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πονηρία μὲν γὰρ -- λήψεται. See on 409 B and the suggestive remarks of Stewart on Aristotle's Eth. Nic. V 1. 1129^{a} 17. Strictly speaking, Vice cannot have scientific knowledge (ἐπιστήμη) even of herselt, since Vice is ignorance (and scientific knowledge of Vice would imply a scientific knowledge of Virtue); but she recognises herself by ἐμπειρία οἰκεία: cf. 409 B. ἀρετὴ δὲ κτλ.: ‘whereas Virtue will in course of time, if natural endowments are improved by education, attain to scientific knowledge at once of herself and Vice.’ The contrast between πονηρία μέν and ἀρετὴ δέ is much impaired if we connect ἀρετή with φύσεως (in the sense of ‘a virtuous nature’): and for this reason I now agree with Schneider in thinking φύσεως παιδευομένης a genitive absolute. I formerly accepted Richards' emendation παιδευομένη, which is decidedly more logical, if φύσεως depends on ἀρετή: but Schneider's view is better. χρόνῳ belongs to λήψεται, and not to παιδευομένης (as if ‘educated by time,’ Jowett): mere lapse of time will never give ἐπιστήμη. Cf. ὀψιμαθῆ and ἐν πολλῷ χρόνῳ διαισθάνεσθαι in 409 B.
The Republic of Plato. James Adam. 1902. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press.
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