batch.motif.greek-plato-republic-jowett-gutenberg-l13084-l13196
---
record_id: batch.motif.greek-plato-republic-jowett-gutenberg-l13084-l13196
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/republic-jowett.md
passage_locator:
label: PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE. / BOOK I. / BOOK II. / BOOK III.; lines 13084-13196
start: '13084'
end: '13196'
translation: The Republic
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: Socrates argues that excessive bodily care impedes virtue and thought,
presents Asclepius as a politically minded healer who treats definite ailments
but does not prolong useless diseased lives, cites the sons of Asclepius treating
wounds at Troy, rejects accounts that Asclepius was both divine-born and avaricious,
and distinguishes the proper training of physicians from that of judges.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Excessive care of the body is described as hostile to virtue, study, thought,
and self-reflection.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Asclepius is described as curing generally healthy people with definite ailments
by purges and operations, then telling them to live as usual.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: Asclepius is described as not attempting to cure bodies penetrated through
and through by disease through gradual evacuation and infusion.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: The sons of Asclepius are described as heroes of old who practiced medicine
at the siege of Troy.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: When Pandarus wounded Menelaus, the sons of Asclepius are said to have sucked
blood from the wound and applied soothing remedies.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: The sons of Asclepius are said not to prescribe later food or drink for Menelaus
or Eurypylus.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:7
text: The sons of Asclepius are said to have declined to attend unhealthy and intemperate
persons, even if as rich as Midas.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:8
text: Tragedians and Pindar are reported as saying that Asclepius was the son of
Apollo, was bribed to heal a rich man near death, and was struck by lightning
for it.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:9
text: Socrates states that if Asclepius was the son of a god, he was not avaricious;
if he was avaricious, he was not the son of a god.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:10
text: Physicians are described as curing the body with the mind, and a mind that
is sick cannot cure anything.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:11
text: Judges are described as governing mind by mind and as needing knowledge of
evil from long observation rather than personal contamination.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Socrates
description: Speaker who develops the argument about medicine, Asclepius, physicians,
and judges.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:5
- ev:7
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Asclepius
description: A healer described as politically minded; also reported by others as
son of Apollo and as struck by lightning after accepting a bribe to heal a rich
dying man.
role_refs:
- role:2
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:5
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: sons of Asclepius
description: Heroes of old who practiced medicine at Troy and treated wounds with
direct remedies.
role_refs:
- role:2
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Pandarus
description: Person who wounded Menelaus.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Menelaus
description: Wounded person treated by the sons of Asclepius.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Eurypylus
description: Named as another patient for whom later food or drink was not prescribed.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Midas
description: Example of great wealth in the phrase about people as rich as Midas.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: Apollo
description: God named as father of Asclepius in the reported account.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: rich man at the point of death
description: Person whom tragedians and Pindar say Asclepius was bribed into healing.
role_refs:
- role:6
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:10
name_or_label: physician
description: A practitioner whose skill is associated with knowledge of disease
and curing body with mind.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:11
name_or_label: judge
description: A person who governs mind by mind and should learn evil through observation
rather than personal wrongdoing.
role_refs:
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
roles:
- id: role:1
label: philosophical speaker
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Socrates frames and answers the questions in the dialogue.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:7
- id: role:2
label: healer
assigned_to:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:10
basis: These figures are associated with curing, remedies, or the medical art.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:6
- id: role:3
label: reported divine child
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The passage reports the claim that Asclepius was son of Apollo.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:4
label: heroic practitioners at Troy
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The sons of Asclepius are called heroes in old days who practiced medicine
at Troy.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:5
label: wounder
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Pandarus is named as the one who wounded Menelaus.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:6
label: patient or wounded person
assigned_to:
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:9
basis: Menelaus is wounded, Eurypylus is named in the medical example, and the rich
dying man is healed in the reported account.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
- id: role:7
label: wealth figure
assigned_to:
- fig:7
- fig:9
basis: Midas is used as an example of wealth, and the dying man is described as
rich.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: role:8
label: divine father
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: Apollo is named as father of Asclepius in the reported account.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:9
label: moral judge
assigned_to:
- fig:11
basis: The judge is said to govern mind by mind and to require knowledge of evil
through observation.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: wound and blood
literal_form: Menelaus’ wound and blood sucked from it
associated_figures:
- fig:3
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:2
label: soothing remedies
literal_form: remedies sprinkled on the wound
associated_figures:
- fig:3
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:3
label: lightning strike
literal_form: lightning striking Asclepius in the reported account
associated_figures:
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: sym:4
label: mind as curing instrument
literal_form: mind curing the body; mind governing mind
associated_figures:
- fig:10
- fig:11
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Excessive bodily care opposed to virtue
summary: Socrates argues that excessive care of bodily symptoms prevents higher
virtue, study, thought, and self-reflection.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Asclepius as selective healer
summary: Asclepius is presented as treating definite ailments in otherwise healthy
persons and refusing to prolong deeply diseased lives.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:3
label: Medical treatment at Troy
summary: The sons of Asclepius treat Menelaus’ wound after Pandarus wounds him,
using blood removal and remedies rather than extended dietary regimens.
