[410d]
“In
respect of savagery and hardness or, on the other hand, of softness and
gentleness?” “I have observed,” he said,
“that the devotees of unmitigated gymnastics turn out more brutal
than they should be and those of music softer than is good for
them.” “And surely,” said I, “this
savagery is a quality derived from the high-spirited element in our nature,
which, if rightly trained, becomes brave, but if overstrained, would
naturally become hard and harsh.” “I think
so,” he said. “And again, is not the gentleness
Plato. Plato in Twelve Volumes, Vols. 5 & 6 translated by Paul Shorey. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1969.
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