264–265
Stranger
Str. Then do you agree that we ought to divide the art of tending animals in common into corresponding parts, assigning one part of it to each of these two, and calling one the art of aquatic-herding and the other the art of land-herding?
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. Yes, I agree.
Stranger
Str. And surely we shall not have to ask to which of these two arts kingship belongs, for that is clear to everyone.
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. Of course.
20
Stranger
Str. Anybody could doubtless make a division of the art of tending herds on land.
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. What would the division be?
Stranger
Str. Into the tending of flying and walking animals.
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. Very true.
Stranger
Str. And statesmanship is to be sought in connection with walking animals, is it not? Any fool, so to speak, would believe that, don’t you think?
25
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. Of course.
Stranger
Str. And the art of tending animals that walk must, like an even number, be divided in half.
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. Evidently.
Stranger
Str. And now I think I see two paths leading in that direction in which our argument has started: the quicker way, by separating a relatively small part and a larger, and the other way, which is more in accord with what we said a while ago about the need of making the division as nearly in the middle as we can, but is longer. So we can proceed by whichever of the two we wish.
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. Can we not go by both?
Stranger
Str. Not by both at once, silly boy; but obviously we can take them in turn.
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. Then I choose both in turn.
