[Sidenote: Harmony admits of degrees, but in the soul there are no
degrees; and therefore there cannot be a soul or harmony within a soul.]
I mean to say that a harmony admits of degrees, and is
more of a harmony, and more completely a harmony, when
more truly and fully harmonized, to any extent which is
possible; and less of a harmony, and less completely a
harmony, when less truly and fully harmonized.
True.
But does the soul admit of degrees? or is one soul in the
very least degree more or less, or more or less completely, a
soul than another?
Not in the least.
Yet surely of two souls, one is said to have intelligence
and virtue, and to be good, and the other to have folly and
vice, and to be an evil soul: and this is said truly?
Yes, truly.
But what will those who maintain the soul to be a harmony
say of this presence of virtue and vice in the soul?—will
they say that here is another harmony, and another discord,
and that the virtuous soul is harmonized, and herself being
a harmony has another harmony within her, and that the
vicious soul is inharmonical and has no harmony within her?
I cannot tell, replied Simmias; but I suppose that something
of the sort would be asserted by those who say that
the soul is a harmony.
And we have already admitted that no soul is more a soul
than another; which is equivalent to admitting that harmony
is not more or less harmony, or more or less completely a
harmony?
Quite true.
And that which is not more or less a harmony is not more
or less harmonized?
True.
[Sidenote: _The soul not a harmony._]
And that which is not more or less harmonized cannot
have more or less of harmony, but only an equal harmony?
Yes, an equal harmony.
Then one soul not being more or less absolutely a soul
than another, is not more or less harmonized?
Exactly.
And therefore has neither more nor less of discord, nor
yet of harmony?
She has not.
And having neither more nor less of harmony or of discord,
one soul has no more vice or virtue than another, if
vice be discord and virtue harmony?
Not at all more.
Or speaking more correctly, Simmias, the soul, if she is a 94
harmony, will never have any vice; because a harmony,
being absolutely a harmony, has no part in the inharmonical.
No.
[Sidenote: If the soul is a harmony, all souls must be equally good.]
And therefore a soul which is absolutely a soul has no
vice?
How can she have, if the previous argument holds?
Then, if all souls are equally by their nature souls, all
souls of all living creatures will be equally good?