Andmustnotweswimandtrytoreachtheshore：wewillhopethatArion’sdolphinorsomeothermiraculoushelpmaysaveus？
　　Isupposeso，hesaid。
　　Wellthen，letusseeifanywayofescapecanbefound。Weacknowledged——didwenot？thatdifferentnaturesoughttohavedifferentpursuits，andthatmen’sandwomen’snaturesaredifferent。Andnowwhatarewesaying？——thatdifferentnaturesoughttohavethesamepursuits，——thisistheinconsistencywhichischargeduponus。
　　Precisely。
　　Verily，Glaucon，Isaid，gloriousisthepoweroftheartofcontradiction！
　　Whydoyousayso？
　　BecauseIthinkthatmanyamanfallsintothepracticeagainsthiswill。Whenhethinksthatheisreasoningheisreallydisputing，justbecausehecannotdefineanddivide，andsoknowthatofwhichheisspeaking；andhewillpursueamerelyverbaloppositioninthespiritofcontentionandnotoffairdiscussion。
　　Yes，hereplied，suchisveryoftenthecase；butwhathasthattodowithusandourargument？
　　Agreatdeal；forthereiscertainlyadangerofourgettingunintentionallyintoaverbalopposition。
　　Inwhatway？
　　Why，wevaliantlyandpugnaciouslyinsistupontheverbaltruth，thatdifferentnaturesoughttohavedifferentpursuits，butweneverconsideredatallwhatwasthemeaningofsamenessordifferenceofnature，orwhywedistinguishedthemwhenweassigneddifferentpursuitstodifferentnaturesandthesametothesamenatures。
　　Why，no，hesaid，thatwasneverconsideredbyus。
　　Isaid：Supposethatbywayofillustrationweweretoaskthequestionwhetherthereisnotanoppositioninnaturebetweenbaldmenandhairymen；andifthisisadmittedbyus，then，ifbaldmenarecobblers，weshouldforbidthehairymentobecobblers，andconversely？
　　Thatwouldbeajest，hesaid。
　　Yes，Isaid，ajest；andwhy？becausewenevermeantwhenweconstructedtheState，thattheoppositionofnaturesshouldextendtoeverydifference，butonlytothosedifferenceswhichaffectedthepursuitinwhichtheindividualisengaged；weshouldhaveargued，forexample，thataphysicianandonewhoisinmindaphysicianmaybesaidtohavethesamenature。
　　True。
　　Whereasthephysicianandthecarpenterhavedifferentnatures？
　　Certainly。
　　Andif，Isaid，themaleandfemalesexappeartodifferintheirfitnessforanyartorpursuit，weshouldsaythatsuchpursuitorartoughttobeassignedtooneortheotherofthem；butifthedifferenceconsistsonlyinwomenbearingandmenbegettingchildren，thisdoesnotamounttoaproofthatawomandiffersfromamaninrespectofthesortofeducationsheshouldreceive；andweshallthereforecontinuetomaintainthatourguardiansandtheirwivesoughttohavethesamepursuits。
　　Verytrue，hesaid。
　　Next，weshallaskouropponenthow，inreferencetoanyofthepursuitsorartsofciviclife，thenatureofawomandiffersfromthatofaman？
　　Thatwillbequitefair。
　　Andperhapshe，likeyourself，willreplythattogiveasufficientanswerontheinstantisnoteasy；butafteralittlereflectionthereisnodifficulty。
　　Yes，perhaps。
　　Supposethenthatweinvitehimtoaccompanyusintheargument，andthenwemayhopetoshowhimthatthereisnothingpeculiarintheconstitutionofwomenwhichwouldaffectthemintheadministrationoftheState。
　　Byallmeans。
　　Letussaytohim：Comenow，andwewillaskyouaquestion：
　　——whenyouspokeofanaturegiftedornotgiftedinanyrespect，didyoumeantosaythatonemanwillacquireathingeasily，anotherwithdifficulty；alittlelearningwillleadtheonetodiscoveragreatdeal；whereastheother，aftermuchstudyandapplication，nosoonerlearnsthanheforgets；oragain，didyoumean，thattheonehasabodywhichisagoodservanttohismind，whilethebodyoftheotherisahindrancetohim？—wouldnotthesebethesortofdifferenceswhichdistinguishthemangiftedbynaturefromtheonewhoisungifted？
