ted few who leave the arts, which they justly despise, and come to
her;--or peradventure there are some who are restrained by our friend
Theages' bridle; for everything in the life of Theages conspired to
divert him from philosophy; but ill-health kept him away from politics.
My own case of the internal sign is hardly worth mentioning, for
rarely, if ever, has such a monitor been given to any other man. Those
who belong to this small class have tasted how sweet and blessed a
possession philosophy is, and have also seen enough of the madness of
the multitude; and they know that no politician is honest, nor is there
any champion of justice at whose side they may fight and be saved.
Such an one may be compared to a man who has fallen among wild
beasts--he will not join in the wickedness of his fellows, but neither
is he able singly to resist all their fierce natures, and therefore
seeing that he would be of no use to the State or to his friends, and
reflecting that he would have to throw away his life without doing any
good either to himself or others, he holds his peace, and goes his own
way. He is like one who, in the storm of dust and sleet which the
driving wind hurries along, retires under the shelter of a wall; and
seeing the rest of mankind full of wickedness, he is content, if only
he can live his own life and be pure from evil or unrighteousness, and
depart in peace and good-will, with bright hopes.

Yes, he said, and he will have done a great work before he departs.

A great work--yes; but not the greatest, unless he find a State
suitable to him; for in a State which is suitable to him, he will have
a larger growth and be the saviour of his country, as well as of
himself.

The causes why philosophy is in such an evil name have now been
sufficiently explained: the injustice of the charges against her has
been shown-is there anything more which you wish to say?

Nothing more on that subject, he replied; but I should like to know
which of the governments now existing is in your opinion the one
adapted to her.

Not any of them, I said; and that is precisely the accusation which I
bring against them--not one of them is worthy of the philosophic
nature, and hence that nature is warped and estranged;--as the exotic
seed which is sown in a foreign land becomes denaturalized, and is wont
to be overpowered and to lose itself in the new soil, even so this
growth of philosophy, instead of persisting, degenerates and