Plato : POLITEIA Persons of the dialogue: Socrates - Glaucon - Polemarchus  - Adeimantus - Cephalus - Thrasymachus - Cleitophon Translated by Benjamin Jowett - 75 Pages (Part 2) - Greek fonts Search Plato's works / Plato Anthology / The Greek Word Library = Note by Elpenor

POLITEIA part 2 of 3, 4, 5

Part 1

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This Part: 75 Pages

Part 2 Page 13

If, then, the ruler catches anybody beside himself lying in the state,  - 

Any of the craftsmen, whether be priest or physician or carpenter.  - 

he will punish him for introducing a practice which is equally subversive and destructive of ship or state.

Most certainly, he said, if our idea of the state is ever carried out.

In the next place our youth must be temperate?

Certainly.

Are not the chief elements of temperance, speaking generally, obedience to commanders and self-control in sensual pleasures?

True.

Then we shall approve such language as that of Diomede in Homer,  - 

Friend, sit still and obey my word,  - 

and the verses which follow,  - 

The Greeks marched breathing prowess,

...in silent awe of their leaders,  - 

and other sentiments of the same kind.

We shall.

What of this line,  - 

O heavy with wine, who hast the eyes of a dog and the heart of a stag,  - 

and of the words which follow? Would you say that these, or any similar impertinences which private individuals are supposed to address to their rulers, whether in verse or prose, are well or ill spoken?

They are ill spoken.

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