STR. Suppose that the nurslings of Cronos, having this boundless leisure, and the power of holding intercourse, not only with men, but with the brute creation, had used all these advantages with a view to philosophy, conversing with the brutes as well as with one another, and learning of every nature which was gifted with any special power, and was able to contribute some special experience to the store of wisdom there would be no difficulty in deciding that they would be a thousand times happier than the men of our own day. Or, again, if they had merely eaten and drunk until they were full, and told stories to one another and to the animals-such stories as are now attributed to them-in this case also, as I should imagine, the answer would be easy. But until some satisfactory witness can be found of the love of that age for knowledge and: discussion, we had better let the matter drop, and give the reason why we have unearthed this tale, and then we shall be able to get on.

ΞΕ. Εἰ μὲν τοίνυν οἱ τρόφιμοι τοῦ Κρόνου͵ παρούσης αὐτοῖς οὕτω πολλῆς σχολῆς καὶ δυνάμεως πρὸς τὸ μὴ μόνον ἀνθρώποις ἀλλὰ καὶ θηρίοις διὰ λόγων δύνασθαι συγγίγνεσθαι͵ κατεχρῶντο τούτοις σύμπασιν ἐπὶ φιλοσοφίαν͵ μετά τε θηρίων καὶ μετ΄ ἀλλήλων ὁμιλοῦντες͵ καὶ πυνθανόμενοι παρὰ πάσης φύσεως εἴ τινά τις ἰδίαν δύναμιν ἔχουσα ᾔσθετό τι διάφορον τῶν ἄλλων εἰς συναγυρμὸν φρονήσεως͵ εὔκριτον ὅτι τῶν νῦν οἱ τότε μυρίῳ πρὸς εὐδαιμονίαν διέφερον· εἰ δ΄ ἐμπιμπλάμενοι σίτων ἅδην καὶ ποτῶν διελέγοντο πρὸς ἀλλήλους καὶ τὰ θηρία [μύθους] οἷα δὴ καὶ τὰ νῦν περὶ αὐτῶν λέγονται͵ καὶ τοῦτο͵ ὥς γε κατὰ τὴν ἐμὴν δόξαν ἀποφήνασθαι͵ καὶ μάλ΄ εὔκριτον. ὅμως δ΄ οὖν ταῦτα μὲν ἀφῶμεν͵ ἕως ἂν ἡμῖν μηνυτής τις ἱκανὸς φανῇ͵ ποτέρως οἱ τότε τὰς ἐπιθυμίας εἶχον περί τε ἐπιστημῶν καὶ τῆς τῶν λόγων χρείας· οὗ δ΄ ἕνεκα τὸν μῦθον ἠγείραμεν͵ τοῦτο λεκτέον͵ ἵνα τὸ μετὰ τοῦτο εἰς τὸ πρόσθεν περαίνωμεν.