“But what, my friends,” I continued, “do you say to this? All actions
that tend to this, that we may live without pain and pleasantly, are
they not beautiful? and is not a beautiful action good and profitable?”.
They agreed.
“If then,” I said, “the pleasant is good, no one who either knows or
thinks that other things are better than what he is doing, and that they
are possible, still continues to do the same, when it is in his power to
do the better; nor is to be overcome by one’s-self any thing else than
ignorance, nor to be master of one’s-self any thing else than wisdom.”
All agreed to this.
“What then? Do you say that ignorance is a thing of this kind, to have a
false opinion, and to be deceived about matters of great importance?”
To this, likewise, all agreed.
“Is it not the case then,” I said, “that no one willingly sets about
things evil, or things which he thinks are evil, nor is this, as it
seems, in the nature of man willingly to engage in things which he
thinks are evil, instead of such as are good; and when of two evils he
is compelled to choose one, no one will choose the greater, when it is
in his power to choose the less.”