od your previous
remark about imitations.

STRANGER: And yet the mere suggestion which I hastily threw out is
highly important, even if we leave the question where it is, and do not
seek by the discussion of it to expose the error which prevails in this
matter.

YOUNG SOCRATES: What do you mean?

STRANGER: The idea which has to be grasped by us is not easy or
familiar; but we may attempt to express it thus:--Supposing the
government of which I have been speaking to be the only true model, then
the others must use the written laws of this--in no other way can they
be saved; they will have to do what is now generally approved, although
not the best thing in the world.

YOUNG SOCRATES: What is this?

STRANGER: No citizen should do anything contrary to the laws, and any
infringement of them should be punished with death and the most extreme
penalties; and this is very right and good when regarded as the
second best thing, if you set aside the first, of which I was just now
speaking. Shall I explain the nature of what I call the second best?

YOUNG SOCRATES: By all means.

STRANGER: I must again have recourse to my favourite images; through
them, and them alone, can I describe kings and rulers.

YOUNG SOCRATES: What images?

STRANGER: The noble pilot and the wise physician, who 'is worth many
another man'--in the similitude of these let us endeavour to discover
some image of the king.

YOUNG SOCRATES: What sort of an image?

STRANGER: Well, such as this:--Every man will reflect that he suffers
strange things at the hands of both of them; the physician saves
any whom he wishes to save, and any whom he wishes to maltreat he
maltreats--cutting or burning them; and at the same time requiring them
to bring him payments, which are a sort of tribute, of which little or
nothing is spent upon the sick man, and the greater part is consumed by
him and his domestics; and the finale is that he receives money from the
relations of the sick man or from some enemy of his, and puts him out of
the way. And the pilots of ships are guilty of numberless evil deeds of
the same kind; they intentionally play false and leave you ashore when
the hour of sailing arrives; or they cause mishaps at sea and cast away
their freight; and are guilty of other rogueries. Now suppose that we,
bearing all this in mind, were to determine, after consideration, that
neither of these arts shall any longer be allowed to exercise absolute
control either