And the only life which is better than the life of political ambition is that of philosophy, which is also the best preparation for the government of a State.
Then now comes the question,--How shall we create our rulers; what way is there from darkness to light?
The change is effected by philosophy; it is not the turning over of an oyster-shell, but the conversion of a soul from night to day, from becoming to being.

And what training will draw the soul upwards?
Our former education had two branches, gymnastic, which was occupied with the body, and music, the sister art, which infused a natural harmony into mind and literature; but neither of these sciences gave any promise of doing what we want.

Nothing remains to us but that universal or primary science of which all the arts and sciences are partakers, I mean number or calculation.

'Very true.' Including the art of war?
'Yes, certainly.' Then there is something ludicrous about Palamedes in the tragedy, coming in and saying that he had invented number, and had counted the ranks and set them in order.

For if Agamemnon could not count his feet (and without number how could he ?) he must have been a pretty sort of general indeed.