[Footnote 178: Plato, Republic, vi. p. 498 A. [Greek: Nu=n me\n oi( kai\ a(pto/menoi meira/kia o)/nta a)/rti e)k paidô=n to\ metaxu\ oi)konomi/as kai\ chrêmatismou= plêsia/santes au)tou= tô=| chalepôta/tô| a)palla/ttontai, oi( philosophô/tatoi poiou/menoi; le/gô de\ chalepô/taton to\ peri\ tou\s lo/gous; e)n de\ tô=| e)/peita, e)a\n kai\ a)/llôn tou=to pratto/ntôn parakalou/menoi e)the/lôsin a)kroatai\ gi/gnesthai, mega/la ê(gou=ntai, pa/rergon oi)o/menoi au)to\ dei=n pra/ttein.]] [Footnote 179: Plato, Republic, vi. p. 498 C.] [Side-note: If the multitude could once see a real, perfect, philosopher, they could not fail to love him: but this never happens.] Most people will hear all this (continues Sokrates) with mingled incredulity and repugnance. We cannot wonder that they do so: for they have had no experience of one or a few virtuously trained men ruling in a city suitably prepared.[180] Such combination of philosophical rulers within a community adapted to them, we must assume to be realised.[181] Though difficult, it is noway impracticable: and even the multitude will become reconciled to it, if you explain to them mildly what sort of persons we mean by philosophers. We do not mean such persons as the multitude now call by that name; interlopers in the pursuit, violent in dispute and quarrel with each other, and perpetually talking personal scandal.[182] The multitude cannot hate a philosophical temper such as we depict, when they once come to know it--a man who, indifferent to all party disputes, dwells in contemplation of the Universal Forms, and tries to mould himself and others into harmony with them.[183] Such a philosopher will not pretend to make regulations, either for a city or for an individual, until he has purified it thoroughly. He will then make regulations framed upon the type of the Eternal Forms--Justice, Temperance, Beauty--adapting them as well as he can to human exigencies.[184] The multitude, when they know what is really meant, will become perfectly reconciled to it. One single prince, if he rises so as to become a philosopher, and has a consenting community, will suffice to introduce the system which we have been describing. So fortunate an accident can undoubtedly occur but seldom; yet it is not impossible, and one day or other it will really occur.[185] [Footnote 180: Plato, Republic, vi. p. 498 E.] [Footnote 181: Plato, Republic, vi. p. 499 B-C.] [Footnote 182: Plato, Republic, vi. pp. 499-500.] [Footnote 183: Plato, Republic, vi. p. 500 C-D.] [Footnote 184: Plato, Republic, vi. p. 501 A.] [Footnote 185: Plato, Republic, vi. p. 502.] [Side-note: Course of training in the Platonic city, for imparting philosophy to the Rulers. They must be taught to ascend to the Idea of Good. But what is Good?]