other art of command.

  Y. Soc. Quite true.

  Str. Then that can be the only true form of government in which
the governors are really found to possess science, and are not mere
pretenders, whether they rule according to law or without law,
over-willing or unwilling subjects, and are rich or poor
themselves-none of these things can with any propriety be included
in the notion of the ruler.

  Y. Soc. True.

  Str. And whether with a view to the public good they purge the State
by killing some, or exiling some; whether they reduce the size of
the body corporate by sending out from the hive swarms of citizens,
or, by introducing persons from without, increase it; while they act
according to the rules of wisdom and justice, and use their power with
a view to the general security and improvement, the city over which
they rule, and which has these characteristics, may be described as
the only true State. All other governments are not genuine or real;
but only imitations of this, and some of them are better and some of
them are worse; the better are said to be well governed, but they
are mere imitations like the others.

  Y. Soc. I agree, Stranger, in the greater part of what you say;
but as to their ruling without laws-the expression has a harsh sound.

  Str. You have been too quick for me, Socrates; I was just going to
ask you whether you objected to any of my statements. And now I see
that we shall have to consider this notion of there being good
government without laws.

  Y. Soc. Certainly.

  Str. There can be no doubt that legislation is in a manner the
business of a king, and yet the best thing of all is not that the
law should rule, but that a man should rule, supposing him to have
wisdom and royal power. Do you see why this is?

  Y. Soc. Why?

  Str. Because the law does not perfectly comprehend what is noblest
and most just for all and therefore cannot enforce what is best. The
differences of men and actions, and the endless irregular movements of
human things, do not admit of -any universal and simple rule. And no
art whatsoever can lay down a rule which will last for all time.

  Y. Soc. Of course not.

  Str. But the law is always striving to make one;-like an obstinate
and ignorant tyrant, who will not allow anything to be done contrary
to his appointment, or any question to be asked-not even in sudden
changes of circumstances, when something happens to be better than
what he commanded for some one.

  Y. Soc. Certainly; the law treats us all precisely in the manner
which you describe.

  Str. A perfectly simple principle can never be applied to a state of
things which is the reverse of simple.

  Y. Soc. True.

  Str. Then if the law is not the perfection of right, why are we
compelled to make laws at all? The reason of this has next to be
investigated.

  Y. Soc. Certainly.

  Str. Let me ask, whether you have not meetings for gymnastic
contests in your city, such as there are in other cities, at which men
compete in running, wrestling, and the like?

  Y. Soc. Yes; they are very common among us.

  Str. And what are the rules which are enforced on their pupils by
professional trainers or by others having similar authority? Can you
remember?

  Y. Soc. To what do you refer?

  Str. The training-masters do not issue minute rules for individuals,
or give every individual what is exactly suited to his constitution;
they think that they ought to go more roughly to work, and to
prescribe generally the regimen, which will benefit the majority.

  Y. Soc. Very true.

  Str. And therefore they assign equal amounts of exercise to them
all; they send them forth together, and let them rest together from
their running, wrestling, or whatever the form of bodily exercise
may be.

  Y. So True.

  Str. And now observe that the legislator who has to preside over the
herd, and to enforce justice in their dealings with one another,
will not be able, in enacting for the general good, to provide exactly
what is suitable for each particular case.