Soc. If then virtue is a quality of the soul, and is admitted to be profitable, it must be wisdom or prudence, since none of the THINGS OF THE SOUL are either profitable or hurtful in themselves, but they are all made profitable or hurtful by the addition of wisdom or of folly ; and therefore and therefore if virtue is profitable, virtue must be a sort of wisdom or prudence ? MENO
Soc. And the other goods, such as wealth and the like, of which we were just now saying that they are sometimes good and sometimes evil, do not they also become profitable or hurtful, accordingly as the soul guides and uses them rightly or wrongly ; just as the THINGS OF THE SOUL herself are benefited when under the guidance of wisdom and harmed by folly ? MENO
Soc. And is not this universally true of human nature ? All other things hang upon the soul, and the THINGS OF THE SOUL herself hang upon wisdom, if they are to be good ; and so wisdom is inferred to be that which profits — and virtue, as we say, is profitable ? MENO
Ath. Do you remember our old admission, that if the soul was prior to the body the THINGS OF THE SOUL were also prior to those of the body ? LAWS BOOK X