Chapter II. That Faith, According Even to Plato, is the Greatest of Virtues

[P] [1] ‘IN the next place therefore we should say: It seems, Tyrtaeus, that you praise most highly those who distinguish themselves in foreign and external war. He would admit this, I suppose, and agree?

‘Of course.

‘But we say that, though these are brave, those are far braver who show their valour conspicuously in the greatest of all wars. And we too have a poet as witness on our side, Theognis, a citizen of Megara in Sicily, who says:

“Cyrnus, when factions rage, a faithful man Is worth his weight in silver and in gold.” [2]

‘Such a man then, we say, is very much braver than the other in a harder warfare, almost as much as justice and temperance and wisdom combined with valour are better than valour by itself alone. For a man would never be found faithful and true in civil wars without possessing all virtue. But there are very many mercenaries who are willing to die in war, standing firm and fighting, as Tyrtaeus says,[3] the greater part of whom, with very few exceptions, are violent and unjust and insolent and the most senseless of mankind.

‘To what conclusion then does our present argument lead? And what does it wish to make clear by these statements? Evidently this, that before all things both the heaven-sent lawgiver in this country, and every other of the least usefulness, will always enact his laws with a view chiefly to the greatest virtue: and this is, as Theognis says, faithfulness in dangers, which one might call perfect justice.’

Among us also the Word of salvation, joining wisdom with faith, commends the man who is adorned with both, saying, in His own words: ‘Who then is the faithful and wise steward?’ [4] and again, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things.’ [5] Certainly in these passages He clearly shows that He approves not unreasoning faith, but that which is combined with the greatest virtues, such certainly being wisdom and goodness.