72 PLATO
and the other to shoes, and not have the trouble of sharing things with others but do him-
self, by himself, the things that are for himself?”
And Adeimantus said, “Probably, Socrates, the first way would be easier than
that one.”
“And by Zeus, there’s nothing strange about that,” I said. “For I’m thinking too
myself, now that you mention it, that in the first place, each of us doesn’t grow up to be
entirely like each, but differing in nature, with a different person in practice growing
toward a different sort of work. Or doesn’t it seem that way to you?”
“It does to me.”
“Then what? Would someone do a more beautiful job who, being one, worked at
many arts, or when one person works at one art?”
“When one person works at one art,” he said.
“And I assume this too is clear, that if anyone lets the critical moment in any work
go by, it’s ruined.”
“That’s clear.”
“Because I don’t imagine the thing that’s being done is willing to wait for the
leisure of the person who’s doing it, but it’s necessary for the one doing it to keep on the
track of the thing he’s doing, not when the turn comes for a sideline.”
“That’s necessary.”
“So as a result of these things, everything comes about in more quantity, as more
beautiful, and with more ease when one person does one thing in accord with his nature
and at the right moment, being free from responsibility for everything else.”
“Absolutely so.”
“So there’s need for more than four citizens, Adeimantus, for the provisions we
were talking about, since the farmer himself, as seems likely, won’t make his own plow,
if it’s going to be beautifully made, or his pickax, or any of the other tools for farming.
And neither will the housebuilder, and there’s need of many things for that, and likewise
with the weaver and the leatherworker.”
“That’s true.”
“So with carpenters and metalworkers and many such particular kinds of crafts-
men coming in as partners in our little city, they’ll make it a big one.”
“Very much so.”
“But it still wouldn’t be a very big one if we add cattlemen and shepherds to them,
and other herdsmen, so that the farmers would have oxen for plowing, and the house-
builders along with the farmers could use teams of animals for hauling, and the weavers
and leatherworkers could use hides and wool.”
“It wouldn’t be a small city either,” he said, “when it had all these.”
“But still,” I said, “even to situate the city itself in the sort of place in which it
won’t need imported goods is just about impossible.”
“It’s impossible.”
“Therefore there’s still a further need for other people too who’ll bring it what it
needs from another city.”
“There’ll be a need.”
“And if the courier goes empty-handed, carrying nothing those people need from
whom ours will get the things for their own use, he’ll leave empty-handed, won’t he?”
“It seems that way to me.”
“Then they’ll need to make not only enough things to be suitable for themselves, but
also the kinds and quantity of things suitable for those people they need things from.”
“They’ll need to.”bcde371a