134
Soc. And will not he who does not know make mistakes?
134
Alc. To be sure.
134
Soc. And when he makes mistakes, will he not do ill both in private and in public?
134
Alc. Of course.
134
Soc. And doing ill he will be wretched?
134
Alc. Yes, very.
134
Soc. And what of those for whom he is doing so?
134
Alc. They will be wretched also.
134
Soc. Then it is impossible to be happy if one is not temperate and good.
134
Alc. Impossible.
134
Soc. So it is the bad men who are wretched.
134
Alc. Yes, very.
134
Soc. And hence it is not he who has made himself rich that is relieved of wretchedness, but he who has made himself temperate.
134
Alc. Apparently.
134
Soc. So it is not walls or warships or arsenals that cities need, Alcibiades, if they are to be happy, nor numbers, nor size, without virtue.
134
Alc. No, indeed.
134
Soc. And if you are to manage the city’s affairs properly and honorably, you must impart virtue to the citizens.
134
Alc. Of course.
134
Soc. But could one possibly impart a thing that one had not?
134
Alc. How, indeed?
134
Soc. Then you or anyone else who is to be governor and curator, not merely of himself and his belongings in private, but of the state and its affairs, must first acquire virtue himself.
134
Alc. That is true.
134
Soc. Hence it is not licence or authority for doing what one pleases that you have to secure to yourself or the state, but justice and temperance.
134
Alc. Apparently.
134
Soc. For you and the state, if you act justly and temperately, will act so as to please God.
134
Alc. Naturally.
134
Soc. And, as we were saying in what went before, you will act with your eyes turned on what is divine and bright.
134
Alc. Apparently.
134
Soc. Well, and looking thereon you will behold and know both yourselves and your good.
134
Alc. Yes.
