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You mean, I suspect, to ask whether tragedy and comedy shall be

admitted into our State?

Yes, I said; but there may be more than this in question: I

really do not know as yet, but whither the argument may blow,

thither we go.

And go we will, he said.

Then, Adeimantus, let me ask you whether our guardians ought to

be imitators; or rather, has not this question been decided by

the rule already laid down that one man can only do one thing

well, and not many; and that if he attempt many, he will

altogether fail of gaining much reputation in any?

Certainly.

And this is equally true of imitation; no one man can imitate

many things as well as he would imitate a single one?

He cannot.