andthereforebiddinggood—byetothissortofphysician,heresumeshisordinaryhabits,andeithergetswellandlivesanddoeshisbusiness,or,ifhisconstitutionfalls,hediesandhasnomoretrouble。

  Yes,hesaid,andamaninhisconditionoflifeoughttousetheartofmedicinethusfaronly。

  Hashenot,Isaid,anoccupation;andwhatprofitwouldtherebeinhislifeifheweredeprivedofhisoccupation?

  Quitetrue,hesaid。

  Butwiththerichmanthisisotherwise;ofhimwedonotsaythathehasanyspeciallyappointedworkwhichhemustperform,ifhewouldlive。

  Heisgenerallysupposedtohavenothingtodo。

  ThenyouneverheardofthesayingofPhocylides,thatassoonasamanhasalivelihoodheshouldpractisevirtue?

  Nay,hesaid,Ithinkthathehadbetterbeginsomewhatsooner。

  Letusnothaveadisputewithhimaboutthis,Isaid;butratheraskourselves:Isthepracticeofvirtueobligatoryontherichman,orcanhelivewithoutit?Andifobligatoryonhim,thenletusraiseafurtherquestion,whetherthisdietingofdisorderswhichisanimpedimenttotheapplicationofthemindtincarpenteringandthemechanicalarts,doesnotequallystandinthewayofthesentimentofPhocylides?

  Ofthat,hereplied,therecanbenodoubt;suchexcessivecareofthebody,whencarriedbeyondtherulesofgymnastic,ismostinimicaltothepracticeofvirtue。

  Yes,indeed,Ireplied,andequallyincompatiblewiththemanagementofahouse,anarmy,oranofficeofstate;and,whatismostimportantofall,irreconcilablewithanykindofstudyorthoughtorself—reflection——thereisaconstantsuspicionthatheadacheandgiddinessaretobeascribedtophilosophy,andhenceallpractisingormakingtrialofvirtueinthehighersenseisabsolutelystopped;

  foramanisalwaysfancyingthatheisbeingmadeill,andisinconstantanxietyaboutthestateofhisbody。

  Yes,likelyenough。

  AndthereforeourpoliticAsclepiusmaybesupposedtohaveexhibitedthepowerofhisartonlytopersonswho,beinggenerallyofhealthyconstitutionandhabitsoflife,hadadefiniteailment;

  suchasthesehecuredbypurgesandoperations,andbadethemliveasusual,hereinconsultingtheinterestsoftheState;butbodieswhichdiseasehadpenetratedthroughandthroughhewouldnothaveattemptedtocurebygradualprocessesofevacuationandinfusion:

  hedidnotwanttolengthenoutgood—for—nothinglives,ortohaveweakfathersbegettingweakersons;——ifamanwasnotabletoliveintheordinarywayhehadnobusinesstocurehim;forsuchacurewouldhavebeenofnouseeithertohimself,ortotheState。

  Then,hesaid,youregardAsclepiusasastatesman。

  Clearly;andhischaracterisfurtherillustratedbyhissons。

  NotethattheywereheroesinthedaysofoldandpractisedthemedicinesofwhichIamspeakingatthesiegeofTroy:Youwillrememberhow,whenPandaruswoundedMenelaus,theySuckedthebloodoutofthewound,andsprinkledsoothingremedies,buttheyneverprescribedwhatthepatientwasafterwardstoeatordrinkinthecaseofMenelaus,anymorethaninthecaseofEurypylus;

  theremedies,astheyconceived,wereenoughtohealanymanwhobeforehewaswoundedwashealthyandregularinhabits;andeventhoughhedidhappentodrinkapossetofPramnianwine,hemightgetwellallthesame。Buttheywouldhavenothingtodowithunhealthyandintemperatesubjects,whoseliveswereofnouseeithertothemselvesorothers;theartofmedicinewasnotdesignedfortheirgood,andthoughtheywereasrichasMidas,thesonsofAsclepiuswouldhavedeclinedtoattendthem。

