263
Str. That when there is a class of anything, it must necessarily be a part of the thing of which it is said to be a class; but there is no necessity that a part be also a class. Please always give this, rather than the other, as my doctrine.
263
Y. Soc. I will do so.
263
Str. Then please go on to the next point.
263
Y. Soc. What is it?
263
Str. That from which our present digression started. For I think it started when you were asked how the art of herding should be divided and said with great readiness that there were two kinds of living beings, the human race and a second one, a single class, comprising all the beasts.
263
Y. Soc. True.
263
Str. And it was clear to me at the time that you removed a part and then thought that the remainder was one class because you were able to call them all by the same name of beasts.
263
Y. Soc. That is true, too.
263
Str. But indeed, my most courageous young friend, perhaps, if there is any other animal capable of thought, such as the crane appears to be, or any other like creature, and it perchance gives names, just as you do, it might in its pride of self oppose cranes to all other animals, and group the rest, men included, under one head, calling them by one name, which might very well be that of beasts. Now let us try to be on our guard against all that sort of thing.
263
Y. Soc. How can we guard against it?
263
Str. By not dividing the whole class of living beings, that so we may avoid such errors.
263
Y. Soc. Well, there is no need of dividing the whole.
263
Str. No, certainly not, for it was in that way that we fell into our former error.
263
Y. Soc. What do you mean?
263
Str. That part of intellectual science which involves giving commands was a part of our animal-tending class, with especial reference to animals in herds, was it not?
263
Y. Soc. Yes.
264
Str. Well, even at that stage of our discussion all animals had already been divided into tame and wild. For if their nature admits of domestication they are called tame; if it does not, they are called wild.
264
Y. Soc. Excellent.
