These shall receive the highest honours both in life and death.

(It would perhaps be better to confine the term 'guardians' to this select class: the younger men may be called 'auxiliaries.') And now for one magnificent lie, in the belief of which, Oh that we could train our rulers!--at any rate let us make the attempt with the rest of the world.

What I am going to tell is only another version of the legend of Cadmus; but our unbelieving generation will be slow to accept such a story.

The tale must be imparted, first to the rulers, then to the soldiers, lastly to the people.

We will inform them that their youth was a dream, and that during the time when they seemed to be undergoing their education they were really being fashioned in the earth, who sent them up when they were ready; and that they must protect and cherish her whose children they are, and regard each other as brothers and sisters.