[267c]
Theaetetus
Of course.Stranger
But what of the figure of justice and, in a word, of virtue in general? Are there not many who have no knowledge of it, but only a sort of opinion, and who try with the greatest eagerness to make this which they themselves think is virtue seem to exist within them, by imitating it in acts and words to the best of their ability?Theaetetus
Yes, there are very many such people.Stranger
Do all of them, then, fail in the attempt to seem to be just when they are not so at all? Or is quite the opposite the case?Theaetetus
Quite the opposite.Stranger
Then I think we must say that such an imitator is quite distinct from the other,
Of course.Stranger
But what of the figure of justice and, in a word, of virtue in general? Are there not many who have no knowledge of it, but only a sort of opinion, and who try with the greatest eagerness to make this which they themselves think is virtue seem to exist within them, by imitating it in acts and words to the best of their ability?Theaetetus
Yes, there are very many such people.Stranger
Do all of them, then, fail in the attempt to seem to be just when they are not so at all? Or is quite the opposite the case?Theaetetus
Quite the opposite.Stranger
Then I think we must say that such an imitator is quite distinct from the other,