[39]
If, then, Leucon
replies to this, “Yes; I dare say some of the Athenians are
scoundrels, but I have not made that a reason for robbing the good citizens; on
the contrary, because I think the Athenians, as a nation, are good men, I allow
them all a share”; will there not be more fairness in his words than
in ours? To me, at least, it seems so. For it is the custom of all nations, for
the sake of their benefactors, rather to include some bad men in their rewards,
than to make the worthless men an excuse for withholding their rewards from
those who are acknowledged to merit them.
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