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That the philosopher is a lover of truth, having a nature akin to

the best?-and if they admit this will they still quarrel with us

for making philosophers our kings? 'They will be less disposed to

quarrel.' Let us assume then that they are pacified. Still, a

person may hesitate about the probability of the son of a king

being a philosopher. And we do not deny that they are very liable

to be corrupted; but yet surely in the course of ages there might

be one exception-and one is enough. If one son of a king were a

philosopher, and had obedient citizens, he might bring the ideal

polity into being. Hence we conclude that our laws are not only

the best, but that they are also possible, though not free from

difficulty.