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Now if talking and writing were of themselves sufficient to make

men good, they would justly, as Theognis observes have reaped

numerous and great rewards, and the thing to do would be to

provide them: but in point of fact, while they plainly have the

power to guide and stimulate the generous among the young and to

base upon true virtuous principle any noble and truly high-minded

disposition, they as plainly are powerless to guide the mass of

men to Virtue and goodness; because it is not their nature to be

amenable to a sense of shame but only to fear; nor to abstain

from what is low and mean because it is disgraceful to do it but

because of the punishment attached to it: in fact, as they live

at the beck and call of passion, they pursue their own proper

pleasures and the means of securing them, and they avoid the

contrary pains; but as for what is noble and truly pleasurable

they have not an idea of it, inasmuch as they have never tasted

of it.