statesman-第8部分

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may　have　experienced　in　the　discussion　about　weaving；　and　

the　reversal

of　the　universe；　and　in　the　discussion　concerning　the　Sophist　and

the　being　of　not…being。　I　know　that　they　were　felt　to　be　too　

long；　and

I　reproached　myself　with　this；　fearing　that　they　might　be　not　only

tedious　but　irrelevant；　and　all　that　I　have　now　said　is　only

designed　to　prevent　the　recurrence　of　any　such　disagreeables　for　the

future。

　　Y。　Soc。　Very　good。　Will　you　proceed？

　　Str。　Then　I　would　like　to　observe　that　you　and　I；　remembering　what

has　been　said；　should　praise　or　blame　the　length　or　shortness　of

discussions；　not　by　comparing　them　with　one　another；　but　with　what

is　fitting；　having　regard　to　the　part　of　measurement；　which；　as　we

said；　was　to　be　borne　in　mind。

　　Y。　Soc。　Very　true。

　　Str。　And　yet；　not　everything　is　to　be　judged　even　with　a　view　to

what　is　fitting；　for　we　should　only　want　such　a　length　as　is　

suited　to

give　pleasure；　if　at　all；　as　a　secondary　matter；　and　reason　tells

us；　that　we　should　be　contented　to　make　the　ease　or　rapidity　of　an

enquiry；　not　our　first；　but　our　second　object；　the　first　and　highest

of　all　being　to　assert　the　great　method　of　division　according　to

species…whether　the　discourse　be　shorter　or　longer　is　not　to　the

point。　No　offence　should　be　taken　at　length；　but　the　longer　and

shorter　are　to　be　employed　indifferently；　according　as　either　of

them　is　better　calculated　to　sharpen　the　wits　of　the　auditors。

Reason　would　also　say　to　him　who　censures　the　length　of　discourses

on　such　occasions　and　cannot　away　with　their　circumlocution；　that　he

should　not　be　in　such　a　hurry　to　have　done　with　them；　when　

he　can　only

complain　that　they　are　tedious；　but　he　should　prove　that　if　they　had

been　shorter　they　would　have　made　those　who　took　part　in　them　better

dialecticians；　and　more　capable　of　expressing　the　truth　of　things；

about　any　other　praise　and　blame；　he　need　not　trouble　himself…he

should　pretend　not　to　hear　them。　But　we　have　had　enough　of　this；　as

you　will　probably　agree　with　me　in　thinking。　Let　us　return　to　our

Statesman；　and　apply　to　his　case　the　aforesaid　example　of　weaving。

　　Y。　Soc。　Very　good；…let　us　do　as　you　say。

　　Str。　The　art　of　the　king　has　been　separated　from　the　

similar　arts　of

shepherds；　and；　indeed；　from　all　those　which　have　to　do　with　herds

at　all。　There　still　remain；　however；　of　the　causal　and　co…operative

arts　those　which　are　immediately　concerned　with　States；　and　

which　must

first　be　distinguished　from　one　another。

　　Y。　Soc。　Very　good。

　　Str。　You　know　that　these　arts　cannot　easily　be　divided　into　two

halves；　the　reason　will　be　very：　evident　as　we　proceed。

　　Y。　Soc。　Then　we　had　better　do　so。

　　Str。　We　must　carve　them　like　a　victim　into　members　or　limbs；　since

we　cannot　bisect　them。　For　we　certainly　should　divide　everything

into　as　few　parts　as　possible。

　　Y。　Soc。　What　is　to　be　done　in　this　case？

　　Str。　What　we　did　in　the　example　of　weaving…all　those　arts　which

furnish　the　tools　were　regarded　by　us　as　co…operative。

　　Y。　Soc。　Yes。

　　Str。　So　now；　and　with　still　more　reason；　all　arts　which　make　any

implement　in　a　State；　whether　great　or　small；　may　be　

regarded　by　us　as

co…operative；　for　without　them　neither　State　nor　Statesmanship　would

be　possible；　and　yet　we　are　not　inclined　to　say　that　any　of　them　is

