question is, whether astronomy shall be made a part of education.  About the stars there is a strange notion prevalent.  Men often suppose that it is impious to enquire into the nature of God and the world, whereas the very reverse is the truth.  ‘How do you mean?’ What I am going to say may seem absurd and at variance with the usual language of age, and yet if true and advantageous to the state, and pleasing to God, ought not to be withheld.  ‘Let us hear.’  My dear friend, how falsely do we and all the Hellenes speak about the sun and moon!  ‘In what respect?’ We are always saying that they and certain of the other stars do not keep the same path, and we term them planets.  ’Yes; and I have seen the morning and evening stars go all manner of ways, and the sun and moon doing what we know that they always do.  But I wish that you would explain your meaning further.’  You will easily understand what I have had no difficulty in understanding myself, though we are both of us past the time of learning.  ’True; but what is this marvellous knowledge which youth are to acquire, and of which we are ignorant?’ Men say that the sun, moon, and stars are planets or wanderers; but this is the reverse of the fact.  Each of them moves in one orbit only, which is circular, and not in many; nor is the swiftest of them the slowest, as appears to human eyes.  What an insult should we offer to Olympian runners if we were to put the first last and the last first!  And if that is a ridiculous error in speaking of men, how much more in speaking of the Gods?  They cannot be pleased at our telling falsehoods about them.  ‘They cannot.’  Then people should at least learn so much about them as will enable them to avoid impiety.

Enough of education.  Hunting and similar pursuits now claim our attention.  These require for their regulation that mixture of law and admonition of which we have often spoken; e.g., in what we were saying about the nurture of young children.  And therefore the whole duty of the citizen will not consist in mere obedience to the laws; he must regard not only the enactments but also the precepts of the legislator.  I will illustrate my meaning by an example.  Of hunting there are many kinds—­hunting of fish and fowl, man and beast, enemies and friends; and the legislator can neither omit to speak about these things, nor make penal ordinances about them all.  ‘What is he to do then?’ He will praise and blame hunting, having in view the discipline and exercise of youth.  And the young man will listen obediently and will regard his praises and censures; neither pleasure nor pain should hinder him.  The legislator will express himself in the form of a pious wish for the welfare of the young:—­O my friends, he will say, may you never be induced to hunt for fish in the waters, either by day or night; or for men, whether by sea or land.  Never let the wish to steal enter into your minds; neither be ye fowlers, which is not an occupation for gentlemen.  As to land animals, the legislator will discourage hunting by night, and also the use of nets and snares by day; for these are indolent and unmanly methods.  The only mode of hunting which he can praise is with horses and dogs, running, shooting, striking at close quarters.  Enough of the prelude:  the law shall be as follows:—­