　　Noonewilldenythat。
　　Andcanyoumentionanypursuitofmankindinwhichthemalesexhasnotallthesegiftsandqualitiesinahigherdegreethanthefemale？NeedIwastetimeinspeakingoftheartofweaving，andthemanagementofpancakesandpreserves，inwhichwomankinddoesreallyappeartobegreat，andinwhichforhertobebeatenbyamanisofallthingsthemostabsurd？
　　Youarequiteright，hereplied，inmaintainingthegeneralinferiorityofthefemalesex：althoughmanywomenareinmanythingssuperiortomanymen，yetonthewholewhatyousayistrue。
　　Andifso，myfriend，Isaid，thereisnospecialfacultyofadministrationinastatewhichawomanhasbecausesheisawoman，orwhichamanhasbyvirtueofhissex，butthegiftsofnaturearealikediffusedinboth；allthepursuitsofmenarethepursuitsofwomenalso，butinallofthemawomanisinferiortoaman。
　　Verytrue。
　　Thenarewetoimposeallourenactmentsonmenandnoneofthemonwomen？
　　Thatwillneverdo。
　　Onewomanhasagiftofhealing，anothernot；oneisamusician，andanotherhasnomusicinhernature？
　　Verytrue。
　　Andonewomanhasaturnforgymnasticandmilitaryexercises，andanotherisunwarlikeandhatesgymnastics？
　　Certainly。
　　Andonewomanisaphilosopher，andanotherisanenemyofphilosophy；onehasspirit，andanotheriswithoutspirit？
　　Thatisalsotrue。
　　Thenonewomanwillhavethetemperofaguardian，andanothernot。Wasnottheselectionofthemaleguardiansdeterminedbydifferencesofthissort？
　　Yes。
　　Menandwomenalikepossessthequalitieswhichmakeaguardian；
　　theydifferonlyintheircomparativestrengthorweakness。
　　Obviously。
　　Andthosewomenwhohavesuchqualitiesaretobeselectedasthecompanionsandcolleaguesofmenwhohavesimilarqualitiesandwhomtheyresembleincapacityandincharacter？
　　Verytrue。
　　Andoughtnotthesamenaturestohavethesamepursuits？
　　Theyought。
　　Then，asweweresayingbefore，thereisnothingunnaturalinassigningmusicandgymnastictothewivesoftheguardians——tothatpointwecomeroundagain。
　　Certainlynot。
　　Thelawwhichwethenenactedwasagreeabletonature，andthereforenotanimpossibilityormereaspiration；andthecontrarypractice，whichprevailsatpresent，isinrealityaviolationofnature。
　　Thatappearstobetrue。
　　Wehadtoconsider，first，whetherourproposalswerepossible，andsecondlywhethertheywerethemostbeneficial？
　　Yes。
　　Andthepossibilityhasbeenacknowledged？
　　Yes。
　　Theverygreatbenefithasnexttobeestablished？
　　Quiteso。
　　Youwilladmitthatthesameeducationwhichmakesamanagoodguardianwillmakeawomanagoodguardian；fortheiroriginalnatureisthesame？
　　Yes。
　　Ishouldliketoaskyouaquestion。
　　Whatisit？
　　Wouldyousaythatallmenareequalinexcellence，orisonemanbetterthananother？
　　Thelatter。
　　Andinthecommonwealthwhichwewerefoundingdoyouconceivetheguardianswhohavebeenbroughtuponourmodelsystemtobemoreperfectmen，orthecobblerswhoseeducationhasbeencobbling？
　　Whataridiculousquestion！
　　Youhaveansweredme，Ireplied：Well，andmaywenotfurthersaythatourguardiansarethebestofourcitizens？
　　Byfarthebest。
　　Andwillnottheirwivesbethebestwomen？
　　Yes，byfarthebest。
　　AndcantherebeanythingbetterfortheinterestsoftheStatethanthatthemenandwomenofaStateshouldbeasgoodaspossible？
　　Therecanbenothingbetter。
　　Andthisiswhattheartsofmusicandgymnastic，whenpresentinsuchmanneraswehavedescribed，willaccomplish？
　　Certainly。
　　ThenwehavemadeanenactmentnotonlypossiblebutinthehighestdegreebeneficialtotheState？
　　True。
