Ath。Enoughofwrestling；wewillnowproceedtospeakofothermovementsofthebody。Suchmotionmaybeingeneralcalleddancing，andisoftwokinds：oneofnoblerfigures，imitatingthehonourable，theotherofthemoreignoblefigures，imitatingthemean；
　　andofboththesetherearetwofurthersubdivisions。Oftheserious，onekindisofthoseengagedinwarandvehementaction，andistheexerciseofanoblepersonandamanlyheart；theotherexhibitsatemperatesoulintheenjoymentofprosperityandmodestpleasures，andmaybetrulycalledandisthedanceofpeace。Thewarriordanceisdifferentfromthepeacefulone，andmayberightlytermedPyrrhic；thisimitatesthemodesofavoidingblowsandmissilesbydroppingorgivingway，orspringingaside，orrisinguporfallingdown；alsotheoppositepostureswhicharethoseofaction，as，forexample，theimitationofarcheryandthehurlingofjavelins，andofallsortsofblows。Andwhentheimitationisofbravebodiesandsouls，andtheactionisdirectandmuscular，givingforthemostpartastraightmovementtothelimbsofthebody-that，Isay，isthetruesort；buttheoppositeisnotright。Inthedanceofpeacewhatwehavetoconsideriswhetheramanbearshimselfnaturallyandgracefully，andafterthemannerofmenwhodulyconformtothelaw。
　　ButbeforeproceedingImustdistinguishthedancingaboutwhichthereisanydoubt，fromthataboutwhichthereisnodoubt。Whichisthedoubtfulkind，andhowarethetwotobedistinguished？TherearedancesoftheBacchicsort，boththoseinwhich，astheysay，theyimitatedrunkenmen，andwhicharenamedaftertheNymphs，andPan，andSilenuses，andSatyrs；andalsothoseinwhichpurificationsaremadeormysteriescelebrated-allthissortofdancingcannotberightlydefinedashavingeitherapeacefulorawarlikecharacter，orindeedashavinganymeaningwhateverandmay，Ithink，bemosttrulydescribedasdistinctfromthewarlikedance，anddistinctfromthepeaceful，andnotsuitedforacityatall。Thereletitlie；
　　andsoleavingittolie，wewillproceedtothedancesofwarandpeace，forwiththeseweareundoubtedlyconcerned。Nowtheunwarlikemuse，whichhonoursindancetheGodsandthesonsoftheGods，isentirelyassociatedwiththeconsciousnessofprosperity；
　　thisclassmaybesubdividedintotwolesserclasses，ofwhichoneisexpressiveofanescapefromsomelabourordangerintogood，andhasgreaterpleasures，theotherexpressiveofpreservationandincreaseofformergood，inwhichthepleasureislessexciting；-inallthesecases，everymanwhenthepleasureisgreater，moveshisbodymore，andlesswhenthepleasureisless；and，again，ifhebemoreorderlyandhaslearnedcouragefromdisciplinehewavesless，butifhebeacoward，andhasnotrainingorself-control，hemakesgreaterandmoreviolentmovements，andingeneralwhenheisspeakingorsingingheisnotaltogetherabletokeephisbodystill；andsooutoftheimitationofwordsingesturesthewholeartofdancinghasarisen。Andinthesevariouskindsofimitationonemanmovesinanorderly，anotherinadisorderlymanner；andastheancientsmaybeobservedtohavegivenmanynameswhichareaccordingtonatureanddeservingofpraise，sothereisanexcellentonewhichtheyhavegiventothedancesofmenwhointheirtimesofprosperityaremoderateintheirpleasures-thegiverofnames，whoeverhewas，assignedtothemaverytrue，andpoetical，andrationalname，whenhecalledthemEmmeleiai，ordancesoforder，thusestablishingtwokindsofdancesofthenoblersort，thedanceofwarwhichhecalledthePyrrhic，andthedanceofpeacewhichhecalledEmmeleia，orthedanceoforder；givingtoeachtheirappropriateandbecomingname。Thesethingsthelegislatorshouldindicateingeneraloutline，andtheguardianofthelawshouldenquireintothemandsearchthemout，combiningdancingwithmusic，andassigningtotheseveralsacrificialfeaststhatwhichissuitabletothem；andwhenhehasconsecratedallofthemindueorder，heshallforthefuturechangenothing，whetherofdanceorsong。Thenceforwardthecityandthecitizensshallcontinuetohavethesamepleasures，themselvesbeingasfaraspossiblealike，andshalllivewellandhappily。
