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by the hand of man. And they dwelt naked, and mostly in the open air,
for the temperature of their seasons was mild; and they had no beds, but
lay on soft couches of grass, which grew plentifully out of the earth.
Such was the life of man in the days of Cronos, Socrates; the character
of our present life, which is said to be under Zeus, you know from your
own experience. Can you, and will you, determine which of them you deem
the happier?
YOUNG SOCRATES: Impossible.
STRANGER: Then shall I determine for you as well as I can?
YOUNG SOCRATES: By all means.
STRANGER: Suppose that the nurslings of Cronos, having this boundless
leisure, and the power of holding intercourse, not only with men, but
with the brute creation, had used all these advantages with a view to
philosophy, conversing with the brutes as well as with one another, and
learning of every nature which was gifted with any special power, and
was able to contribute some special experience to the store of wisdom,
there would be no difficulty in deciding that they would be a thousand
times happier than the men of our own day. Or, again, if they had merely
eaten and drunk until they were full, and told stories to one another
and to the animals--such stories as are now attributed to them--in this
case also, as I should imagine, the answer would be easy. But until some
satisfactory witness can be found of the love of that age for knowledge
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