to obey; and such an education aims at virtue, and not at wealth or
strength or mere cleverness. To the good man, education is of all things
the most precious, and is also in constant need of renovation. 'We agree.'
And we have before agreed that good men are those who are able to control
themselves, and bad men are those who are not. Let me offer you an
illustration which will assist our argument. Man is one; but in one and
the same man are two foolish counsellors who contend within him--pleasure
and pain, and of either he has expectations which we call hope and fear;
and he is able to reason about good and evil, and reason, when affirmed by
the state, becomes law. 'We cannot follow you.' Let me put the matter in
another way: Every creature is a puppet of the Gods--whether he is a mere
plaything or has any serious use we do not know; but this we do know, that
he is drawn different ways by cords and strings. There is a soft golden
cord which draws him towards virtue--this is the law of the state; and
there are other cords made of iron and hard materials drawing him other
ways. The golden reasoning influence has nothing of the nature of force,
and therefore requires ministers in order to vanquish the other
principles. This explains the doctrine that cities and citizens both
conquer and are conquered by themselves. The individual follows reason,
and the city law, which is embodied reason, either derived from the Gods
or from the legislator. When virtue and vice are thus distinguished,
education will be better understood, and in particular the relation of
education to convivial intercourse. And now let us set wine before the
puppet. You admit that wine stimulates the passions? 'Yes.' And does wine
equally stimulate the reasoning faculties? 'No; it brings the soul back to
a state of childhood.' In such a state a man has the least control over
himself, and is, therefore, worst. 'Very true.' Then how can we believe
that drinking should be encouraged? 'You seem to think that it ought to
be.' And I am ready to maintain my position. 'We should like to hear you
prove that a man ought to make a beast of himself.' You are speaking of