　　Thenletthewivesofourguardiansstrip，fortheirvirtuewillbetheirrobe，andletthemshareinthetoilsofwarandthedefenceoftheircountry；onlyinthedistributionoflaboursthelighteraretobeassignedtothewomen，whoaretheweakernatures，butinotherrespectstheirdutiesaretobethesame。Andasforthemanwholaughsatnakedwomenexercisingtheirbodiesfromthebestofmotives，inhislaughterheispluckingAfruitofunripewisdom，andhehimselfisignorantofwhatheislaughingat，orwhatheisabout；——forthatis，andeverwillbe，thebestofsayings，Thattheusefulisthenobleandthehurtfulisthebase。
　　Verytrue。
　　Here，then，isonedifficultyinourlawaboutwomen，whichwemaysaythatwehavenowescaped；thewavehasnotswallowedusupaliveforenactingthattheguardiansofeithersexshouldhavealltheirpursuitsincommon；totheutilityandalsotothepossibilityofthisarrangementtheconsistencyoftheargumentwithitselfbearswitness。
　　Yes，thatwasamightywavewhichyouhaveescaped。
　　Yes，Isaid，butagreateriscoming；youwillofthiswhenyouseethenext。
　　Goon；letmesee。
　　Thelaw，Isaid，whichisthesequelofthisandofallthathaspreceded，istothefollowingeffect，——’thatthewivesofourguardiansaretobecommon，andtheirchildrenaretobecommon，andnoparentistoknowhisownchild，noranychildhisparent。’
　　Yes，hesaid，thatisamuchgreaterwavethantheother；andthepossibilityaswellastheutilityofsuchalawarefarmorequestionable。
　　Idonotthink，Isaid，thattherecanbeanydisputeabouttheverygreatutilityofhavingwivesandchildrenincommon；thepossibilityisquiteanothermatter，andwillbeverymuchdisputed。
　　Ithinkthatagoodmanydoubtsmayberaisedaboutboth。
　　Youimplythatthetwoquestionsmustbecombined，Ireplied。NowImeantthatyoushouldadmittheutility；andinthisway，asI
　　thought；Ishouldescapefromoneofthem，andthentherewouldremainonlythepossibility。
　　Butthatlittleattemptisdetected，andthereforeyouwillpleasetogiveadefenceofboth。
　　Well，Isaid，Isubmittomyfate。Yetgrantmealittlefavour：letmefeastmymindwiththedreamasdaydreamersareinthehabitoffeastingthemselveswhentheyarewalkingalone；forbeforetheyhavediscoveredanymeansofeffectingtheirwishes——thatisamatterwhichnevertroublesthem——theywouldrathernottirethemselvesbythinkingaboutpossibilities；butassumingthatwhattheydesireisalreadygrantedtothem，theyproceedwiththeirplan，anddelightindetailingwhattheymeantodowhentheirwishhascometrue——thatisawaywhichtheyhaveofnotdoingmuchgoodtoacapacitywhichwasnevergoodformuch。NowImyselfambeginningtoloseheart，andIshouldlike，withyourpermission，topassoverthequestionofpossibilityatpresent。Assumingthereforethepossibilityoftheproposal，Ishallnowproceedtoenquirehowtherulerswillcarryoutthesearrangements，andIshalldemonstratethatourplan，ifexecuted，willbeofthegreatestbenefittotheStateandtotheguardians。Firstofall，then，ifyouhavenoobjection，Iwillendeavourwithyourhelptoconsidertheadvantagesofthemeasure；
　　andhereafterthequestionofpossibility。
　　Ihavenoobjection；proceed。
　　First，Ithinkthatifourrulersandtheirauxiliariesaretobeworthyofthenamewhichtheybear，theremustbewillingnesstoobeyintheoneandthepowerofcommandintheother；theguardiansmustthemselvesobeythelaws，andtheymustalsoimitatethespiritoftheminanydetailswhichareentrustedtotheircare。
　　Thatisright，hesaid。
　　You，Isaid，whoaretheirlegislator，havingselectedthemen，willnowselectthewomenandgivethemtothem；——theymustbeasfaraspossibleoflikenatureswiththem；andtheymustliveincommonhousesandmeetatcommonmeals，Noneofthemwillhaveanythingspeciallyhisorherown；theywillbetogether，andwillbebroughtuptogether，andwillassociateatgymnasticexercises。Andsotheywillbedrawnbyanecessityoftheirnaturestohaveintercoursewitheachother——necessityisnottoostrongaword，Ithink？
