按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Y。 Soc。 How？
Str。 You remember how that part of the art of knowledge which was
concerned with command； had to do with the rearing of living
creatures；…I mean； with animals in herds？
Y。 Soc。 Yes。
Str。 In that case； there was already implied a division of all
animals into tame and wild； those whose nature can be tamed
are called
tame； and those which cannot be tamed are called wild。
Y。 Soc。 True。
Str。 And the political science of which we are in search； is and
ever was concerned with tame animals； and is also confined to
gregarious animals。
Y。 Soc。 Yes。
Str。 But then ought not to divide； as we did； taking the
whole class
at once。 Neither let us be in too great haste to arrive
quickly at the
political science； for this mistake has already brought upon us the
misfortune of which the proverb speaks。
Y。 Soc。 What misfortune？
Str。 The misfortune of too much haste； which is too little speed。
Y。 Soc。 And all the better； Stranger；…we got what we deserved。
Str。 Very well： Let us then begin again； and endeavour to
divide the
collective rearing of animals； for probably the completion of the
argument will best show what you are so anxious to know。 Tell me；
then…
Y。 Soc。 What？
Str。 Have you ever heard； as you very likely may…for I do not
suppose that you ever actually visited them…of the preserves
of fishes
in the Nile； and in the ponds of the Great King； or you may have
seen similar preserves in wells at home？
Y。 Soc。 Yes； to be sure； I have seen them； and I have often heard
the others described。
Str。 And you may have heard also； and may have been…assured by
report； although you have not travelled in those regions； of
nurseries
of geese and cranes in the plains of Thessaly？
Y。 Soc。 Certainly。
Str。 I asked you； because here is a new division of the management
of herds； into the management of land and of water herds。
Y。 Soc。 There is。
Str。 And do you agree that we ought to divide the
collective rearing
of herds into two corresponding parts； the one the rearing of water；
and the other the rearing of land herds？
Y。 Soc。 Yes。
Str。 There is surely no need to ask which of these two contains
the royal art； for it is evident to everybody。
Y。 Soc。 Certainly。
Str。 Any one can divide the herds which feed on dry land？
Y。 Soc。 How would you divide them？
Str。 I should distinguish between those which fly and those which
walk。
Y。 Soc。 Most true。
Str。 And where shall we look for the political animal？ Might not
an idiot； so to speak； know that he is a pedestrian？
Y。 Soc。 Certainly。
Str。 The art of managing the walking animal has to be further
divided； just as you might have an even number。
Y。 Soc。 Clearly。
Str。 Let me note that here appear in view two ways to that part or
class which the argument aims at reaching…the one is speedier way；
which cuts off a small portion and leaves a large； the other agrees
better with the principle which we were laying down； that as
far as we
can we should divide in the middle； but it is longer。 We can take
either of them； whichever we please。
Y。 Soc。 Cannot we have both ways？
Str。 Together？ What a thing to ask！ but； if you take them in turn；
you clearly may。
Y。 Soc。 Then I should like to have them in turn。
Str。 There will be no difficulty； as we are near the end； if we
had been at the beginning； or in the middle； I should have
demurred to
your request； but now； in accordance with your desire； let us begin
with the longer way； while we are fresh； we shall get on better。 And
now attend to the division。
Y。 Soc。 Let me hear。
Str。 The tame walking herding animals are distributed by
nature into
two classes。
Y。 Soc。 Upon what principle？
Str。 The one grows horns； and the other is without horns。
Y。 Soc。 Clearly。
Str。 Suppose that you divide the science which manages pedestrian
animals into two corresponding parts； and define them； for if you
try to invent names for them； you will find the intricacy too great。
Y。 Soc。 How must I speak of them； then？
Str。 In this way： let the science of managing pedestrian animals
be divided into two parts and one part assigned to the
horned herd and
the other to the herd that has no horns。
Y。 Soc。 All that you say has been abundantly proved； and may
therefore； be assumed。
Str。 The king is clearly the shepherd a polled herd； who have no
horns。
Y。 Soc。 That is evident。
Str。 Shall we break up this hornless herd into sections； and
endeavour to assign to him what is his？
Y。 Soc。 By all means。
Str。 Shall we distinguish them by their having or not having
cloven feet； or by their mixing or not mixing the breed？ You
know what
I mean。
Y。 Soc。 What？
Str。 I mean that horses and asses naturally breed from one another。
Y。 Soc。 Yes。
Str。 But the remainder of the hornless herd of tame
animals will not
mix the breed。
Y。 Soc。 Very true。
Str。 And of which has the Statesman charge；…of the mixed or of the
unmixed race？
Y。 Soc。 Clearly of the unmixed。
Str。 I suppose that we must divide this again as before。
Y。 Soc。 We must。
Str。 Every tame and herding animal has now been split up； with the
exception of two species； for I hardly think that dogs should be
reckoned among gregarious animals。
Y。 Soc。 Certainly not； but how shall we divide the two remaining
species？
Str。 There is a measure of difference which may be appropriately
employed by you and Theaetetus； who are students of geometry。
Y。 Soc。 What is that？
Str。 The diameter； and； again； the diameter of a diameter。
Y。 Soc。 What do you mean？
Str。 How does man walk； but as a diameter whose power is two feet？
Y。 Soc。 Just so。
Str。 And the power of the remaining kind； being the power of twice
two feet； may be said to be the diameter of our diameter。
Y。 Soc。 Certainly； and now I think that I pretty nearly understand
you。
Str。 In these divisions； Socrates； I descry what would make
another famous jest。
Y。 Soc。 What is it？
Str。 Human beings have come out in the same class with the freest
and airiest of creation； and have been running a race with them。
Y。 Soc。 I remark that very singular coincidence。
Str。 And would you not expect the slowest to arrive last？
Y。 Soc。 Indeed I should。
Str。 And there is a still more ridiculous consequence；
that the king
is found running about with the herd and in close
competition with the
bird…catcher； who of all mankind is most of an adept at the
airy life。
Y。 Soc。 Certainly。
Str。 Then here； Socrates； is still clearer evidence of the truth
of what was said in the enquiry about the Sophist？
Y。 Soc。 What？
Str。 That the dialectical method is no respecter of persons； and
does not set the great above the small； but always arrives in her
own way at the truest result。
Y。 Soc。 Clearly。
Str。 And now； I will not wait for you to ask the； but will
of my own
accord take you by the shorter road to the definition of a king。
Y。 Soc。 By all means。
Str。 I say that we should have begun at first by dividing land
animals into biped and quadruped； and since the winged herd； and
that alone； comes out in the same class with man； should
divide bipeds
into those which have feathers and those which have not； and
when they
have been divided； and the art of the management of mankind
is brought
to light； the time will have come to produce our Statesman and
ruler； and set him like a charioteer in his place； and hand over to
him the reins of state； for that too is a vocation which belongs to
him。
Y。 Soc。 Very good； you have paid me the debt…I mean； that you have
completed the argument； and I suppose that you added the
digression by
way of interest。
Str。 Then now； let us go back to the beginning； and join the
links； which together make the definition of the name of the
Statesman's art。
Y。 Soc。 By all means。
Str。 The science of pure knowledge had； as we said originally； a
part which was the science of rule or command； and from this was
derive