Ath. "And you would rather have a touchstone in which there is norisk and no great danger than the reverse?"Cle. In that proposition every one may safely agree.
Ath. "And in order to make use of the draught, you would lead themamid these imaginary terrors, and prove them, when the affection offear was working upon them, and compel them to be fearless,exhorting and admonishing them; and also honouring them, butdishonouring any one who will not be persuaded by you to be in allrespects such as you command him; and if he underwent the trial welland manfully, you would let him go unscathed; but if ill, you wouldinflict a punishment upon him? Or would you abstain from using thepotion altogether, although you have no reason for abstaining?"Cle. He would be certain, Stranger, to use the potion.
Ath. This would be a mode of testing and training which would bewonderfully easy in comparison with those now in use, and might beapplied to a single person, or to a few, or indeed to any number;and he would do well who provided himself with the potion only, ratherthan with any number of other things, whether he preferred to be byhimself in solitude, and there contend with his fears, because hewas ashamed to be seen by the eye of man until he was perfect; ortrusting to the force of his own nature and habits, and believing thathe had been already disciplined sufficiently, he did not hesitate totrain himself in company with any number of others, and display hispower in conquering the irresistible change effected by thedraught-his virtue being such, that he never in any instance fell intoany great unseemliness, but was always himself, and left off before hearrived at the last cup, fearing that he, like all other men, might beovercome by the potion.
Cle. Yes, Stranger, in that last case, too, he might equally showhis self-control.
Ath. Let us return to the lawgiver, and say to him:-"Well, lawgiver,there is certainly no such fear-potion which man has either receivedfrom the Gods or himself discovered; for witchcraft has no place atour board. But is there any potion which might serve as a test ofoverboldness and excessive and indiscreet boasting?
Cle. I suppose that he will say, Yes-meaning that wine is such apotion.
Ath. Is not the effect of this quite the opposite of the effect ofthe other? When a man drinks wine he begins to be better pleasedwith himself, and the more he drinks the more he is filled full ofbrave hopes, and conceit of his power, and at last the string of histongue is loosened, and fancying himself wise, he is brimming overwith lawlessness, and has no more fear or respect, and is ready todo or say anything.
Cle. I think that every one will admit the truth of yourdescription.
Meg. Certainly.
Ath. Now, let us remember, as we were saying, that there are twothings which should be cultivated in the soul: first, the greatestcourage; secondly, the greatest fear-Cle. Which you said to be characteristic of reverence, if I am notmistaken.
Ath. Thank you for reminding me. But now, as the habit of courageand fearlessness is to be trained amid fears, let us considerwhether the opposite quality is not also to be trained amongopposites.
Cle. That is probably the case.
Ath. There are times and seasons at which we are by nature more thancommonly valiant and bold; now we ought to train ourselves on theseoccasions to be as free from impudence and shamelessness aspossible, and to be afraid to say or suffer or do anything that isbase.
Cle. True.
Ath. Are not the moments in which we are apt to be bold andshameless such as these?-when we are under the influence of anger,love, pride, ignorance, avarice, cowardice? or when wealth, beauty,strength, and all the intoxicating workings of pleasure madden us?
What is better adapted than the festive use of wine, in the firstplace to test, and in the second place to train the character of aman, if care be taken in the use of it? What is there cheaper, or moreinnocent? For do but consider which is the greater risk:-Would yourather test a man of a morose and savage nature, which is the sourceof ten thousand acts of injustice, by making bargains with him at arisk to yourself, or by having him as a companion at the festival ofDionysus? Or would you, if you wanted to apply a touchstone to a manwho is prone to love, entrust your wife, or your sons, or daughters tohim, perilling your dearest interests in order to have a view of thecondition of his soul? I might mention numberless cases, in whichthe advantage would be manifest of getting to know a character insport, and without paying dearly for experience. And I do notbelieve that either a Cretan, or any other man, will doubt that such atest is a fair test, and safer, cheaper, and speedier than any other.
Cle. That is certainly true.
Ath. And this knowledge of the natures and habits of men"s soulswill be of the greatest use in that art which has the management ofthem; and that art, if I am not mistaken, is politics.
Cle. Exactly so.