　　Yes，hesaid；——necessity，notgeometrical，butanothersortofnecessitywhichloversknow，andwhichisfarmoreconvincingandconstrainingtothemassofmankind。
　　True，Isaid；andthis，Glaucon，likealltherest，mustproceedafteranorderlyfashion；inacityoftheblessed，licentiousnessisanunholythingwhichtherulerswillforbid。
　　Yes，hesaid，anditoughtnottobepermitted。
　　Thenclearlythenextthingwillbetomakematrimonysacredinthehighestdegree，andwhatismostbeneficialwillbedeemedsacred？
　　Exactly。
　　Andhowcanmarriagesbemademostbeneficial？——thatisaquestionwhichIputtoyou，becauseIseeinyourhousedogsforhunting，andofthenoblersortofbirdsnotafew。Now，Ibeseechyou，dotellme，haveyoueverattendedtotheirpairingandbreeding？
　　Inwhatparticulars？
　　Why，inthefirstplace，althoughtheyareallofagoodsort，arenotsomebetterthanothers？
　　True。
　　Anddoyoubreedfromthemallindifferently，ordoyoutakecaretobreedfromthebestonly？
　　Fromthebest。
　　Anddoyoutaketheoldestortheyoungest，oronlythoseofripeage？
　　Ichooseonlythoseofripeage。
　　Andifcarewasnottakeninthebreeding，yourdogsandbirdswouldgreatlydeteriorate？
　　Certainly。
　　Andthesameofhorsesandanimalsingeneral？
　　Undoubtedly。
　　Goodheavens！mydearfriend，Isaid，whatconsummateskillwillourrulersneedifthesameprincipleholdsofthehumanspecies！
　　Certainly，thesameprincipleholds；butwhydoesthisinvolveanyparticularskill？
　　Because，Isaid，ourrulerswilloftenhavetopractiseuponthebodycorporatewithmedicines。Nowyouknowthatwhenpatientsdonotrequiremedicines，buthaveonlytobeputunderaregimen，theinferiorsortofpractitionerisdeemedtobegoodenough；butwhenmedicinehastobegiven，thenthedoctorshouldbemoreofaman。
　　Thatisquitetrue，hesaid；buttowhatareyoualluding？
　　Imean，Ireplied，thatourrulerswillfindaconsiderabledoseoffalsehoodanddeceitnecessaryforthegoodoftheirsubjects：weweresayingthattheuseofallthesethingsregardedasmedicinesmightbeofadvantage。
　　Andwewereveryright。
　　Andthislawfuluseofthemseemslikelytobeoftenneededintheregulationsofmarriagesandbirths。
　　Howso？
　　Why，Isaid，theprinciplehasbeenalreadylaiddownthatthebestofeithersexshouldbeunitedwiththebestasoften，andtheinferiorwiththeinferior，asseldomaspossible；andthattheyshouldreartheoffspringoftheonesortofunion，butnotoftheother，iftheflockistobemaintainedinfirst—ratecondition。Nowthesegoingsonmustbeasecretwhichtherulersonlyknow，ortherewillbeafurtherdangerofourherd，astheguardiansmaybetermed，breakingoutintorebellion。
　　Verytrue。
　　Hadwenotbetterappointcertainfestivalsatwhichwewillbringtogetherthebridesandbridegrooms，andsacrificeswillbeofferedandsuitablehymenealsongscomposedbyourpoets：thenumberofweddingsisamatterwhichmustbelefttothediscretionoftherulers，whoseaimwillbetopreservetheaverageofpopulation？Therearemanyotherthingswhichtheywillhavetoconsider，suchastheeffectsofwarsanddiseasesandanysimilaragencies，inorderasfarasthisispossibletopreventtheStatefrombecomingeithertoolargeortoosmall。
　　Certainly，hereplied。
　　Weshallhavetoinventsomeingeniouskindoflotswhichthelessworthymaydrawoneachoccasionofourbringingthemtogether，andthentheywillaccusetheirownill—luckandnottherulers。
　　Tobesure，hesaid。
　　AndIthinkthatourbraverandbetteryouth，besidestheirotherhonoursandrewards，mighthavegreaterfacilitiesofintercoursewithwomengiventhem；theirbraverywillbeareason，andsuchfathersoughttohaveasmanysonsaspossible。