　　Ihavedescribedthedanceswhichareappropriatetonoblebodiesandgeneroussouls。Butitisnecessaryalsotoconsiderandknowuncomelypersonsandthoughts，andthosewhichareintendedtoproducelaughterincomedy，andhaveacomiccharacterinrespectofstyle，song，anddance，andoftheimitationswhichtheseafford。Forseriousthingscannotbeunderstoodwithoutlaughablethings，noroppositesatallwithoutopposites，ifamanisreallytohaveintelligenceofeither；buthecannotcarryoutbothinaction，ifheistohaveanydegreeofvirtue。Andforthisveryreasonheshouldlearnthemboth，inorderthathemaynotinignorancedoorsayanythingwhichisridiculousandoutofplace-heshouldcommandslavesandhiredstrangerstoimitatesuchthings，butheshouldnevertakeanyseriousinterestinthemhimself，norshouldanyfreemanorfreewomanbediscoveredtakingpainstolearnthem；andthereshouldalwaysbesomeelementofnoveltyintheimitation。Letthesethenbelaiddown，bothinlawandinourdiscourse，astheregulationsoflaughableamusementswhicharegenerallycalledcomedy。And，ifanyoftheseriouspoets，astheyaretermed，whowritetragedy，cometousandsay-“Ostrangers，maywegotoyourcityandcountryormaywenot，andshallwebringwithusourpoetry-whatisyourwillaboutthesematters？“-howshallweanswerthedivinemen？Ithinkthatouranswershouldbeasfollows：-Bestofstrangers，wewillsaytothem，wealsoaccordingtoourabilityaretragicpoets，andourtragedyisthebestandnoblest；forourwholestateisanimitationofthebestandnoblestlife，whichweaffirmtobeindeedtheverytruthoftragedy。Youarepoetsandwearepoets，bothmakersofthesamestrains，rivalsandantagonistsinthenoblestofdramas，whichtruelawcanaloneperfect，asourhopeis。Donotthensupposethatweshallallinamomentallowyoutoerectyourstageintheagora，orintroducethefairvoicesofyouractors，speakingaboveourown，andpermityoutoharangueourwomenandchildren，andthecommonpeople，aboutourinstitutions，inlanguageotherthanourown，andveryoftentheoppositeofourown。Forastatewouldbemadwhichgaveyouthislicence，untilthemagistrateshaddeterminedwhetheryourpoetrymightberecited，andwasfitforpublicationornot。
　　Wherefore，OyesonsandscionsofthesofterMuses，firstofallshowyoursongstothemagistrates，andletthemcomparethemwithourown，andiftheyarethesameorbetterwewillgiveyouachorus；butifnot，then，myfriends，wecannot。Letthese，then，bethecustomsordainedbylawaboutalldancesandtheteachingofthem，andletmattersrelatingtoslavesbeseparatedfromthoserelatingtomasters，ifyoudonotobject。
　　Cle。Wecanhavenohesitationinassentingwhenyouputthematterthus。
　　Ath。Therestillremainthreestudiessuitableforfreemen。
　　Arithmeticisoneofthem；themeasurementoflength，surface，anddepthisthesecond；andthethirdhastodowiththerevolutionsofthestarsinrelationtooneanother。Noteveryonehasneedtotoilthroughallthesethingsinastrictlyscientificmanner，butonlyafew，andwhotheyaretobewewillhereafterindicateattheend，whichwillbetheproperplace；nottoknowwhatisnecessaryformankindingeneral，andwhatisthetruth，isdisgracefultoeveryone：andyettoenterintothesemattersminutelyisneithereasy，noratallpossibleforeveryone；butthereissomethinginthemwhichisnecessaryandcannotbesetaside，andprobablyhewhomadetheproverbaboutGodoriginallyhadthisinviewwhenhesaid，that“notevenGodhimselfcanfightagainstnecessity“；-hemeant，ifI
　　amnotmistaken，divinenecessity；forastothehumannecessitiesofwhichthemanyspeak，whentheytalkinthismanner，nothingcanbemoreridiculousthansuchanapplicationofthewords。
　　Cle。Andwhatnecessitiesofknowledgearethere，Stranger，whicharedivineandnothuman？