a　product　of　the　kingly　art。

　　Y。　Soc。　No；　indeed。

　　Str。　The　task　of　separating　this　class　from　others　is　not　an　easy

one；　for　there　is　plausibility　in　saying　that　anything　in　

the　world　is

the　instrument　of　doing　something。　But　there　is　another　dass　of

possessions　in；　a　city；　of　which　I　have　a　word　to　say。

　　Y。　Soc。　What　class　do　you　mean？

　　Str。　A　class　which　may　be　described　as　not　having　this　power；　that

is　to　say；　not　like　an　instrument；　framed　for　production；　

but　designed

for　the　preservation　of　that　which　is　produced。

　　Y。　Soc。　To　what　do　you　refer？

　　Str。　To　the　class　of　vessels；　as　they　are　comprehensively　termed；

which　are　constructed　for　the　preservation　of　things　moist　

and　dry；　of

things　prepared　in　the　fire　or　out　of　the　fire；　this　is　a　very　large

class；　and　has；　if　I　am　not　mistaken；　literally　nothing　to　

do　with　the

royal　art　of　which　we　are　in　search。

　　Y。　Soc。　Certainly　not。

　　Str。　There　is　also　a　third　class　of　possessions　to　be　noted；

different　from　these　and　very　extensive；　moving　or　resting　on　land

or　water；　honourable　and　also　dishonourable。　The　whole　of　this　class

has　one　name；　because　it　is　intended　to　be　sat　upon；　being　always　a

seat　for　something。

　　Y。　Soc。　What　is　it？

　　Str。　A　vehicle；　which　is　certainly　not　the　work　of　the　Statesman；

but　of　the　carpenter；　potter；　and　coppersmith。

　　Y。　Soc。　I　understand。

　　Str。　And　is　there　not　a　fourth　class　which　is　again　different；　and

in　which　most　of　the　things　formerly　mentioned　are　contained…every

kind　of　dress；　most　sorts　of　arms；　walls　and　enclosures；　whether　of

earth　or　stone；　and　ten　thousand　other　thing？　all　of　which　being

made　for　the　sake　of　defence；　may　be　truly　called　defences；　and　are

for　the　most　part　to　be　regarded　as　the　work　of　the　builder　or　of

the　weaver；　rather　than　of　the　Statesman。

　　Y。　Soc。　Certainly。

　　Str。　Shall　we　add　a　fifth　class；　of　ornamentation　and　drawing；　and

of　the　imitations　produced；　by　drawing　and　music；　which　are　designed

for　amusement　only；　and　may　be　fairly　comprehended　under　one　name？

　　Y。　Soc。　What　is　it？

　　Str。　Plaything　is　the　name。

　　Y。　Soc。　Certainly。

　　Str。　That　one　name　may　be　fitly　predicated　of　all　of　them；　for

none　of　these　things　have　a　serious　purpose…amusement　is　their　sole

aim。

　　Y。　Soc。　That　again　I　understand。

　　Str。　Then　there　is　a　class　which　provides　materials　for　all　these；

out　of　which　and　in　which　the　arts　already　mentioned　fabricate　their

works；…this　manifold　class；　I　say；　which　is　the　creation　and　

offspring

of　many　other　arts；　may　I　not　rank　sixth？

　　Y。　Soc。　What　do　you　mean？

　　Str。　I　am　referring　to　gold；　silver；　and　other　metals；　and　all

that　wood…cutting　and　shearing　of　every　sort　provides　for　the　art　of

carpentry　and　plaiting；　and　there　is　the　process　of　barking　and

stripping　the　cuticle　of　plants；　and　the　currier's　art；　which　strips

off　the　skins　of　animals；　and　other　similar　arts　which　manufacture

corks　and　papyri　and　cords；　and　provide　for　the　manufacture　of

composite　species　out　of　simple　kinds…the　whole　class　may　be　termed

the　primitive　and　simple　possession　of　man；　and　with　this　the　kingly

science　has　no　concern　at　all。

　　Y。　Soc。　True。

　　Str。　The　provision　of　food　and　of　all　other　things　which　mingle

their　particles　with　the　particles　of　the　human　body；　and　minister

to　the　body；　will　form　a　seventh　class；　which　may　be　called　by　the

