Plato, Protagoras 320c-324c
Once upon a time, the gods existed, but mortal creatures did not. And when the destined time of their birth came, the gods formed them within the earth, blending them from earth and fire and from those things which are formed by being combined with earth and fire. When they were about to bring them into the light, they appointed Prometheus and Epimetheus to embellish them and distribute to each the appropriate specializations. Epimetheus begs Prometheus to let him make the distribution. "And when I have finished, you inspect them." And so he persuaded him and began the distribution. To some he attached strength without speed, the weaker he equipped with speed. Some he armed and for those that were not armed he devised some other means of survival. Some he packaged in small bodies and to these he allotted escape by flight or dwellings underground. Of those which he increased in size, by this very device [321] he assured their survival. And so he distributed the other qualities, balancing them out so that no species would become extinct. And when he had provided them with sufficient resources against mutual destruction, against the seasons from on high he devised protection, clothing them in thick fur and stiff hides, good enough for the winter and ample defense against the summer heat and these same things provided each of them with their own natural bedding when they went into their lairs. And he shod some with hooves and others with thick and bloodless pads. And next he provided different nourishments for different species, for some the grass of the earth, for others the fruits of trees, and for others roots; and there were some to whom he gave as nourishment the flesh of other animals. And some he made able to produce only a few offspring but to those who are caught by them he gave the ability to give birth to large litters, assuring survival to the kind. But since Epimetheus was not all that clever it escaped his notice that he had used up all the special talents. Left unprovided still was the human race and he was in a quandary what he could use. While he was in a perplexity about this Prometheus came to him to inspect the distribution and he sees the other animals well fixed with all things, but humankind naked and unshod, without a bed and unprotected. And now the destined day was upon them on which mankind too must come out of the earth into the light. In a quandary what means of survival he might find for the human race, Prometheus steals from Hephaistos and Athena technical skill with fire—for without fire it was useless and could not be acquired—and gives them to mankind. In this way, then, the human race had skill for living, but they had not the political art. For that was in Zeus’ hands. And there was no time for Prometheus to go into the acropolis, the home of Zeus. And besides Zeus’ watchmen were awesome. He did go in secret into the common workshop of Athena and Hephaistos in which they practiced their crafts and stealing the art of working with fire from Hephaistos and the other art from Athena he gave them to mankind and from this the human race got the means of living. Later because of Epimetheus, [322] as the story is told, Prometheus was prosecuted for the theft.
Since the human race had a share of divinity, first, alone of the animals they believed in gods and tried to build altars and images of the gods and then they soon articulated speech and names and invented houses and clothing and shoes and beds and discovered nourishment from the earth. Thus provided, at the beginning, people lived in scattered areas and there were no cities. They were, therefore, devastated by the wild animals because they were in every way weaker than they, and the crafts they had were sufficient for sustenance, but deficient in the battle with the wild animals; for they did not have the political art, part of which is the art of war. Then they tried to gather together and to protect themselves by building cities. But when they were gathered together they continued to wrong each other since they did not have the political art so that scattering again they were still being wiped out. Then Zeus afraid for our kind, that we would become extinct, sent Hermes to bring to the human race shame (respect) and justice so that they would be the ordering principles of cities [Vlastos] and the bonds than join friendships. Then Hermes asked Zeus in what way he was to give justice and shame to people, "as the arts and crafts were handed out, is that the way I should distribute these? They were given out in this way: one man having the physician’s craft is adequate for many laymen, and so for the other professions. Do I give justice and respect to the people in this way or should I give a share to all?" "To all," replied Zeus, "and let all share in them. There would be no cities if only a few shared in them as with the other crafts. And lay down the law from me to kill anyone not able to share in shame and justice as a disease to the state."
For these reasons, Socrates, the others and especially the Athenians, whenever the discussion is about the builder’s excellence or any other technical expertise, they think only a few should share in the planning and if anyone outside those few joins in the deliberation they do not put up with it, as you say; and with good reason as I say. But when they go into a deliberation of political virtue [323] which must pass through justice and self-control, with good reason they put up with every man on the ground that it is suitable for everyone to share in this virtue or there would not be cities. This, Socrates, is the cause of that.
That you may not think you are being deceived that in reality all people think that everyone shares in justice and the rest of political excellence, accept this proof. For in the case of the other virtues, as you say, if anyone says that he is a good flute-player, or that he is good at any of the other crafts, when he is not, either they ridicule him or they are annoyed. And his relatives go to him and counsel him as a disturbed individual. But in the case of justice and the rest of the political virtues even if they know that someone is unjust, if he himself tells the truth about himself in public, what there they considered proper, telling the truth, here they think it is madness, and they think that all men ought to claim to be just whether they are or not, or that the one making no pretense to justice is insane, since there can be no one who does not share in it, or if there is he is not in the company of human beings.
What I am arguing is that with good reason they accept every man into the deliberation about this virtue because they think that everyone has a share in it. But that they believe it is not by nature or automatic, but able to be taught and that it comes to whomever it comes from practice, I shall next attempt to demonstrate. Whatever evils people think their fellow humans have by nature or chance, no one is angry or advises or teaches or punishes them for having these, so that they will change, but they pity them. For example, who would be so foolish as to try to do any of those things to the ugly or the short or the infirm. These things, I think, they realize happen to people by nature and by chance and the same with the good things opposite to them. But whatever good things can be acquired by people through practice and exercise and instruction, if someone is deficient in these and has the evils opposite to them, then upon them descend anger, punishments, and admonitions. Among them are injustice and impiety and, taken as a whole, everything that is opposite to political virtue. And then people are indignant with each other and reprimand each other, obviously because they think this virtue is acquired by practice and learning. If you will reflect on what punishment can do to those who do wrong, it will demonstrate to you that people believe that virtue is acquired. For no one punishes wrong-doers because of the fact that they have done wrong, no one, that is, unless he inflicts punishment mindlessly, like a wild animal. But the one who is rational in punishing punishes not because of the past wrong— for something done cannot be undone— but for the future so that he himself will not do wrong again nor anyone else seeing him punished. He shows that virtue is teachable because he punishes for the sake of prevention. All have this opinion, all who punish both in public and in private. All other people and not least your fellow citizens punish and discipline those who do wrong, proving that the Athenians too are among those who believe that virtue is teachable. And so with good reason your fellow citizens accept a smith and a shoe-maker in political deliberations. And that they believe that virtue is able to be taught and acquired, has, I believe, been sufficiently demonstrated.
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