[582a]
how could we determine
which of them speaks most truly?” “In faith, I cannot
tell,” he said. “Well, consider it thus: By what are
things to be judged, if they are to be judged1 rightly? Is it not by
experience, intelligence and discussion2? Or could anyone name a better criterion than
these?” “How could he?” he said.
“Observe, then. Of our three types of men, which has had the most
experience of all the pleasures we mentioned? Do you think that the lover of
gain by study of the very nature of truth has more experience
1 i.e. what is the criterion? Cf. 582 Dδι᾽ οὗ, Sext. Empir. Bekker, p. 60 (Pyrrh. Hypotyp. ii. 13-14) and p. 197 (Adv. Math. vii. 335). Cf. Diog. L.Prologue 21, and Laches 184 E. For the idea that the better judge cf. also Laws 663 C, Aristot.Eth. Nic. 1176 a 16-19.
2 Cf. 582 D, On Virtue 373 D, Xen.Mem. iii. 3. 11.
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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