YOUNG SOCRATES: True.
the various classes in a State, shall I analyse politics after the pattern which weaving supplied?
STRANGER: And, therefore, the arts which we have described, as they have no authority over themselves YOUNG SOCRATES: I greatly wish that you would.
or one another, but are each of them concerned with some special action of their own, have, as they ought STRANGER: Then I must describe the nature of to have, special names corresponding to their sev-the royal web, and show how the various threads eral actions.
are woven into one piece.
YOUNG SOCRATES: I agree.
YOUNG SOCRATES: Clearly.
STRANGER: And the science which is over them STRANGER: A task has to be accomplished, which, all, and has charge of the laws, and of all matters although difficult, appears to be necessary.
affecting the State, and truly weaves them all into one, if we would describe under a name character-YOUNG SOCRATES: Certainly the attempt must istic of their common nature, most truly we may be made.
call politics.
STRANGER: To assume that one part of virtue dif-YOUNG SOCRATES: Exactly so.
fers in kind from another, is a position easily assail-able by contentious disputants, who appeal to popu-STRANGER: Then, now that we have discovered lar opinion.