Ath。Thetemplesaretobeplacedallroundtheagora，andthewholecitybuiltontheheightsinacircle，forthesakeofdefenceandforthesakeofpurity。Nearthetemplesaretobeplacedbuildingsforthemagistratesandthecourtsoflaw；intheseplaintiffanddefendantwillreceivetheirdue，andtheplaceswillberegardedasmostholy，partlybecausetheyhavetodowiththeholythings：andpartlybecausetheyarethedwelling-placesofholyGods：andinthemwillbeheldthecourtsinwhichcasesofhomicideandothertrialsofcapitaloffensesmayfitlytakeplace。Astothewalls，Megillus，IagreewithSpartainthinkingthattheyshouldbeallowedtosleepintheearth，andthatweshouldnotattempttodisinterthem；thereisapoeticalsaying，whichisfinelyexpressed，that“wallsoughttobeofsteelandiron，andnotofearth；besides，howridiculousofustobesendingoutouryoungmenannuallyintothecountrytodigandtotrench，andtokeepofftheenemybyfortifications，undertheideathattheyarenottobeallowedtosetfootinourterritory，andthen，thatweshouldsurroundourselveswithawall，which，inthefirstplace，isbynomeansconducivetothehealthofcities，andisalsoapttoproduceacertaineffeminacyinthemindsoftheinhabitants，invitingmentorunthitherinsteadofrepellingtheirenemies，andleadingthemtoimaginethattheirsafetyisduenottotheirkeepingguarddayandnight，butthatwhentheyareprotectedbywallsandgates，thentheymaysleepinsafety；asiftheywerenotmeanttolabour，anddidnotknowthattruereposecomesfromlabour，andthatdisgracefulindolenceandacarelesstemperofmindisonlytherenewaloftrouble。Butifmenmusthavewalls，theprivatehousesoughttobesoarrangedfromthefirstthatthewholecitymaybeonewall，havingallthehousescapableofdefencebyreasonoftheiruniformityandequalitytowardsthestreets。Theformofthecitybeingthatofasingledwellingwillhaveanagreeableaspect，andbeingeasilyguardedwillbeinfinitelybetterforsecurity。Untiltheoriginalbuildingiscompleted，theseshouldbetheprincipalobjectsoftheinhabitants；andthewardensofthecityshouldsuperintendthework，andshouldimposeafineonhimwhoisnegligent；andinallthatrelatestothecitytheyshouldhaveacareofcleanliness，andnotallowaprivatepersontoencroachuponanypublicpropertyeitherbybuildingsorexcavations。Further，theyoughttotakecarethattherainsfromheavenflowoffeasily，andofanyothermatterswhichmayhavetobeadministeredeitherwithinorwithoutthecity。Theguardiansofthelawshallpassanyfurtherenactmentswhichtheirexperiencemayshowtobenecessary，andsupplyanyotherpointsinwhichthelawmaybedeficient。Andnowthatthesematters，andthebuildingsabouttheagora，andthegymnasia，andplacesofinstruction，andtheatres，areallreadyandwaitingforscholarsandspectators，letusproceedtothesubjectswhichfollowmarriageintheorderoflegislation。
　　Cle。Byallmeans。
　　Ath。Assumingthatmarriagesexistalready，Cleinias，themodeoflifeduringtheyearaftermarriage，beforechildrenareborn，willfollownextinorder。Inwhatwaybrideandbridegroomoughttoliveinacitywhichistobesuperiortoothercities，isamatternotatalleasyforustodetermine。Therehavebeenmanydifficultiesalready，butthiswillbethegreatestofthem，andthemostdisagreeabletothemany。StillIcannotbutsaywhatappearstometoberightandtrue，Cleinias。
　　Cle。Certainly。
　　Ath。Hewhoimaginesthathecangivelawsforthepublicconductofstates，whileheleavestheprivatelifeofcitizenswhollytotakecareofitself；whothinksthatindividualsmaypassthedayastheyplease，andthatthereisnonecessityoforderinallthings；he，I
