Thus the competition in gymnastic and the mode of learning it have been 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 as to rhapsodes and the like,and the contests of choruses which are to perform at feasts,all this shall be arranged when the months and days and years have been appointed for Gods and demi-gods,whether every third year,or again every fifth year,or in whatever way or manner the Gods may put into men's minds the distribution and order of them.At the same time,we may expect that the musical contests will be celebrated in their turn by the command of the judges and the director of education and the guardians of the law meeting together for this purpose,and themselves becoming legislators of the times and nature and conditions of the choral contests and of dancing in general.What they ought severally to be in language and song,and in the admixture of harmony with rhythm and the dance,has been often declared by the original legislator;and his successors ought to follow him,making the games and sacrifices duly to correspond at fitting times,and appointing public festivals.It is not difficult to determine how these and the like matters may have a regular order;nor,again,will the alteration of them do any great good or harm to the state.There is,however,another matter of great importance and difficulty,concerning which God should legislate,if there were any possibility of obtaining from him an ordinance about it.But seeing that divine aid is not to be had,there appears to be a need of some bold man who specially honours plainness of speech,and will say outright what he thinks best for the city and citizens-ordaining what is good and convenient for the whole state amid the corruptions of human souls,opposing the mightiest lusts,and having no man his helper but himself standing alone and following reason only.
Cle.What is this,Stranger,that you are saying?For we do not as yet 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 and maidens holding friendly intercourse with one another.And there naturally arose in my mind a sort of apprehension-I could not help thinking how one is to deal with a city in which youths and maidens are well nurtured,and have nothing to do,and are not undergoing the excessive and servile toils which extinguish wantonness,and whose only cares during their whole life are sacrifices and festivals and dances.How,in such a state as this,will they abstain from desires which thrust many a man and woman into perdition;and from which reason,assuming the functions of law,commands them to abstain?The ordinances already made may possibly get the better of most of these desires;the prohibition of excessive wealth is a very considerable gain in the direction of temperance,and the whole education of our youth imposes a law of moderation on them;moreover,the eye of the rulers is required always to watch over the young,and never to lose sight of them;and these provisions do,as far as human means can effect anything,exercise a regulating influence upon the desires in general.But how can we take precautions against the unnatural loves of either sex,from which innumerable evils have come upon individuals and cities?How shall we devise a remedy and way of escape out of so great a danger?Truly,Cleinias,here is a difficulty.In many ways Crete and Lacedaemon furnish a great help to those who make peculiar laws;but in the matter of love,as we are alone,I must confess that they are quite against us.For if any one following nature should lay down the law which existed before the days of Laius,and denounce these lusts as contrary to nature,adducing the animals as a proof that such unions were monstrous,he might prove his point,but he would be wholly at variance with the custom of your states.
Further,they are repugnant to a principle which we say that a legislator should always observe;for we are always enquiring which of our enactments tends to virtue and which not.And suppose we grant that these loves are accounted by law to be honourable,or at least not disgraceful,in what degree will they contribute to virtue?Will such passions implant in the soul of him who is seduced the habit of courage,or in the soul of the seducer the principle of temperance?
Who will ever believe this?-or rather,who will not blame the effeminacy of him who yields to pleasures and is unable to hold out against them?Will not all men censure as womanly him who imitates the woman?And who would ever think of establishing such a practice by law?Certainly no one who had in his mind the image of true law.How can we prove,that what I am saying is true?He who would rightly consider these matters must see the nature of friendship and desire,and of these so-called loves,for they are of two kinds,and out of the two arises a third kind,having the same name;and this similarity of 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 the equal;dear also,though unlike,is he who has abundance to him who is in want.And when either of these friendships becomes excessive,we term the excess love.
Cle.Very true.