manner obtained; for as to the manner I am uncertain,
but I stoutly contend that by beauty all beautiful things become
beautiful. This appears to me to be the safest answer which I can give,
either to myself or to another, and to this I cling, in the persuasion
that this principle will never be overthrown, and that to myself or
to any one who asks the question, I may safely reply, That by beauty
beautiful things become beautiful. Do you not agree with me?

I do.

And that by greatness only great things become great and greater
greater, and by smallness the less become less?

True.

Then if a person were to remark that A is taller by a head than B, and
B less by a head than A, you would refuse to admit his statement, and
would stoutly contend that what you mean is only that the greater is
greater by, and by reason of, greatness, and the less is less only by,
and by reason of, smallness; and thus you would avoid the danger of
saying that the greater is greater and the less less by the measure of
the head, which is the same in both, and would also avoid the monstrous
absurdity of supposing that the greater man is greater by reason of the
head, which is small. You would be afraid to draw such an inference,
would you not?

Indeed, I should, said Cebes, laughing.

In like manner you would be afraid to say that ten exceeded eight by,
and by reason of, two; but would say by, and by reason of, number; or
you would say that two cubits exceed one cubit not by a half, but by
magnitude?-for there is the same liability to error in all these cases.

Very true, he said.

Again, would you not be cautious of affirming that the addition of
one to one, or the division of one, is the cause of two? And you would
loudly asseverate that you know of no way in which anything comes
into existence except by participation in its own proper essence,
and consequently, as far as you know, the only cause of two is
the participation in duality--this is the way to make two, and the
participation in one is the way to make one. You would say: I will let
alone puzzles of division and addition--wiser heads than mine may answer
them; inexperienced as I am, and ready to start, as the proverb says,
at my own shadow, I cannot afford to give up the sure ground of a
principle. And if any one assails you there, you would not mind him,
or answer him, until you had seen whether the consequences which follow
agree with one another or not, and when you are fu