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Neither, if we mean our future guardians to regard the habit of

quarrelling among themselves as of all things the basest, should

any word be said to them of the wars in heaven, and of the plots

and fightings of the gods against one another, for they are not

true. No, we shall never mention the battles of the giants, or

let them be embroidered on garments; and we shall be silent about

the innumerable other quarrels of gods and heroes with their

friends and relatives. If they would only believe us we would

tell them that quarrelling is unholy, and that never up to this

time has there been any quarrel between citizens; this is what

old men and old women should begin by telling children; and when

they grow up, the poets also should be told to compose for them

in a similar spirit.