Pagina 743 de 1391

In the first place, he is thought just, and therefore bears rule

in the city; he can marry whom he will, and give in marriage to

whom he will; also he can trade and deal where he likes, and

always to his own advantage, because he has no misgivings about

injustice; and at every contest, whether in public or private, he

gets the better of his antagonists, and gains at their expense,

and is rich, and out of his gains he can benefit his friends, and

harm his enemies; moreover, he can offer sacrifices, and dedicate

gifts to the gods abundantly and magnificently, and can honour

the gods or any man whom he wants to honour in a far better style

than the just, and therefore he is likely to be dearer than they

are to the gods. And thus, Socrates, gods and men are said to

unite in making the life of the unjust better than the life of

the just.