　　Ath。IconceivethemtobethoseofwhichhewhohasnousenoranyknowledgeatallcannotbeaGod，ordemi-god，orherotomankind，orabletotakeanyseriousthoughtorchargeofthem。Andveryunlikeadivinemanwouldhebe，whoisunabletocountone，two，three，ortodistinguishoddandevennumbers，orisunabletocountatall，orreckonnightandday，andwhoistotallyunacquaintedwiththerevolutionofthesunandmoon，andtheotherstars。Therewouldbegreatfollyinsupposingthatallthesearenotnecessarypartsofknowledgetohimwhointendstoknowanythingaboutthehighestkindsofknowledge；butwhichtheseare，andhowmanythereareofthem，andwhentheyaretobelearned，andwhatistobelearnedtogetherandwhatapart，andthewholecorrelationofthem，mustberightlyapprehendedfirst；andtheseleadingthewaywemayproceedtotheotherpartsofknowledge。Forsonecessitygroundedinnatureconstrainsus，againstwhichwesaythatnoGodcontends，oreverwillcontend。
　　Cle。Ithink，Stranger，thatwhatyouhavenowsaidisverytrueandagreeabletonature。
　　Ath。Yes，Cleinias，thatisso。Butitisdifficultforthelegislatortobeginwiththesestudies；atamoreconvenienttimewewillmakeregulationsforthem。
　　Cle。Youseem，Stranger，tobeafraidofourhabitualignoranceofthesubject：thereisnoreasonwhythatshouldpreventyoufromspeakingout。
　　Ath。Icertainlyamafraidofthedifficultiestowhichyouallude，butIamstillmoreafraidofthosewhoapplythemselvestothissortofknowledge，andapplythemselvesbadly。Forentireignoranceisnotsoterribleorextremeanevil，andisfarfrombeingthegreatestofall；toomuchclevernessandtoomuchlearning，accompaniedwithanillbringingup，arefarmorefatal。
　　Cle。True。
　　Ath。Allfreemen，Iconceive，shouldlearnasmuchofthesebranchesofknowledgeaseverychildinEgyptistaughtwhenhelearnsthealphabet。Inthatcountryarithmeticalgameshavebeeninventedfortheuseofmerechildren，whichtheylearnasapleasureandamusement。Theyhavetodistributeapplesandgarlands，usingthesamenumbersometimesforalargerandsometimesforalessernumberofpersons；andtheyarrangepugilists，andwrestlersastheypairtogetherbylotorremainover，andshowhowtheirturnscomeinnaturalorder。Anothermodeofamusingthemistodistributevessels，sometimesofgold，brass，silver，andthelike，intermixedwithoneanother，sometimesofonemetalonly；asIwassayingtheyadapttotheiramusementthenumbersincommonuse，andinthiswaymakemoreintelligibletotheirpupilsthearrangementsandmovementsofarmiesandexpeditions，inthemanagementofahouseholdtheymakepeoplemoreusefultothemselves，andmorewideawake；andagaininmeasurementsofthingswhichhavelength，andbreadth，anddepth，theyfreeusfromthatnaturalignoranceofallthesethingswhichissoludicrousanddisgraceful。
　　Cle。Whatkindofignorancedoyoumean？
　　Ath。OmydearCleinias，I，likeyourself，havelateinlifeheardwithamazementofourignoranceinthesematters；tomeweappeartobemorelikepigsthanmen，andIamquiteashamed，notonlyofmyself，butofallHellenes。
　　Cle。Aboutwhat？Say，Stranger，whatyoumean。
　　Ath。Iwill；orratherIwillshowyoumymeaningbyaquestion，anddoyoupleasetoanswerme：Youknow，Isuppose，whatlengthis？
　　Cle。Certainly。
　　Ath。Andwhatbreadthis？
　　Cle。Tobesure。
　　Ath。Andyouknowthatthesearetwodistinctthings，andthatthereisathirdthingcalleddepth？
　　Cle。Ofcourse。
　　Ath。Anddonotalltheseseemtoyoutobecommensurablewiththemselves？
　　Cle。Yes。
　　Ath。Thatistosay，lengthisnaturallycommensurablewithlength，andbreadthwithbreadth，anddepthinlikemannerwithdepth？
　　Cle。Undoubtedly。
　　Ath。Butifsomethingsarecommensurableandotherswhollyincommensurable，andyouthinkthatallthingsarecommensurable，whatisyourpositioninregardtothem？
　　Cle。Clearly，farfromgood。
　　Ath。Concerninglengthandbreadthwhencomparedwithdepth，orbreadthwhenandlengthwhencomparedwithoneanother，arenotalltheHellenesagreedthatthesearecommensurablewithoneinsomeway？
　　Cle。Quitetrue。