Pause. Then Socrates chuckles. Plato, who has been exalted, now smiles, spreads his arms, falls on one knee before Socrates.

SOCRATES

You have spoken beautifully and given praise to that and to those, to whom praise is due and perhaps with this hymn of praise we ought to end our discussion.

ACASTOS

Oh, no!

SOCRATES

I’m afraid that the simple and homely things which any of us might now wish to say would seem an anti–climax after this paean of eloquence. But since art has found such a potent enemy, perhaps a humble devotee might just say one or two brief things in her defence. We must not be too stunned by our young friend’s rhetoric – for he is a persuasive fellow – and he does what persuaders often do, he makes different things seem the same, he says good art is ‘really’ the same as bad art. Whereas Acastos thinks the difference between them is very great and important. When we find a generally held distinction we are wise not to blur it before we look to see if it shows something true. It may be that the only art you would praise is practised in heaven when Apollo and the Muses delight the ears of the other gods. But here below the difference between good and bad art as we know it remains significant. It is true that we do often prefer illusions and magic to the hard task of thinking – and that the half–truth may be the comforting place where we stop trying.

CALLISTOS

I don’t see why we should try at all.

SOCRATES stroking Callistos’s hair

Callistos asks a good question.

PLATO

We try because our home is elsewhere and it draws us like a magnet.

SOCRATES