[Footnote 12: See Lachês p. 195 A. [Greek: tê\n tô=n deinô=n kai\ thar)r(ale/ôn e)pistê/mên], pp. 196 C-199 A-E--in the cross-examination of Nikias by Sokrates: and the question in the cross-examination of Lachês (who has defined Courage to be [Greek: ê( phro/nimos karteri/a]) put by Sokrates--[Greek: ê( _ei)s ti/_ phro/nimos?] compared with Republic, iv. pp. 429 C, 430 B, 433 C. See also Charmidês, pp. 161 B, 162 B-C, compared with Republic, iv. p. 433 B-D.] [Side-note: Difficulties left unsolved, but overleaped by Plato.] If we revert to these passages (and many others which might be produced) of past dialogues, we shall find no means provided of harmonising them with the Republic. The logical and ethical difficulties still exist: they have never been elucidated: the Republic does not pretend to elucidate them, but overlooks or overleaps them. In composing it, Plato has his mind full of a different point of view, to which he seeks to give full effect. While his spokesman Sokrates was leader of opposition, Plato delighted to arm him with the maximum of negative cross-examining acuteness: but here Sokrates has passed over to the ministerial benches, and has undertaken the difficult task of making out a case in reply to the challenge of Glaukon and Adeimantus. No new leader of opposition is allowed to replace him. The splendid constructive effort of the Republic would have been spoiled, if exposed to such an analytical cross-examination as that which we read in Menon, Lachês, or Charmidês. [Side-note: Ethical and political theory combined by Plato, treated apart by Aristotle.] In remarking upon the Platonic Republic as a political scheme only, we pass from the Platonic point of view to the Aristotelian: that is, to the discussion of Ethics and Politics as separate subjects, though adjoining and partially overlapping each other. Plato conceives the two in intimate union, and even employs violent metaphors to exaggerate the intimacy. Xenophon also conceives them in close conjunction. Aristotle goes farther in separating the two: a great improvement in regard to the speculative dealing with both of them.[13] [Footnote 13: The concluding chapter of the Nikomachean Ethics contains some striking remarks upon this separation.] [Side-note: Platonic Commonwealth--only an outline--partially filled up.]