  Theywereveryacutepersons,thosesonsofAsclepius。

  Naturallyso,Ireplied。Nevertheless,thetragediansandPindardisobeyingourbehests,althoughtheyacknowledgethatAsclepiuswasthesonofApollo,sayalsothathewasbribedintohealingarichmanwhowasatthepointofdeath,andforthisreasonhewasstruckbylightning。Butwe,inaccordancewiththeprinciplealreadyaffirmedbyus,willnotbelievethemwhentheytellusboth;——ifhewasthesonofagod,wemaintainthathdwasnotavaricious;or,ifhewasavaricioushewasnotthesonofagod。

  Allthat,Socrates,isexcellent;butIshouldliketoputaquestiontoyou:OughttherenottobegoodphysiciansinaState,andarenotthebestthosewhohavetreatedthegreatestnumberofconstitutionsgoodandbad?andarenotthebestjudgesinlikemannerthosewhoareacquaintedwithallsortsofmoralnatures?

  Yes,Isaid,Itoowouldhavegoodjudgesandgoodphysicians。ButdoyouknowwhomIthinkgood?

  Willyoutellme?

  Iwill,ifIcan。Letmehowevernotethatinthesamequestionyoujointwothingswhicharenotthesame。

  Howso?heasked。

  Why,Isaid,youjoinphysiciansandjudges。Nowthemostskilfulphysiciansarethosewho,fromtheiryouthupwards,havecombinedwiththeknowledgeoftheirartthegreatestexperienceofdisease;theyhadbetternotberobustinhealth,andshouldhavehadallmannerofdiseasesintheirownpersons。Forthebody,asIconceive,isnottheinstrumentwithwhichtheycurethebody;inthatcasewecouldnotallowthemevertobeortohavebeensickly;buttheycurethebodywiththemind,andthemindwhichhasbecomeandissickcancurenothing。

  Thatisverytrue,hesaid。

  Butwiththejudgeitisotherwise;sincehegovernsmindbymind;

  heoughtnotthereforetohavebeentrainedamongviciousminds,andtohaveassociatedwiththemfromyouthupwards,andtohavegonethroughthewholecalendarofcrime,onlyinorderthathemayquicklyinferthecrimesofothersashemighttheirbodilydiseasesfromhisownself—consciousness;thehonourablemindwhichistoformahealthyjudgmentshouldhavehadnoexperienceorcontaminationofevilhabitswhenyoung。Andthisisthereasonwhyinyouthgoodmenoftenappeartobesimple,andareeasilypractiseduponbythedishonest,becausetheyhavenoexamplesofwhatevilisintheirownsouls。

  Yes,hesaid,theyarefartooapttobedeceived。

  Therefore,Isaid,thejudgeshouldnotbeyoung;heshouldhavelearnedtoknowevil,notfromhisownsoul,butfromlateandlongobservationofthenatureofevilinothers:knowledgeshouldbehisguide,notpersonalexperience。

  Yes,hesaid,thatistheidealofajudge。

  Yes,Ireplied,andhewillbeagoodman(whichismyanswertoyourquestion);forheisgoodwhohasagoodsoul。Butthecunningandsuspiciousnatureofwhichwespoke,——hewhohascommittedmanycrimes,andfancieshimselftobeamasterinwickedness,whenheisamongsthisfellows,iswonderfulintheprecautionswhichhetakes,becausehejudgesofthembyhimself:butwhenhegetsintothecompanyofmenofvirtue,whohavetheexperienceofage,heappearstobeafoolagain,owingtohisunseasonablesuspicions;hecannotrecogniseanhonestman,becausehehasnopatternofhonestyinhimself;atthesametime,asthebadaremorenumerousthanthegood,andhemeetswiththemoftener,hethinkshimself,andisbyothersthoughttobe,ratherwisethanfoolish。

