Beasts are rational (3)

GRYLLUS. And I, in that case, to instruct you. Let us begin with the virtues, which, we note, inspire you with pride; for you rate yourselves as far superior to animals[*] in justice and wisdom and courage and all the rest of them. But answer me this, wisest of men! Once I heard you telling Circe about the land of the Cyclopes,[*] that though it is not ploughed at all nor does anyone sow there, yet it is naturally so fertile and fecund that it produces spontaneously every kind of crops. Do you, then, rate this land higher than rugged, goat-pasturing Ithaca,[*] which barely yields the tiller a meagre, churlish, trifling crop after great efforts and much toil? And see that you don’t lose your temper and give me a patriotic answer that isn’t what you really believe.

ODYSSEUS. I have no need to lie; for though I love and cherish my native soil more, the other wins my approval and admiration.

GRYLLUS. Then this, we shall say, is the situation: the wisest of men thinks fit to commend and approve one thing while he loves and prefers another. Now I assume that your answer applies to the spiritual field also, for the situation is the same as with the land[*]: that spiritual soil is better which produces a harvest of virtue as a spontaneous crop without toil.

ODYSSEUS. Yes, this too you may assume.

GRYLLUS. At this moment, then, you are conceding the point that the soul of beasts has a greater natural capacity and perfection for the generation of virtue; for without command or instruction, unsown and unploughed, as it were, it naturally brings forth and develops such virtue as is proper in each case.

ODYSSEUS. And what sort of virtue, Gryllus, is ever found in beasts?