[465a]
“And
there will be the further advantage in such a law that an angry man,
satisfying his anger in such wise, would be less likely to carry the quarrel
to further extremes.” “Assuredly.”
“As for an older man, he will always have the charge of ruling and
chastising the younger.” “Obviously.”
“Again, it is plain that the young man, except by command of the
rulers, will probably not do violence to an elder or strike him, or, I take
it, dishonor him in any other way. Two guardians sufficient to prevent that
[465b]
there are, fear and awe, awe
restraining him from laying hands on one who may be his parent, and fear in
that the others will rush to the aid of the sufferer, some as sons, some as
brothers, some as fathers.” “That is the way it works
out,” he said. “Then in all cases the laws will leave
these men to dwell in peace together.” “Great
peace.” “And if these are free from dissensions among
themselves, there is no fear that1 the rest of the city will
ever start faction against them or with one another.”
“No, there is not.”
[465c]
“But I hesitate, so unseemly2 are they, even to mention the pettiest troubles of which they
would be rid, the flatterings3 of the rich, the
embarrassments and pains of the poor in the bringing-up of their children
and the procuring of money for the necessities of life for their households,
the borrowings, the repudiations, all the devices with which they acquire
what they deposit with wives and servitors to husband,4 and all the indignities that
they endure in such matters, which are obvious and
[465d]
ignoble and not deserving of mention.”
“Even a blind5 man can see these,”
he said.“From all these, then, they
will be finally free, and they will live a happier life than that men count
most happy, the life of the victors at Olympia.6” “How so?”
“The things for which those are felicitated are a small part of
what is secured for these. Their victory is fairer and their public support
more complete. For the prize of victory that they win is the salvation of
the entire state, the fillet that binds their brows is the public support of
themselves and their children—
[465e]
they receive honor from the city while they live and when they die a
worthy burial.” “A fair guerdon, indeed,” he
said. “Do you recall,” said I, “that in the
preceding7 argument
the objection of somebody or other rebuked us for not making our guardians
happy,
1 One of the profoundest of Plato's political aphorisms. Cf. on 545 D, Laws 683 E, and Aristotle Politics 1305 a 39.
2 Alma sdegnosa. Cf. 371 E, 396 B, 397 D, 525 D.
3 Cf. Aristotle Politics 1263 b 22.
4 Cf. 416 D, 548 A, 550 D.
5 Proverbial. Cf. Sophist 241 D.
6 Cf. 540B-C, 621D, Laws 715C, 807C, 840A, 946-947, 964C, Cicero Pro Flacco 31 “Olympionicen esse apud Graecos prope maius et gloriosius est quam Romae trimphasse.” The motive is anticipated or parodied by Dracontion, Athenaeus 237 D, where the parasite boasts—γέρα γὰρ αὐτοῖς ταῦτα τοῖς τἀλύμπιανικῶσι δέδοται χρηστότητος οὕνεκα.
7 Cf. 419 E-20.
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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