  Mosttrue,hesaid。

  Thenthegoodandwisejudgewhomweareseekingisnotthisman,buttheother;forvicecannotknowvirtuetoo,butavirtuousnature,educatedbytime,willacquireaknowledgebothofvirtueandvice:

  thevirtuous,andnotthevicious,manhaswisdom——inmyopinion。

  Andinminealso。

  Thisisthesortofmedicine,andthisisthesortoflaw,whichyousanctioninyourState。Theywillministertobetternatures,givinghealthbothofsoulandofbody;butthosewhoarediseasedintheirbodiestheywillleavetodie,andthecorruptandincurablesoulstheywillputanendtothemselves。

  ThatisclearlythebestthingbothforthepatientsandfortheState。

  Andthusouryouth,havingbeeneducatedonlyinthatsimplemusicwhich,aswesaid,inspirestemperance,willbereluctanttogotolaw。

  Clearly。

  Andthemusician,who,keepingtothesametrack,iscontenttopractisethesimplegymnastic,willhavenothingtodowithmedicineunlessinsomeextremecase。

  ThatIquitebelieve。

  Theveryexercisesandtollswhichheundergoesareintendedtostimulatethespiritedelementofhisnature,andnottoincreasehisstrength;hewillnot,likecommonathletes,useexerciseandregimentodevelophismuscles。

  Veryright,hesaid。

  Neitherarethetwoartsofmusicandgymnasticreallydesigned,asisoftensupposed,theoneforthetrainingofthesoul,theotherfirthetrainingofthebody。

  Whatthenistherealobjectofthem?

  Ibelieve,Isaid,thattheteachersofbothhaveinviewchieflytheimprovementofthesoul。

  Howcanthatbe?heasked。

  Didyouneverobserve,Isaid,theeffectontheminditselfofexclusivedevotiontogymnastic,ortheoppositeeffectofanexclusivedevotiontomusic?

  Inwhatwayshown?hesaid。

  Theoneproducingatemperofhardnessandferocity,theotherofsoftnessandeffeminacy,Ireplied。

  Yes,hesaid,Iamquiteawarethatthemereathletebecomestoomuchofasavage,andthatthemeremusicianismeltedandsoftenedbeyondwhatisgoodforhim。

  Yetsurely,Isaid,thisferocityonlycomesfromspirit,which,ifrightlyeducated,wouldgivecourage,but,iftoomuchintensified,isliabletobecomehardandbrutal。

  ThatIquitethink。

  Ontheotherhandthephilosopherwillhavethequalityofgentleness。Andthisalso,whentoomuchindulged,willturntosoftness,but,ifeducatedrightly,willbegentleandmoderate。

  True。

  Andinouropiniontheguardiansoughttohaveboththesequalities?

  Assuredly。

  Andbothshouldbeinharmony?

  Beyondquestion。

  Andtheharmonioussoulisbothtemperateandcourageous?

  Yes。

  Andtheinharmoniousiscowardlyandboorish?

  Verytrue。

  And,whenamanallowsmusictoplayuponhimandtopourintohissoulthroughthefunnelofhisearsthosesweetandsoftandmelancholyairsofwhichwewerejustnowspeaking,andhiswholelifeispassedinwarblingandthedelightsofsong;inthefirststageoftheprocessthepassionorspiritwhichisinhimistemperedlikeiron,andmadeuseful,insteadofbrittleanduseless。But,ifhecarriesonthesofteningandsoothingprocess,inthenextstagehebeginstomeltandwaste,untilhehaswastedawayhisspiritandcutoutthesinewsofhissoul;andhebecomesafeeblewarrior。

  Verytrue。

  Iftheelementofspiritisnaturallyweakinhimthechangeisspeedilyaccomplished,butifhehaveagooddeal,thenthepowerofmusicweakeningthespiritrendershimexcitable;——ontheleastprovocationheflamesupatonce,andisspeedilyextinguished;

  insteadofhavingspirithegrowsirritableandpassionateandisquiteimpracticable。

  Exactly。

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