of husbandry and the other arts, some sitting in the market-place,

others going from city to city by land or sea, and giving money in

exchange for money or for other productions--the money-changer, the

merchant, the ship-owner, the retailer, will not put in any claim to

statecraft or politics?

YOUNG SOCRATES: No; unless, indeed, to the politics of commerce.

STRANGER: But surely men whom we see acting as hirelings and serfs, and

too happy to turn their hand to anything, will not profess to share in

royal science?

YOUNG SOCRATES: Certainly not.

STRANGER: But what would you say of some other serviceable officials?

YOUNG SOCRATES: Who are they, and what services do they perform?

STRANGER: There are heralds, and scribes perfected by practice,

and divers others who have great skill in various sorts of business

connected with the government of states--what shall we call them?

YOUNG SOCRATES: They are the officials, and servants of the rulers, as

you just now called them, but not themselves rulers.

STRANGER: There may be something strange in any servant pretending to be

Statesman