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And the other, said I, of which we were speaking before is

lighter still,-I mean the duty of degrading the offspring of the

guardians when inferior, and of elevating into the rank of

guardians the offspring of the lower classes, when naturally

superior. The intention was, that, in the case of the citizens

generally, each individual should be put to the use for which

nature intended him, one to one work, and then every man would do

his own business, and be one and not many; and so the whole city

would be one and not many.

Yes, he said; that is not so difficult.

The regulations which we are prescribing, my good Adeimantus, are

not, as might be supposed, a number of great principles, but

trifles all, if care be taken, as the saying is, of the one great

thing,-a thing, however, which I would rather call, not great,

but sufficient for our purpose.

What may that be? he asked.