rearing them, no one would have argued that there was no care of men in

the case of the politician, although it was justly contended, that there

was no human art of feeding them which was worthy of the name, or at

least, if there were, many a man had a prior and greater right to share

in such an art than any king.

YOUNG SOCRATES: True.

STRANGER: But no other art or science will have a prior or better right

than the royal science to care for human society and to rule over men in

general.

YOUNG SOCRATES: Quite true.

STRANGER: In the next place, Socrates, we must surely notice that a

great error was committed at the end of our analysis.

YOUNG SOCRATES: What was it?

STRANGER: Why, supposing we were ever so sure that there is such an

art as the art of rearing or feeding bipeds, there was no reason why

we should call this the royal or political art, as though there were no

more to be said.

YOUNG SOCRATES: Certainly not.

Statesman