Greek Texts & Translations

What is the special form in which such matters are laid down?

It is by no means easy to embrace them all in a single model of statement (so to speak) but let us conceive of them in some such way as this, in case we may succeed in affirming something definite about them.

Tell us what that “something” is.

I should desire the people to be as docile as possible in the matter of virtue; and this evidently is what the legislator will endeavor to effect in all his legislation. 718d

Assuredly.

I thought the address we have made might prove of some help in making them listen to its monitions with souls not utterly savage, but in a more civil and less hostile mood. So that we may be well content if as I say, it renders the hearer even but a little more docile, because a little less hostile. For there is no great plenty or abundance of persons anxious to become with all speed as good as possible; 718ethe majority, indeed, serve to show how wise Hesiod was when he said, “smooth is the way that leadeth unto wickedness,” and that “no sweat is needed to traverse it,” since it is “passing short,”Hes. WD 287ff. but (he says)— In front of goodness the immortal gods
Have set the sweat of toil, and thereunto
Long is the road and steep, and rough withal
719a The first ascent; but when the crest is won,
'Tis easy travelling, albeit 'twas hard.
Hes. WD 287 ff.

The poet speaks nobly, I should say.

He certainly does. Now I wish to put before you what I take to be the result of the foregoing argument.

Do so.

Let us address the lawgiver and say: “Tell us, O lawgiver: if you knew what we ought 719bto do and say, is it not obvious that you would state it?”

Inevitably.

“Now did not we hear you saying a little while ago ^note that the lawgiver should not permit the poets to compose just as they please? For they would not be likely to know what saying of theirs might be contrary to the laws and injurious to the State.”

That is quite true.

Would our address be reasonable, if we were to address him on behalf of the poets ^note in these terms?—

What terms? 719c

These:—“There is, O lawgiver, an ancient saying—constantly repeated by ourselves and endorsed by everyone else—that whenever a poet is seated on the Muses' tripod, he is not in his senses, but resembles a fountain, which gives free course to the upward rush of water and, since his art consists in imitation, he is compelled often to contradict himself, when he creates characters of contradictory moods; and he knows not which of these contradictory utterances is true. But it is not possible for the lawgiver in his law 719dthus to compose two statements about a single matter; but he must always publish one single statement about one matter. Take an example from one of your own recent statements. ^note A funeral may be either excessive or defective or moderate: of these three alternatives you chose one, the moderate, and this you prescribe, after praising it unconditionally. I, on the other hand, if (in my poem) I had a wife of surpassing wealth, and she were to bid me bury her, 719ewould extol the tomb of excessive grandeur; while a poor and stingy man would praise the defective tomb, and the person of moderate means, if a moderate man himself, would praise the same one as you. But you should not merely speak of a thing as moderate, in the way you have now done, but you should explain what 'the moderate' is, and what is its size; otherwise it is too soon for you to propose that such a statement should be made law.”

Exceedingly true.

Should, then, our appointed president of the laws commence his laws with no such prefatory statement,