figure_refs:
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:4
label: Refusal to treat the intemperate rich
summary: The sons of Asclepius are said to reject unhealthy and intemperate subjects,
even those as rich as Midas.
figure_refs:
- fig:3
- fig:7
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: scene:5
label: Rejected account of bribed healing and lightning
summary: Socrates reports that tragedians and Pindar say Asclepius, son of Apollo,
was bribed to heal a rich dying man and was struck by lightning; Socrates refuses
to accept both divine sonship and avarice together.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:8
- fig:9
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: scene:6
label: Physician and judge contrasted
summary: Socrates distinguishes physicians, who may know disease through bodily
experience, from judges, who should know evil through long observation rather
than personal corruption.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:10
- fig:11
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: selective healing for the health of the state
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The passage presents a normative account of medical practice in which treatment
is limited by usefulness to the person and the state.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
confidence: medium
cautions: This is primarily a philosophical argument about medicine and civic order,
not a narrative mythic episode.
- id: motif:2
label: divine healer as child of a god
taxonomy_refs:
- divine_parent_child
basis: The passage reports that Asclepius is acknowledged as son of Apollo and uses
that relation in Socrates’ reasoning about his character.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
confidence: high
cautions: The passage reports and evaluates the claim rather than narrating a birth
story.
- id: motif:3
label: punishment by lightning for illicit healing
taxonomy_refs:
- divine_judgment
basis: Tragedians and Pindar are reported as saying Asclepius was bribed to heal
a rich dying man and was struck by lightning for it.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
confidence: medium
cautions: Socrates explicitly rejects accepting the combined claims of divine sonship
and avarice, so the motif is present as a reported account under dispute.
- id: motif:4
label: knowledge through observation rather than corruption
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The ideal judge should know evil from late and long observation, with knowledge
as guide rather than personal experience.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
confidence: medium
cautions: This is an ethical-philosophical pattern rather than a mythic narrative
motif.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: 13084-13103
quote_or_summary: Excessive care of the body beyond gymnastic rules is said to be
inimical to virtue and incompatible with study, thought, and self-reflection.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/republic-jowett.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: 13107-13122
quote_or_summary: Asclepius is described as healing generally healthy people with
definite ailments, but not attempting to prolong lives of bodies thoroughly penetrated
by disease.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/republic-jowett.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: quote
locator: 13126-13141
quote_or_summary: 'The sons of Asclepius at Troy treated Menelaus after Pandarus
wounded him: “Sucked the blood out of the wound, and sprinkled soothing remedies,”
without prescribing later diet for Menelaus or Eurypylus.'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/republic-jowett.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt from public domain translation.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: 13142-13149
quote_or_summary: The sons of Asclepius are said to refuse unhealthy and intemperate
subjects, even if they were as rich as Midas.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/republic-jowett.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: 13153-13163
quote_or_summary: Tragedians and Pindar are reported as saying Asclepius was son
of Apollo, accepted a bribe to heal a rich dying man, and was struck by lightning;
Socrates rejects believing both divine sonship and avarice.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/republic-jowett.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: 13175-13186
quote_or_summary: Good physicians are said to combine medical knowledge with experience
of disease; they cure the body with the mind, and a sick mind can cure nothing.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/republic-jowett.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: 13188-13196
quote_or_summary: A judge governs mind by mind and should learn evil from long observation
of others rather than from personal contamination or experience of crime.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/republic-jowett.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: The passage is philosophical argument with mythic examples; motif candidates
involving Asclepius are clearer than broader ethical patterns. No comparison claims
were added beyond the passage’s own reported references.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
All interpretations are limited to the supplied passage and metadata.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:greek-plato-republic-jowett-gutenberg__l13084-l13196
passage_sha256=a979db40755cc1fc921ea7728a8d239123eeccded7bb7389afbaef956ae35aa1