tic is hardened
and brutalized, the gentle or philosophic temper which has too much
music becomes enervated. While a man is allowing music to pour like
water through the funnel of his ears, the edge of his soul gradually
wears away, and the passionate or spirited element is melted out of
him. Too little spirit is easily exhausted; too much quickly passes into
nervous irritability. So, again, the athlete by feeding and training has
his courage doubled, but he soon grows stupid; he is like a wild beast,
ready to do everything by blows and nothing by counsel or policy. There
are two principles in man, reason and passion, and to these, not to the
soul and body, the two arts of music and gymnastic correspond. He who
mingles them in harmonious concord is the true musician,--he shall be
the presiding genius of our State.

The next question is, Who are to be our rulers? First, the elder must
rule the younger; and the best of the elders will be the best guardians.
Now they will be the best who love their subjects most, and think that
they have a common interest with them in the welfare of the state. These
we must select; but they must be watched at every epoch of life to see
whether they have retained the same opinions and held out against force
and enchantment. For time and persuasion and the love of pleasure may
enchant a man into a change of purpose, and the force of grief and pain
may compel him. And therefore our guardians must be men who have been
tried by many tests, like gold in the refiner's fire, and have been
passed first through danger, then through pleasure, and at every age
have come out of such trials victorious and without stain, in full
command of themselves and their principles; having all their faculties
in harmonious exercise for their country's good. These shall receive the
highest honours both in life and death. (It would perhaps be better to
confine the term 'guardians' to this select class: the younger men may
be called 'auxiliaries.')

And now for one magnificent lie, in the belief of which, Oh that we
could train our rulers!--at any rate let us make the attempt with the
rest of the world. What I am going to tell is only another version of
the legend of Cadmus; but our unbelieving generation will be slow to
accept such a story. The tale must be imparted, first to the rulers,
then to the soldiers, lastly to the people. We will inform them that
their youth was a dream, and that during the time when they s