e I want you to get rid of any
impression that our discussion about weaving and about the reversal of
the universe, and the other discussion about the Sophist and not-being,
were tedious and irrelevant. Please to observe that they can only be
fairly judged when compared with what is meet; and yet not with what is
meet for producing pleasure, nor even meet for making discoveries, but
for the great end of developing the dialectical method and sharpening
the wits of the auditors. He who censures us, should prove that, if our
words had been fewer, they would have been better calculated to make men
dialecticians.

And now let us return to our king or statesman, and transfer to him the
example of weaving. The royal art has been separated from that of other
herdsmen, but not from the causal and co-operative arts which exist
in states; these do not admit of dichotomy, and therefore they must be
carved neatly, like the limbs of a victim, not into more parts than are
necessary. And first (1) we have the large class of instruments, which
includes almost everything in the world; from these may be parted off
(2) vessels which are framed for the preservation of things, moist or
dry, prepared in the fire or out of the fire. The royal or political art
has nothing to do with either of these, any more than with the arts
of making (3) vehicles, or (4) defences, whether dresses, or arms, or
walls, or (5) with the art of making ornaments, whether pictures or
other playthings, as they may be fitly called, for they have no serious
use. Then (6) there are the arts which furnish gold, silver, wood, bark,
and other materials, which should have been put first; these, again,
have no concern with the kingly science; any more than the arts (7)
which provide food and nourishment for the human body, and which furnish
occupation to the husbandman, huntsman, doctor, cook, and the like, but
not to the king or statesman. Further, there are small things, such as
coins, seals, stamps, which may with a little violence be comprehended
in one of the above-mentioned classes. Thus they will embrace every
species of property with the exception of animals,--but these have been
already included in the art of tending herds. There remains only the
class of slaves or ministers, among whom I expect that the real rivals
of the king will be discovered. I am not speaking of the veritable slave
bought with money, nor of the hireling who lets himself out for service,
nor of