imitation of you, to make a similar division, and set up cranesagainst all other animals to their own special glorification, at thesame time jumbling together all the others, including man, under theappellation of brutes,-here would be the sort of error which we musttry to avoid.
Y. Soc.
How can we be safe? Str.
If we do not divide the whole class of animals, we shall beless likely to fall into that error.
Y. Soc.
We had better not take the whole? Str.
Yes, there lay the source of error in our former division.
Y. Soc.
How? Str.
You remember how that part of the art of knowledge which wasconcerned with command, had to do with the rearing of livingcreatures,-I mean, with animals in herds? Y. Soc.
Yes.
Str.
In that case, there was already implied a division of allanimals into tame and wild; those whose nature can be tamed are calledtame, and those which cannot be tamed are called wild.
Y. Soc.
True.
Str.
And the political science of which we are in search, is andever was concerned with tame animals, and is also confined togregarious animals.
Y. Soc.
Yes.
Str.
But then ought not to divide, as we did, taking the whole classat once.
Neither let us be in too great haste to arrive quickly at thepolitical science; for this mistake has already brought upon us themisfortune of which the proverb speaks.
Y. Soc.
What misfortune? Str.
The misfortune of too much haste, which is too little speed.
Y. Soc.
And all the better, Stranger;-we got what we deserved.
Str.
Very well: Let us then begin again, and endeavour to divide thecollective rearing of animals; for probably the completion of theargument will best show what you are so anxious to know.
Tell me,then- Y. Soc.
What? Str.
Have you ever heard, as you very likely may-for I do notsuppose that you ever actually visited them-of the preserves of fishesin the Nile, and in the ponds of the Great King; or you may haveseen similar preserves in wells at home? Y. Soc.
Yes, to be sure, I have seen them, and I have often heardthe others described.
Str.
And you may have heard also, and may have been-assured byreport, although you have not travelled in those regions, of nurseriesof geese and cranes in the plains of Thessaly? Y. Soc.
CertainlY. Str.
I asked you, because here is a new division of the managementof herds, into the management of land and of water herds.
Y. Soc.
There is.
Str.
And do you agree that we ought to divide the collective rearingof herds into two corresponding parts, the one the rearing of water,and the other the rearing of land herds? Y. Soc.
Yes.
Str.
There is surely no need to ask which of these two containsthe royal art, for it is evident to everybodY. Y. Soc.
CertainlY. Str.
Any one can divide the herds which feed on dry land? Y. Soc.
How would you divide them? Str.
I should distinguish between those which fly and those whichwalk.
Y. Soc.
Most true.
Str.
And where shall we look for the political animal? Might notan idiot, so to speak, know that he is a pedestrian? Y. Soc.
CertainlY. Str.
The art of managing the walking animal has to be furtherdivided, just as you might have an even number.
Y. Soc.
ClearlY. Str.
Let me note that here appear in view two ways to that part orclass which the argument aims at reaching-the one is speedier way,which cuts off a small portion and leaves a large; the other agreesbetter with the principle which we were laying down, that as far as wecan we should divide in the middle; but it is longer.
We can takeeither of them, whichever we please.
Y. Soc.
Cannot we have both ways? Str.
Together? What a thing to ask! but, if you take them in turn,you clearly maY. Y. Soc.
Then I should like to have them in turn.
Str.
There will be no difficulty, as we are near the end; if wehad been at the beginning, or in the middle, I should have demurred toyour request; but now, in accordance with your desire, let us beginwith the longer way; while we are fresh, we shall get on better.
Andnow attend to the division.
Y. Soc.
Let me hear.
Str.
The tame walking herding animals are distributed by nature intotwo classes.
Y. Soc.
Upon what principle? Str.
The one grows horns; and the other is without horns.
Y. Soc.
ClearlY. Str.
Suppose that you divide the science which manages pedestriananimals into two corresponding parts, and define them; for if youtry to invent names for them, you will find the intricacy too great.
Y. Soc.
How must I speak of them, then? Str.
In this way: let the science of managing pedestrian animalsbe divided into two parts and one part assigned to the horned herd andthe other to the herd that has no horns.
Y. Soc.
All that you say has been abundantly proved, and maytherefore, be assumed.
Str.
The king is clearly the shepherd a polled herd, who have nohorns.
Y. Soc.
That is evident.
Str.
Shall we break up this hornless herd into sections, andendeavour to assign to him what is his? Y. Soc.
By all means.
Str.
Shall we distinguish them by their having or not havingcloven feet, or by their mixing or not mixing the breed? You know whatI mean.
Y. Soc.
What? Str.
I mean that horses and asses naturally breed from one another.
Y. Soc.
Yes.
Str.
But the remainder of the hornless herd of tame animals will notmix the breed.
Y. Soc.
Very true.
Str.
And of which has the Statesman charge,-of the mixed or of theunmixed race? Y. Soc.
Clearly of the unmixed.
Str.
I suppose that we must divide this again as before.
Y. Soc.
We must.
Str.
Every tame and herding animal has now been split up, with theexception of two species; for I hardly think that dogs should bereckoned among gregarious animals.
Y. Soc.
Certainly not; but how shall we divide the two remainingspecies? Str.
There is a measure of difference which may be appropriatelyemployed by you and Theaetetus, who are students of geometrY. Y. Soc.
What is that? Str.
The diameter; and, again, the diameter of a diameter.
Y. Soc.
What do you mean? Str.
How does man walk, but as a diameter whose power is two feet? Y. Soc.
Just so.
Str.
And the power of the remaining kind, being the power of twicetwo feet, may be said to be the diameter of our diameter.
Y. Soc.
Certainly; and now I think that I pretty nearly understandyou.
Str.
In these divisions, Socrates, I descry what would makeanother famous jest.
Y. Soc.
What is it? Str.
Human beings have come out in the same class with the freestand airiest of creation, and have been running a race with them.
Y. Soc.
I remark that very singular coincidence.
Str.
And would you not expect the slowest to arrive last? Y. Soc.
Indeed I should.
Str.
And there is a still more ridiculous consequence, that the kingis found running about with the herd and in close competition with thebird-catcher, who of all mankind is most of an adept at the airy life.
Y. Soc.
CertainlY. Str.
Then here, Socrates, is still clearer evidence of the truthof what was said in the enquiry about the Sophist? Y. Soc.
What? Str.
That the dialectical method is no respecter of persons, anddoes not set the great above the small, but always arrives in herown way at the truest result.