e," replied Socrates; "it is that we call the royal
science, because it truly is the science of kings. But have you weighed
this point, whether a man can excel in that science without being an
honest man?" "I have," said the young man, "and am even of opinion that
none but honest men can be good citizens." "And are you an honest man?"
said Socrates. "I hope I am," answered Euthydemus, "as honest a man as
another." "Tell me," said Socrates, "can we know who are honest men by
what they do, as we know what trade a man is of by his work?" "We may."
"Then," said Socrates, "as architects show us their works, can honest men
show us theirs likewise?" "No doubt of it," replied Euthydemus; "and it
is no difficult task to show you which are the works of justice, and
which those of injustice, that we so often hear mentioned." "Shall we,"
said Socrates, "make two characters, the one (J) to signify justice, the
other (I) to denote injustice; and write under one of them all the works
that belong to justice, and under the other all that belong to
injustice?" "Do," said Euthydemus, "if you think fit."

Socrates, having done what he proposed, continued thus his discourse:--"Do
not men tell lies?" "Very often," answered Euthydemus. "Under which
head shall we put lying?" "Under that of injustice," said Euthydemus.
"Do not men sometimes cheat?" "Most certainly." "Where shall we put
cheating?" said Socrates. "Under injustice." "And doing wrong to one's
neighbour?" "There too." "And selling of free persons into slavery?"
"Still in the same place." "And shall we write none of all these," said
Socrates, "under the head of justice?" "Not one of them," answered
Euthydemus; "it would be strange if we did." "But what," replied
Socrates, "when a general plunders an enemy's city, and makes slaves of
all the inhabitants, shall we say that he commits an injustice?" "By no
means." "Shall we own, then, that he does an act of justice?" "Without
doubt." "And when he circumvents his enemies in the war, does he not do
well?" "Very well." "And when he ravages their land, and takes away
their cattle and their corn, does he not do justly?" "It is certain he
does," said Euthydemus; "and when I answered you that all these actions
were unjust, I thought you had spoken of them in regard only of friend to
friend." "We must, therefore," replied Socrates, "put among the actions
of justice those very actions we have ascribed to injustice, and