And has he a motive and object in being a friend, or has he no
motive and object?
He has a motive and object.
And is the object which makes him a friend, dear to him, neither
dear nor hateful to him?
I do not quite follow you, he said.
I do not wonder at that, I said. But perhaps, if I put the matter in
another way, you will be able to follow me, and my own meaning will be
clearer to myself. The sick man, as I was just now saying, is the
friend of the physician-is he not?
Yes.
And he is the friend of the physician because of disease, and for
the sake of health?
Yes.
And disease is an evil?
Certainly.
And what of health? I said. Is that good or evil, or neither?
Good, he replied.
And we were saying, I believe, that the body being neither good
nor evil, because of disease, that is to say because of evil, is the
friend of medicine, and medicine is a good: and medicine has entered
into this friendship for the sake of health, and health is a good.
True.
And is health a friend, or not a friend?
A friend.
And disease is an enemy?
Yes.
Then that which is neither good nor evil is the friend of the good
because of the evil and hateful, and for the sake of the good and
the friend?
Clearly.
Then the friend is a friend for the sake of the friend, and
because of the enemy?
That is to be inferred.
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