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Stranger
Str. Will not this doctrine destroy the arts and their works one and all, and do away also with statesmanship, which we are now trying to define, and with weaving, which we did define? For all these are doubtless careful about excess and deficiency in relation to the standard of the mean; they regard them not as non-existent, but as real difficulties in actual practice, and it is in this way, when they preserve the standard of the mean, that all their works are good and beautiful.
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. Certainly.
Stranger
Str. And if we do away with the art of statesmanship, our subsequent search for the kingly art will be hopeless, will it not?
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Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. Certainly.
Stranger
Str. Then just as in the case of the sophist Plat. Soph. 235 we forced the conclusion that not-being exists, since that was the point at which we had lost our hold of the argument, so now we must force this second conclusion, that the greater and the less are to be measured in relation, not only to one another, but also to the establishment of the standard of the mean, must we not? For if this is not admitted, neither the statesman nor any other man who has knowledge of practical affairs can be said without any doubt to exist.
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. Then we must by all means do now the same that we did then.
Stranger
Str. This, Socrates, is a still greater task than that was; and yet we remember how long that took us; but it is perfectly fair to make about them some such assumption as this.
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. As what?
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