　　say，whogivesupthecontroloftheirprivatelives，andsupposesthattheywillconformtolawintheircommonandpubliclife，ismakingagreatmistake。WhyhaveImadethisremark？Why，becauseIamgoingtoenactthatthebridegroomsshouldliveatthecommontables，justastheydidbeforemarriage。Thiswasasingularitywhenfirstenactedbythelegislatorinyourpartsoftheworld，MegillusandCleinias，asIshouldsuppose，ontheoccasionofsomewarorothersimilardanger，whichcausedthepassingofthelaw，andwhichwouldbelikelytooccurinthinly-peopledplaces，andintimesofpressure。Butwhenmenhadoncetriedandbeenaccustomedtoacommontable，experienceshowedthattheinstitutiongreatlyconducedtosecurity；andinsomesuchmannerthecustomofhavingcommontablesaroseamongyou。
　　Cle。Likelyenough。
　　Ath。Isaidthattheremayhavebeensingularityanddangerinimposingsuchacustomatfirst，butthatnowthereisnotthesamedifficulty。Thereis，however，anotherinstitutionwhichisthenaturalsequeltothis，andwouldbeexcellent，ifitexistedanywhere，butatpresentitdoesnot。TheinstitutionofwhichIamabouttospeakisnoteasilydescribedorexecuted；andwouldbelikethelegislator“combingwoolintothefire，“aspeoplesay，orperforminganyotherimpossibleanduselessfeat。
　　Cle。Whatisthecause，Stranger，ofthisextremehesitation？
　　Ath。Youshallhearwithoutanyfruitlesslossoftime。Thatwhichhaslawandorderinastateisthecauseofeverygood，butthatwhichisdisorderedorill-orderedisoftentheruinofthatwhichiswell-ordered；andatthispointtheargumentisnowwaiting。Forwithyou，CleiniasandMegillus，thecommontablesofmenare，asI
　　said，aheaven-bornandadmirableinstitution，butyouaremistakeninleavingthewomenunregulatedbylaw。Theyhavenosimilarinstitutionofpublictablesinthelightofday，andjustthatpartofthehumanracewhichisbynaturepronetosecrecyandstealthonaccountoftheirweakness-Imeanthefemalesex-hasbeenleftwithoutregulationbythelegislator，whichisagreatmistake。And，inconsequenceofthisneglect，manythingshavegrownlaxamongyou，whichmighthavebeenfarbetter，iftheyhadbeenonlyregulatedbylaw；fortheneglectofregulationsaboutwomenmaynotonlyberegardedasaneglectofhalftheentirematter，butinproportionaswoman’snatureisinferiortothatofmenincapacityforvirtue，inthatdegreetheconsequenceofsuchneglectismorethantwiceasimportant。Thecarefulconsiderationofthismatter，andthearrangingandorderingonacommonprincipleofallourinstitutionsrelatingbothtomenandwomen，greatlyconducestothehappinessofthestate。
　　Butatpresent，suchistheunfortunateconditionofmankind，thatnomanofsensewillevenventuretospeakofcommontablesinplacesandcitiesinwhichtheyhaveneverbeenestablishedatall；
　　andhowcananyoneavoidbeingutterlyridiculous，whoattemptstocompelwomentoshowinpublichowmuchtheyeatanddrink？Thereisnothingatwhichthesexismorelikelytotakeoffence。Forwomenareaccustomedtocreepintodarkplaces，andwhendraggedoutintothelighttheywillexerttheirutmostpowersofresistance，andbefartoomuchforthelegislator。Andtherefore，asIsaidbefore，inmostplacestheywillnotenduretohavethetruthspokenwithoutraisingatremendousoutcry，butinthisstateperhapstheymay。Andifwemayassumethatourwholediscussionaboutthestatehasnotbeenmereidletalk，Ishouldliketoprovetoyou，ifyouwillconsenttolisten，thatthisinstitutionisgoodandproper；butifyouhadrathernot，Iwillrefrain。
　　Cle。Thereisnothingwhichweshouldbothofuslikebetter，Stranger，thantohearwhatyouhavetosay。
　　Ath。Verygood；andyoumustnotbesurprisedifIgobackalittle，forwehaveplentyofleisure，andthereisnothingtopreventusfromconsideringineverypointofviewthesubjectoflaw。
