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No man of sense, he says in the Timaeus, would take physic; and

we heartily sympathize with him in the Laws when he declares that

'the limbs of the rustic worn with toil will derive more benefit

from warm baths than from the prescriptions of a not over wise

doctor.' But we can hardly praise him when, in obedience to the

authority of Homer, he depreciates diet, or approve of the

inhuman spirit in which he would get rid of invalid and useless

lives by leaving them to die. He does not seem to have considered

that the 'bridle of Theages' might be accompanied by qualities

which were of far more value to the State than the health or

strength of the citizens; or that the duty of taking care of the

helpless might be an important element of education in a State.