289–290
Stranger
Str. We shall find, then, that the greatest servants, when seen from near at hand, are in conduct and condition the opposite of that which we suspected.
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. Who are they?
10
Stranger
Str. The bought servants, acquired by purchase, whom we can without question call slaves. They make no claim to any share in the kingly art.
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. Certainly not.
Stranger
Str. How about those free men who put themselves voluntarily in the position of servants of those whom we mentioned before? I mean the men who carry about and distribute among one another the productions of husbandry and the other arts, whether in the domestic marketplaces or by travelling from city to city by land or sea, exchanging money for wares or money for money, the men whom we call brokers, merchants, shipmasters, and peddlers; do they lay any claim to statesmanship?
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. Possibly to commercial statesmanship
Stranger
Str. But certainly we shall never find laborers, whom we see only too glad to serve anybody for hire, claiming a share in the kingly art.
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. Certainly not.
Stranger
Str. But there are people who perform services of another kind. How about them?
5
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. What services and what men do you mean?
Stranger
Str. The class of heralds and those who become by long practice skilled as clerks and other clever men who perform various services in connection with public offices. What shall we call them?
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. What you called the others, servants; they are not themselves rulers in the states.
