ght have taken
upon you a greater? But now, when you find yourself incapable of aiding
a private man, how can you think of behaving yourself so as to be useful
to a whole people? Ought a man who has not strength enough to carry a
hundred pound weight undertake to carry a burden that is much heavier?"
"I would have done good service to my uncle," said Glaucon, "if he would
have taken my advice." "How!" replied Socrates; "have you hitherto been
unable to govern your uncle, who is but one person, and do you imagine,
when you have failed in that, to govern the whole Athenians, whose minds
are so fickle and inconstant? Take heed, my dear Glaucon, take heed,
lest a too great desire of glory should render you despised. Consider
how dangerous it is to speak and employ ourselves about things we do not
understand. What a figure do those forward and rash people make in the
world who do so: and you yourself may judge whether they acquire more
esteem than blame, whether they are more admired than contemned. Think,
on the contrary, with how much honour a man is regarded who understands
perfectly what he says and what he does, and then you will confess that
renown and applause have always been the recompense of true merit, and
shame the reward of ignorance and temerity. If, therefore, you would be
honoured, endeavour to be a man of true merit, for if you enter upon the
government of the Republic with a mind more sagacious than usual, I shall
not wonder if you succeed in all your designs."

CHAPTER VII. SOCRATES PERSUADETH CHARMIDAS, A PERSON OF MERIT AND GREAT
CAPACITY, BUT VERY MODEST AND DIFFIDENT OF HIMSELF, TO UNDERTAKE THE
GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC.

As Socrates, who was ever watchful for the interests of his country, and
consulted the good of every one with whom he conversed, took care, on the
one hand, to dissuade persons who had no capacity for it, however bent
they were upon the thing, from entering upon any offices of trust, so he
was ever mindful, on the other, to persuade those that were bashful and
diffident to take upon themselves the government of the Republic,
provided he knew they had proper talents and abilities for it. In
confirmation whereof we shall here relate a conversation of his with
Charmidas, the son of Glaucon. Socrates, who knew him to be a man of
sense and merit, and more capable to govern the Republic than any that
were then in that post, but withal a person very diffident of himself--o