Education has two branches-one of gymnastic, which is concerned withthe body, and the other of music, which is designed for theimprovement of the soul. And gymnastic has also two branches-dancingand wrestling; and one sort of dancing imitates musical recitation,and aims at preserving dignity and freedom, the other aims atproducing health, agility, and beauty in the limbs and parts of thebody, giving the proper flexion and extension to each of them, aharmonious motion being diffused everywhere, and forming a suitableaccompaniment to the dance. As regards wrestling, the tricks whichAntaeus and Cercyon devised in their systems out of a vain spirit ofcompetition, or the tricks of boxing which Epeius or Amycusinvented, are useless and unsuitable for war, and do not deserve tohave much said about them; but the art of wrestling erect andkeeping free the neck and hands and sides, working with energy andconstancy, with a composed strength, and for the sake ofhealth-these are always useful, and are not to be neglected, but to beenjoined alike on masters and scholars, when we reach that part oflegislation; and we will desire the one to give their instructionsfreely, and the others to receive them thankfully. Nor, again, must weomit suitable imitations of war in our choruses; here in Crete youhave the armed dances if the Curetes, and the Lacedaemonians havethose of the Dioscuri. And our virgin lady, delighting in theamusement of the dance, thought it not fit to amuse herself with emptyhands; she must be clothed in a complete suit of armour, and in thisattire go through the dance; and youths and maidens should in everyrespect imitate her, esteeming highly the favour of the Goddess,both with a view to the necessities of war, and to festiveoccasions: it will be right also for the boys, until such time as theygo out to war, to make processions and supplications to all the Godsin goodly array, armed and on horseback, in dances, and marches,fast or slow, offering up prayers to the Gods and to the sons of Gods;and also engaging in contests and preludes of contests, if at all,with these objects: For these sorts of exercises, and no others, areuseful both in peace and war, and are beneficial alike to states andto private houses. But other labours and sports and exercises of thebody are unworthy of freemen, O Megillus and Cleinias.
I have now completely described the kind of gymnastic which I saidat first ought to be described; if you know of any better, will youcommunicate your thoughts?
Cle. It is not easy, Stranger, to put aside these principles ofgymnastic and wrestling and to enunciate better ones.
Ath. Now we must say what has yet to be said about the gifts ofthe Muses and of Apollo: before, we fancied that we had said all,and that gymnastic alone remained; but now we see clearly whatpoints have been omitted, and should be first proclaimed; of these,then, let us proceed to speak.
Cle. By all means.
Ath. Let me tell you once more-although you have heard me say thesame before that caution must be always exercised, both by the speakerand by the hearer, about anything that is very singular and unusual.
For my tale is one, which many a man would be afraid to tell, andyet I have a confidence which makes me go on.
Cle. What have you to say, Stranger?
Ath. I say that in states generally no one has observed that theplays of childhood have a great deal to do with the permanence or wantof permanence in legislation. For when plays are ordered with a viewto children having the same plays, and amusing themselves after thesame manner, and finding delight in the same playthings, the moresolemn institutions of the state are allowed to remain undisturbed.
Whereas if sports are disturbed, and innovations are made in them, andthey constantly change, and the young never speak of their havingthe same likings, or the same established notions of good and badtaste, either in the bearing of their bodies or in their dress, but hewho devises something new and out of the way in figures and coloursand the like is held in special honour, we may truly say that nogreater evil can happen in a state; for he who changes the sports issecretly changing the manners of the young, and making the old to bedishonoured among them and the new to be honoured. And I affirm thatthere is nothing which is a greater injury to all states than sayingor thinking thus. Will you hear me tell how great I deem the evil tobe?
Cle. You mean the evil of blaming antiquity in states?
Ath. Exactly.
Cle. If you are speaking of that, you will find in us hearers whoare disposed to receive what you say not unfavourably but mostfavourably.
Ath. I should expect so.
Cle. Proceed.