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Str。 O Socrates； best of men； you are imposing upon me a very
difficult task。 We have already digressed further from our original
intention than we ought； and you would have us wander still further
away。 But we must now return to our subject； and hereafter；
when there
is a leisure hour； we will follow up the other track； at the
same time
I wish you to guard against imagining that you ever heard me declare…
Y。 Soc。 What？
Str。 That a class and a part are distinct。
Y。 Soc。 What did I hear； then？
Str。 That a class is necessarily a part； but there is no similar
necessity that a part should be a dass； that is the view which I
should always wish you to attribute to me； Socrates。
Y。 Soc。 So be it。
Str。 There is another thing which I should like to know。
Y。 Soc。 What is it？
Str。 The point at which we digressed； for； if I am not
mistaken； the
exact place was at the question； Where you would divide the
management
of herds。 To this you appeared rather too ready to answer that them
were two species of animals； man being one； and all brutes making up
the other。
Y。 Soc。 True。
Str。 I thought that in taking away a part you imagined that the
remainder formed a class； because you were able to call them by the
common name of brutes。
Y。 Soc。 That again is true。
Str。 Suppose now； O most courageous of dialecticians； that
some wise
and understanding creature； such as a crane is reputed to
be； were； in
imitation of you； to make a similar division； and set up cranes
against all other animals to their own special glorification； at the
same time jumbling together all the others； including man； under the
appellation of brutes；…here would be the sort of error which we must
try to avoid。
Y。 Soc。 How can we be safe？
Str。 If we do not divide the whole class of animals； we shall be
less likely to fall into that error。
Y。 Soc。 We had better not take the whole？
Str。 Yes； there lay the source of error in our former division。
Y。 Soc。 How？
Str。 You remember how that part of the art of knowledge which was
concerned with command； had to do with the rearing of living
creatures；…I mean； with animals in herds？
Y。 Soc。 Yes。
Str。 In that case； there was already implied a division of all
animals into tame and wild； those whose nature can be tamed
are called
tame； and those which cannot be tamed are called wild。
Y。 Soc。 True。
Str。 And the political science of which we are in search； is and
ever was concerned with tame animals； and is also confined to
gregarious animals。
Y。 Soc。 Yes。
Str。 But then ought not to divide； as we did； taking the
whole class
at once。 Neither let us be in too great haste to arrive
quickly at the
political science； for this mistake has already brought upon us the
misfortune of which the proverb speaks。
Y。 Soc。 What misfortune？
Str。 The misfortune of too much haste； which is too little speed。
Y。 Soc。 And all the better； Stranger；…we got what we deserved。
Str。 Very well： Let us then begin again； and endeavour to
divide the
collective rearing of animals； for probably the completion of the
argument will best show what you are so anxious to know。 Tell me；
then…
Y。 Soc。 What？
Str。 Have you ever heard； as you very likely may…for I do not
suppose that you ever actually visited them…of the preserves
of fishes
in the Nile； and in the ponds of the Great King； or you may have
seen similar preserves in wells at home？
Y。 Soc。 Yes； to be sure； I have seen them； and I have often heard
the others described。
Str。 And you may have heard also； and may have been…assured by
report； although you have not travelled in those regions； of
nurseries
of geese and cranes in the plains of Thessaly？
Y。 Soc。 Certainly。
Str。 I asked you； because here is a new division of the management
of herds； into the management of land and of water herds。
Y。 Soc。 There is。
Str。 And do you agree that we ought to divide the
collective rearing
of herds into two corresponding parts； the one the rearing of water；
and the other the rearing of land herds？
Y。 Soc。 Yes。
Str。 There is surely no need to ask which of these two contains
the royal art； for it is evident to everybody。
Y。 Soc。 Certainly。
Str。 Any one can divide the herds which feed on dry land？
Y。 Soc。 How would you divide them？
Str。 I should distinguish between those which fly and those which
walk。
Y。 Soc。 Most true。
Str。 And where shall we look for the political animal？ Might not
an idiot； so to speak； know that he is a pedestrian？
Y。 Soc。 Certainly。
Str。 The art of managing the walking animal has to be further
divided； just as you might have an even number。
Y。 Soc。 Clearly。
Str。 Let me note that here appear in view two ways to that part or
class which the argument aims at reaching…the one is speedier way；
which cuts off a small portion and leaves a large； the other agrees
better with the principle which we were laying down； that as
far as we
can we should divide in the middle； but it is longer。 We can take
either of them； whichever we please。
Y。 Soc。 Cannot we have both ways？
Str。 Together？ What a thing to ask！ but； if you take them in turn；
you clearly may。
Y。 Soc。 Then I should like to have them in turn。
Str。 There will be no difficulty； as we are near the end； if we
had been at the beginning； or in the middle； I should have
demurred to
your request； but now； in accordance with your desire； let us begin
with the longer way； while we are fresh； we shall get on better。 And
now attend to the division。
Y。 Soc。 Let me hear。
Str。 The tame walking herding animals are distributed by
nature into
two classes。
Y。 Soc。 Upon what principle？
Str。 The one grows horns； and the other is without horns。
Y。 Soc。 Clearly。
Str。 Suppose that you divide the science which manages pedestrian
animals into two corresponding parts； and define them； for if you
try to invent names for them； you will find the intricacy too great。
Y。 Soc。 How must I speak of them； then？
Str。 In this way： let the science of managing pedestrian animals
be divided into two parts and one part assigned to the
horned herd and
the other to the herd that has no horns。
Y。 Soc。 All that you say has been abundantly proved； and may
therefore； be assumed。
Str。 The king is clearly the shepherd a polled herd； who have no
horns。
Y。 Soc。 That is evident。
Str。 Shall we break up this hornless herd into sections； and
endeavour to assign to him what is his？
Y。 Soc。 By all means。
Str。 Shall we distinguish them by their having or not having
cloven feet； or by their mixing or not mixing the breed？ You
know what
I mean。
Y。 Soc。 What？
Str。 I mean that horses and asses naturally breed from one another。
Y。 Soc。 Yes。
Str。 But the remainder of the hornless herd of tame
animals will not
mix the breed。
Y。 Soc。 Very true。
Str。 And of which has the Statesman charge；…of the mixed or of the
unmixed race？
Y。 Soc。 Clearly of the unmixed。
Str。 I suppos