Quote by Plato

I shall try to persuade first the Rulers and soldiers, and then the rest of the community, that the upbringing and education we have given them was all something that happened to them only in a dream. In reality they were fashioned and reared, and their arms and equipment manufactured, in the depths of the earth, and Earth herself, their mother, brought them up, when they were complete, into the light of day; so now they must think of the land in which they live as their mother and protect her if she is attacked, while their fellow citizens they must regard as brothers born of the same mother earth. That is the story. Do you know of any way of making them believe it? Not in the first generation, he said, but you might succeed with the second, and later generations.

Summary

This quote from Plato's "Republic" is spoken by Socrates during a discussion about the ideal society. In this explanation, Socrates suggests a stratagem to foster allegiance and unity among the citizens. By persuading the rulers and soldiers that they were created by the earth itself and not by their biological parents, they would consider the land as their mother and their fellow citizens as siblings. Although the listeners doubt its immediate effectiveness, Socrates believes this story could be received and believed by future generations over time. This quote highlights Plato's emphasis on cultivating a strong sense of community and duty towards one's society.