Page:The Republic of Plato (3rd ed.) (Lindsay, 1923).djvu/51

 THE REPUBLIC OF PLATO}}

BOOK I

down to the Peiræus yesterday with Glaucon, the son of Ariston. As this was the first celebration of the festival, I wished to make my prayers to the goddess and see the ceremony. I liked the procession of the residents, but I thought that the Thracians ordered theirs quite as successfully. We had offered our prayers and finished our sight-seeing, and were leaving for the city, when from some way off, Polemarchus, the son of Cephalus, saw that we were starting homewards, and sent his slave to run after us and bid us wait. The lad caught my cloak from behind and said:

“Polemarchus bids you wait.”

I turned round and asked him where his master was. “He is coming behind,” he said; “but will you please wait?”

“Surely we will,” said Glaucon.

Very soon up came Polemarchus, and with him Adeimantus, Glaucon's brother, and Niceratus the son of Nicias, and some others, evidently from the procession.

“Socrates,” said Polemarchus, “you seem to be leaving, and to be on your way to the city.”

“You are not far wrong,” I said.

“Well,” he said, “do you see our numbers?”

“Surely.”