　　True。
　　Andtheproperofficers，whethermaleorfemaleorboth，forofficesaretobeheldbywomenaswellasbymen——
　　Yes——
　　Theproperofficerswilltaketheoffspringofthegoodparentstothepenorfold，andtheretheywilldepositthemwithcertainnurseswhodwellinaseparatequarter；buttheoffspringoftheinferior，orofthebetterwhentheychancetobedeformed，willbeputawayinsomemysterious，unknownplace，astheyshouldbe。
　　Yes，hesaid，thatmustbedoneifthebreedoftheguardiansistobekeptpure。
　　Theywillprovidefortheirnurture，andwillbringthemotherstothefoldwhentheyarefullofmilk，takingthegreatestpossiblecarethatnomotherrecognizesherownchild；andotherwet—nursesmaybeengagedifmorearerequired。Carewillalsobetakenthattheprocessofsucklingshallnotbeprotractedtoolong；andthemotherswillhavenogettingupatnightorothertrouble，butwillhandoverallthissortofthingtothenursesandattendants。
　　Yousupposethewivesofourguardianstohaveafineeasytimeofitwhentheyarehavingchildren。
　　Why，saidI，andsotheyought。Letus，however，proceedwithourscheme。Weweresayingthattheparentsshouldbeintheprimeoflife？
　　Verytrue。
　　Andwhatistheprimeoflife？Mayitnotbedefinedasaperiodofabouttwentyyearsinawoman’slife，andthirtyinaman’s？
　　Whichyearsdoyoumeantoinclude？
　　Awoman，Isaid，attwentyyearsofagemaybegintobearchildrentotheState，andcontinuetobearthemuntilforty；amanmaybeginatfive—and—twenty，whenhehaspassedthepointatwhichthepulseoflifebeatsquickest，andcontinuetobegetchildrenuntilhebefifty—five。
　　Certainly，hesaid，bothinmenandwomenthoseyearsaretheprimeofphysicalaswellasofintellectualvigour。
　　Anyoneaboveorbelowtheprescribedageswhotakespartinthepublichymenealsshallbesaidtohavedoneanunholyandunrighteousthing；thechildofwhichheisthefather，ifitstealsintolife，willhavebeenconceivedunderauspicesveryunlikethesacrificesandprayers，whichateachhymenealpriestessesandpriestandthewholecitywilloffer，thatthenewgenerationmaybebetterandmoreusefulthantheirgoodandusefulparents，whereashischildwillbetheoffspringofdarknessandstrangelust。
　　Verytrue，hereplied。
　　Andthesamelawwillapplytoanyoneofthosewithintheprescribedagewhoformsaconnectionwithanywomanintheprimeoflifewithoutthesanctionoftherulers；forweshallsaythatheisraisingupabastardtotheState，uncertifiedandunconsecrated。
　　Verytrue，hereplied。
　　Thisapplies，however，onlytothosewhoarewithinthespecifiedage：afterthatweallowthemtorangeatwill，exceptthatamanmaynotmarryhisdaughterorhisdaughter’sdaughter，orhismotherorhismother’smother；andwomen，ontheotherhand，areprohibitedfrommarryingtheirsonsorfathers，orson’ssonorfather’sfather，andsoonineitherdirection。Andwegrantallthis，accompanyingthepermissionwithstrictorderstopreventanyembryowhichmaycomeintobeingfromseeingthelight；andifanyforceawaytothebirth，theparentsmustunderstandthattheoffspringofsuchanunioncannotbemaintained，andarrangeaccordingly。
　　Thatalso，hesaid，isareasonableproposition。Buthowwilltheyknowwhoarefathersanddaughters，andsoon？
　　Theywillneverknow。Thewaywillbethis：——datingfromthedayofthehymeneal，thebridegroomwhowasthenmarriedwillcallallthemalechildrenwhoarebornintheseventhandtenthmonthafterwardshissons，andthefemalechildrenhisdaughters，andtheywillcallhimfather，andhewillcalltheirchildrenhisgrandchildren，andtheywillcalltheeldergenerationgrandfathersandgrandmothers。Allwhowerebegottenatthetimewhentheirfathersandmotherscametogetherwillbecalledtheirbrothersandsisters，andthese，asI