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Stranger
Str. Has it any power beyond that of judging men’s contracts with one another, pronouncing them right or wrong by the standard of the existing laws which it has received from the king and law-giver; showing its own peculiar virtue in that it is not so perverted by any bribes, or fears, or pity, or enmity, or friendship, as ever to consent to decide the lawsuits of men with each other contrary to the enactments of the lawgiver?
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. No; the business of this power is about as you have described it.
10
Stranger
Str. Then we find that the strength of judges is not kingly, but is guardian of laws and a servant of the kingly power.
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. So it appears.
Stranger
Str. The consideration of all these arts which have been mentioned leads to the conclusion that none of them is the art of the statesman. For the art that is truly kingly ought not to act itself, but should rule over the arts that have the power of action; it should decide upon the right or wrong time for the initiation of the most important measures in the state, and the other arts should perform its behests.
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. Right.
Stranger
Str. Therefore those arts which we have just described, as they control neither one another nor themselves, but have each its own peculiar sphere of action, are quite properly called by special names corresponding to those special actions.
15
Younger Socrates
Y. Soc. That appears, at least, to be the case.