　　Cle。True。
　　Ath。Thenletusreturnoncemoretowhatweweresayingatfirst。
　　Everymanshouldunderstandthatthehumanraceeitherhadnobeginningatall，andwillneverhaveanend，butalwayswillbeandhasbeen；orthatitbegananimmensewhileago。
　　Cle。Certainly。
　　Ath。Well，andhavetherenotbeenconstitutionsanddestructionsofstates，andallsortsofpursuitsbothorderlyanddisorderly，anddiversedesiresofmeatsanddrinksalways，andinalltheworld，andallsortsofchangesoftheseasonsinwhichanimalsmaybeexpectedtohaveundergoneinnumerabletransformationsofthemselves？
　　Cle。Nodoubt。
　　Ath。Andmaywenotsupposethatvinesappeared，whichhadpreviouslynoexistence，andalsoolives，andthegiftsofDemeterandherdaughter，ofwhichoneTriptolemuswastheminister，andthat，beforetheseexisted，animalstooktodevouringeachotherastheydostill？
　　Cle。True。
　　Ath。Again，thepracticeofmensacrificingoneanotherstillexistsamongmanynations；while，ontheotherhand，wehearofotherhumanbeingswhodidnotevenventuretotastethefleshofacowandhadnoanimalsacrifices，butonlycakesandfruitsdippedinhoney，andsimilarpureofferings，butnofleshofanimals；fromthesetheyabstainedundertheideathattheyoughtnottoeatthem，andmightnotstainthealtarsoftheGodswithblood。ForinthosedaysmenaresaidtohavelivedasortofOrphiclife，havingtheuseofalllifelessthings，butabstainingfromalllivingthings。
　　Cle。Suchhasbeentheconstanttradition，andisverylikelytrue。
　　Ath。Someonemightsaytous，Whatisthedriftofallthis？
　　Cle。Averypertinentquestion，Stranger。
　　Ath。AndthereforeIwillendeavour，Cleinias，ifIcan，todrawthenaturalinference。
　　Cle。Proceed。
　　Ath。Iseethatamongmenallthingsdependuponthreewantsanddesires，ofwhichtheendisvirtue，iftheyarerightlyledbythem，ortheoppositeifwrongly。Nowtheseareeatinganddrinking，whichbeginatbirth-everyanimalhasanaturaldesireforthem，andisviolentlyexcited，andrebelsagainsthimwhosaysthathemustnotsatisfyallhispleasuresandappetites，andgetridofallthecorrespondingpains-andthethirdandgreatestandsharpestwantanddesirebreaksoutlast，andisthefireofsexuallust，whichkindlesinmeneveryspeciesofwantonnessandmadness。Andthesethreedisorderswemustendeavourtomasterbythethreegreatprinciplesoffearandlawandrightreason；turningthemawayfromthatwhichiscalledpleasantesttothebest，usingtheMusesandtheGodswhopresideoverconteststoextinguishtheirincreaseandinflux。
　　Buttoreturn：-Aftermarriageletusspeakofthebirthofchildren，andaftertheirbirthoftheirnurtureandeducation。Inthecourseofdiscussiontheseverallawswillbeperfected，andweshallatlastarriveatthecommontables。Whethersuchassociationsaretobeconfinedtomen，orextendedtowomenalso，weshallseebetterwhenweapproachandtakeanearerviewofthem；andwemaythendeterminewhatpreviousinstitutionsarerequiredandwillhavetoprecedethem。AsIsaidbeforeweshallseethemmoreindetail，andshallbebetterabletolaydownthelawswhichareproperorsuitedtothem。
　　Cle。Verytrue。
　　Ath。Letuskeepinmindthewordswhichhavenowbeenspoken；forhereaftertheremaybeneedofthem。
　　Cle。Whatdoyoubiduskeepinmind？
　　Ath。Thatwhichwecomprehendedunderthethreewords-first，eating，secondly，drinking，thirdly，theexcitementoflove。
　　Cle。Weshallbesuretoremember，Stranger。
　　Ath。Verygood。Thenletusnowproceedtomarriage，andteachpersonsinwhatwaytheyshallbegetchildren，threateningthem，iftheydisobey，withtheterrorsofthelaw。
　　Cle。Whatdoyoumean？