meno   

Men. Yes.

Soc. And the right guide is useful and good?

Men. Certainly.

Soc. And the only right guides are knowledge and true

opinion-these are the guides of man; for things which happen by chance

are not under the guidance of man: but the guides of man are true

opinion and knowledge.

Men. I think so too.

Soc. But if virtue is not taught, neither is virtue knowledge.

Men. Clearly not.

Soc. Then of two good and useful things, one, which is knowledge,

has been set aside, and cannot be supposed to be our guide in

political life.

Men. I think not.

Soc. And therefore not by any wisdom, and not because they were

wise, did Themistocles and those others of whom Anytus spoke govern

states. This was the reason why they were unable to make others like

themselves-because their virtue was not grounded on knowledge.

Men. That is probably true, Socrates.

Soc. But if not by knowledge, the only alternative which remains

is that statesmen must have guided states by right opinion, which is

in politics what divination is in religion; for diviners and also

prophets say many things truly, but they know not what they say.

Men. So I believe.

Soc. And may we not, Meno, truly call those men "divine" who, having

no understanding, yet succeed in many a grand deed and word?

Men. Certainly.

Soc. Then we shall also be right in calling divine those whom we

were just now speaking of as diviners and prophets, including the

whole tribe of poets. Yes, and statesmen above all may be said to be

divine and illumined, being inspired and possessed of God, in which

condition they say many grand things, not knowing what they say.