[610e]
something that kills others when it can, but renders its
possessor very lively indeed,1
and not only lively but wakeful,2 so far, I ween, does it
dwell3 from
deadliness.” “You say well,” I replied;
“for when the natural vice and the evil proper to it cannot kill
and destroy the soul, still less4 will the evil appointed for the destruction of another thing
destroy the soul or anything else, except that for which it is
appointed.”5
“Still less indeed,” he said, “in all
probability.” “Then since it is not destroyed by any
evil whatever,
1 μάλα is humorous, as in 506 D, Euthydem 298 D, Symp. 189 A.
2 Cf. Horace, Epist. i. 2. 32 “ut iugulent hominem surgunt de nocte latrones.”
3 For the metaphor Cf. Proverbs viii. 12σοφία κατεσκήνωσα βουλήν. Plato personifies injustice, as he does justice in 612 D,σκιαγραφία in 602 D, bravery in Laches 194 A,κολαστική in Soph. 229 A,κολακευτικήGorg. 464 C,σμικρότηςParmen. 150 AπονηρίαApol. 39 A-B, and many other abstract conceptions. See further Phileb. 63 A-B, 15 D, 24 A, Rep. 465 A-B, Laws 644 C, Cratyl. 438 D.
4 σχολῇ: cf. 354 C, Phaedo 106 D.
5 Cf. 345 D.
Plato. Plato in Twelve Volumes, Vols. 5 & 6 translated by Paul Shorey. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1969.
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