Pagina 630 di 1391

The words of Phaedrus, 'O Socrates, you can easily invent

Egyptians or anything,' are recalled to our mind as we read this

lifelike fiction. Yet the greater merit of the work is not the

admirable art, but the originality of thought. More is as free as

Plato from the prejudices of his age, and far more tolerant. The

Utopians do not allow him who believes not in the immortality of

the soul to share in the administration of the state (Laws),

'howbeit they put him to no punishment, because they be persuaded

that it is in no man's power to believe what he list'; and 'no

man is to be blamed for reasoning in support of his own religion

('One of our company in my presence was sharply punished.