general　term　of　nourishment；　unless　you　have　any　better　name　

to　offer。

This；　however；　appertains　rather　to　the　husbandman；　

huntsman；　trainer；

doctor；　cook；　and　is　not　to　be　assigned　to　the　Statesman's　art。

　　Y。　Soc。　Certainly　not。

　　Str。　These　seven　classes　include　nearly　every　description　of

property；　with　the　exception　of　tame　animals。　Consider；…there　was

the　original　material；　which　ought　to　have　been　placed　first；　next

come　instruments；　vessels；　vehicles；　defences；　playthings；

nourishment；　small　things；　which　may　be…included　under　one　

of　these…as

for　example；　coins；　seals　and　stamps；　are　omitted；　for　they　have　not

in　them　the　character　of　any　larger　kind　which　includes　

them；　but　some

of　them　may；　with　a　little　forcing；　be　placed　among　ornaments；　and

others　may　be　made　to　harmonize　with　the　class　of　implements。　The

art　of　herding；　which　has　been　already　divided　into　parts；　will

include　all　property　in　tame　animals　except　slaves。

　　Y。　Soc。　Very　true。

　　Str。　The　class　of　slaves　and　ministers　only　remains；　and　I　suspect

that　in　this　the　real　aspirants　for　the　throne；　who　are　the　rivals

of　the　king　in　the　formation　of　the　political　web；　will　be　

discovered；

just　as　spinners；　carders；　and　the　rest　of　them；　were　the　rivals　of

the　weaver。　All　the　others；　who　were　termed　co…operators；　have　been

got　rid　of　among　the　occupations　already　mentioned；　and　

separated　from

the　royal　and　political　science。

　　Y。　Soc。　I　agree。

　　Str。　Let　us　go　a　little　nearer；　in　order　that　we　may　be　

more　certain

of　the　complexion　of　this　remaining　class。

　　Y。　Soc。　Let　us　do　so。

　　Str。　We　shall　find　from　our　present　point　of　view　that　the

greatest　servants　are　in　a　case　and　condition　which　is　the　reverse

of　what　we　anticipated。

　　Y。　Soc。　Who　are　they？

　　Str。　Those　who　have　been　purchased；　and　have　so　become

possessions；　these　are　unmistakably　slaves；　and　certainly　do　

not　claim

royal　science。

　　Y。　Soc。　Certainly　not。

　　Str。　Again；　freemen　who　of　their　own　accord　become　the　servants　of

the　other　classes　in　a　State；　and　who　exchange　and　equalise　the

products　of　husbandry　and　the　other　arts；　some　sitting　in　the

market…place；　others　going　from　city　to　city　by　land　or　sea；　and

giving　money　in　exchange　for　money　or　for　other　productions…the

money…changer；　the　merchant；　the　ship…owner；　the　retailer；　will　not

put　in　any　claim　to　statecraft　or　politics？

　　Y。　Soc。　No；　unless；　indeed；　to　the　politics　of　commerce。

　　Str。　But　surely　men　whom　we　see　acting　as　hirelings　and　serfs；　and

too　happy　to　turn　their　hand　to　anything；　will　not　profess　

to　share　in

royal　science？

　　Y。　Soc。　Certainly　not。

　　Str。　But　what　would　you　say　of　some　other　serviceable　officials？

　　Y。　Soc。　Who　are　they；　and　what　services　do　they　perform？

　　Str。　There　are　heralds；　and　scribes　perfected　by　practice；　and

divers　others　who　have　great　skill　in　various　sorts　of　business

connected　with　the　government　of　states…what　shall　we　call　them？

　　Y。　Soc。　They　are　the　officials；　and　servants　of　the　rulers；　as　you

just　now　called　them；　but　not　themselves　rulers。

　　Str。　There　may　be　something　strange　in　any　servant　pretending　to

be　a　ruler；　and　yet　I　do　not　think　that　I　could　have　been　dreaming

when　I　imagined　that　the　principal　claimants　to　political　science

would　be　found　somewhere　in　this　neighbourhood。

　　Y。　Soc。　Very　true。

　　Str。　Well；　let　us　draw　nea