पृष्ठ 733 / 1391

But still I acknowledge that I am perplexed when I hear the

voices of Thrasymachus and myriads of others dinning in my ears;

and, on the other hand, I have never yet heard the superiority of

justice to injustice maintained by any one in a satisfactory way.

I want to hear justice praised in respect of itself; then I shall

be satisfied, and you are the person from whom I think that I am

most likely to hear this; and therefore I will praise the unjust

life to the utmost of my power, and my manner of speaking will

indicate the manner in which I desire to hear you too praising

justice and censuring injustice. Will you say whether you approve

of my proposal?

Indeed I do; nor can I imagine any theme about which a man of

sense would oftener wish to converse.

I am delighted, he replied, to hear you say so, and shall begin

by speaking, as I proposed, of the nature and origin of justice.