Thus the competition in gymnastic and the mode of learning it havebeen described; and we have spoken also of the toils of the contest,and of daily exercises under the superintendence of masters. Likewise,what relates to music has been, for the most part, completed. But asto rhapsodes and the like, and the contests of choruses which are toperform at feasts, all this shall be arranged when the months and daysand years have been appointed for Gods and demi-gods, whether everythird year, or again every fifth year, or in whatever way or mannerthe Gods may put into men"s minds the distribution and order ofthem. At the same time, we may expect that the musical contests willbe celebrated in their turn by the command of the judges and thedirector of education and the guardians of the law meeting togetherfor this purpose, and themselves becoming legislators of the times andnature and conditions of the choral contests and of dancing ingeneral. What they ought severally to be in language and song, andin the admixture of harmony with rhythm and the dance, has beenoften declared by the original legislator; and his successors ought tofollow him, making the games and sacrifices duly to correspond atfitting times, and appointing public festivals. It is not difficult todetermine how these and the like matters may have a regular order;nor, again, will the alteration of them do any great good or harm tothe state. There is, however, another matter of great importance anddifficulty, concerning which God should legislate, if there were anypossibility of obtaining from him an ordinance about it. But seeingthat divine aid is not to be had, there appears to be a need of somebold man who specially honours plainness of speech, and will sayoutright what he thinks best for the city and citizens-ordainingwhat is good and convenient for the whole state amid the corruptionsof human souls, opposing the mightiest lusts, and having no man hishelper but himself standing alone and following reason only.
Cle. What is this, Stranger, that you are saying? For we do not asyet understand your meaning.
Ath. Very likely; I will endeavour to explain myself more clearly.
When I came to the subject of education, I beheld young men andmaidens holding friendly intercourse with one another. And therenaturally arose in my mind a sort of apprehension-I could not helpthinking how one is to deal with a city in which youths and maidensare well nurtured, and have nothing to do, and are not undergoingthe excessive and servile toils which extinguish wantonness, and whoseonly cares during their whole life are sacrifices and festivals anddances. How, in such a state as this, will they abstain from desireswhich thrust many a man and woman into perdition; and from whichreason, assuming the functions of law, commands them to abstain? Theordinances already made may possibly get the better of most of thesedesires; the prohibition of excessive wealth is a very considerablegain in the direction of temperance, and the whole education of ouryouth imposes a law of moderation on them; moreover, the eye of therulers is required always to watch over the young, and never to losesight of them; and these provisions do, as far as human means caneffect anything, exercise a regulating influence upon the desires ingeneral. But how can we take precautions against the unnatural lovesof either sex, from which innumerable evils have come upon individualsand cities? How shall we devise a remedy and way of escape out of sogreat a danger? Truly, Cleinias, here is a difficulty. In many waysCrete and Lacedaemon furnish a great help to those who make peculiarlaws; but in the matter of love, as we are alone, I must confessthat they are quite against us. For if any one following nature shouldlay down the law which existed before the days of Laius, anddenounce these lusts as contrary to nature, adducing the animals asa proof that such unions were monstrous, he might prove his point, buthe would be wholly at variance with the custom of your states.
Further, they are repugnant to a principle which we say that alegislator should always observe; for we are always enquiring which ofour enactments tends to virtue and which not. And suppose we grantthat these loves are accounted by law to be honourable, or at leastnot disgraceful, in what degree will they contribute to virtue? Willsuch passions implant in the soul of him who is seduced the habit ofcourage, or in the soul of the seducer the principle of temperance?
Who will ever believe this?-or rather, who will not blame theeffeminacy of him who yields to pleasures and is unable to hold outagainst them? Will not all men censure as womanly him who imitates thewoman? And who would ever think of establishing such a practice bylaw? Certainly no one who had in his mind the image of true law. Howcan we prove, that what I am saying is true? He who would rightlyconsider these matters must see the nature of friendship and desire,and of these so-called loves, for they are of two kinds, and out ofthe two arises a third kind, having the same name; and this similarityof name causes all the difficulty and obscurity.
Cle. How is that?
Ath. Dear is the like in virtue to the like, and the equal to theequal; dear also, though unlike, is he who has abundance to him who isin want. And when either of these friendships becomes excessive, weterm the excess love.
Cle. Very true.