ÉPINOMIS.

things, and, what is more, things that are entirely and absolutely true.

CLINIAS. I am convinced of it, Stranger; but do not weary of explaining your thought to us.

THE ATHENIAN. I shall continue; do not weary yourselves of listening to me.

CLINIAS. I answer for Megillus and for myself: we offer you our full attention.

THE ATHENIAN. Very well. It seems necessary to me to go back to the principle, especially to see if we can understand under a single name what we mean by wisdom, and if that exceeds our powers, to see in the second place what are the sciences whose knowledge makes a man wise with this wisdom that we conceive, and how many there are.

CLINIAS. Do as you please.

THE ATHENIAN. And, after that, one will not find it amiss that the legislator who has higher and more just ideas about the gods than those who spoke of them before him, expresses them in a manner conformable to the beautiful science he has acquired, and spends the rest of his life honoring the gods and celebrating their supreme felicity with hymns.

CLINIAS. You are right, Stranger; and may the plan of your legislation lead you to live in familiar commerce with the gods and to crown the purest life with the most beautiful and happiest end!

THE ATHENIAN. What shall we say, Clinias? Do you believe that the most excellent way to honor the gods in our hymns is to pray that they suggest to us, in speaking of them, the most beautiful and sublime thoughts? Is that your feeling or not?

CLINIAS. Wonderfully; that is indeed my feeling.
Address a prayer to them, then, my dear friend, in the firm