第15章

Ath。Thatifanyonegivestoogreatapowertoanything，toolargeasailtoavessel，toomuchfoodtothebody，toomuchauthoritytothemind，anddoesnotobservethemean，everythingisoverthrown，and，inthewantonnessofexcessrunsintheonecasetodisorders，andintheothertoinjustice，whichisthechildofexcess。Imeantosay，mydearfriends，thatthereisnosoulofman，youngandirresponsible，whowillbeabletosustainthetemptationofarbitrarypower-noonewhowillnot，undersuchcircumstances，becomefilledwithfolly，thatworstofdiseases，andbehatedbyhisnearestanddearestfriends：whenthishappens，hiskingdomisundermined，andallhispowervanishesfromhim。Andgreatlegislatorswhoknowthemeanshouldtakeheedofthedanger。Asfaraswecanguessatthisdistanceoftime，whathappenedwasasfollows：-

Meg。What？

Ath。AGod，whowatchedoverSparta，seeingintothefuture，gaveyoutwofamiliesofkingsinsteadofone；andthusbroughtyoumorewithinthelimitsofmoderation。Inthenextplace，somehumanwisdommingledwithdivinepower，observingthattheconstitutionofyourgovernmentwasstillfeverishandexcited，temperedyourinbornstrengthandprideofbirthwiththemoderationwhichcomesofage，makingthepowerofyourtwenty-eighteldersequalwiththatofthekingsinthemostimportantmatters。Butyourthirdsaviour，perceivingthatyourgovernmentwasstillswellingandfoaming，anddesiroustoimposeacurbuponit，institutedtheEphors，whosepowerhemadetoresemblethatofmagistrateselectedbylot；andbythisarrangementthekinglyoffice，beingcompoundedoftherightelementsanddulymoderated，waspreserved，andwasthemeansofpreservingalltherest。Since，iftherehadbeenonlytheoriginallegislators，Temenus，Cresphontes，andtheircontemporaries，asfarastheywereconcernednoteventheportionofAristodemuswouldhavebeenpreserved；fortheyhadnoproperexperienceinlegislation，ortheywouldsurelynothaveimaginedthatoathswouldmoderateayouthfulspiritinvestedwithapowerwhichmightbeconvertedintoatyranny。NowthatGodhasinstructeduswhatsortofgovernmentwouldhavebeenorwillbelasting，thereisnowisdom，asIhavealreadysaid，injudgingaftertheevent；thereisnodifficultyinlearningfromanexamplewhichhasalreadyoccurred。Butifanyonecouldhaveforeseenallthisatthetime，andhadbeenabletomoderatethegovernmentofthethreekingdomsandunitethemintoone，hemighthavesavedalltheexcellentinstitutionswhichwerethenconceived；andnoPersianoranyotherarmamentwouldhavedaredtoattackus，orwouldhaveregardedHellasasapowertobedespised。

Cle。True。

Ath。Therewassmallcredittous，Cleinias，indefeatingthem；

andthediscreditwas，notthattheconquerorsdidnotwingloriousvictoriesbothbylandandsea，butwhat，inmyopinion，broughtdiscreditwas，firstofall，thecircumstancethatofthethreecitiesoneonlyfoughtonbehalfofHellas，andthetwoothersweresoutterlygoodfornothingthattheonewaswagingamightywaragainstLacedaemon，andwasthuspreventingherfromrenderingassistance，whilethecityofArgos，whichhadtheprecedenceatthetimeofthedistribution，whenaskedtoaidinrepellingthebarbarian，wouldnotanswertothecall，orgiveaid。ManythingsmightbetoldaboutHellasinconnectionwiththatwarwhicharefarfromhonourable；nor，indeed，canwerightlysaythatHellasrepelledtheinvader；forthetruthis，thatunlesstheAtheniansandLacedaemonians，actinginconcert，hadwardedofftheimpendingyoke，allthetribesofHellaswouldhavebeenfusedinachaosofHellenesminglingwithoneanother，ofbarbariansminglingwithHellenes，andHelleneswithbarbarians；justasnationswhoarenowsubjecttothePersianpower，owingtounnaturalseparationsandcombinationsofthem，aredispersedandscattered，andlivemiserably。

These，CleiniasandMegillus，arethereproacheswhichwehavetomakeagainststatesmenandlegislators，astheyarecalled，pastandpresent，ifwewouldanalysethecausesoftheirfailure，andfindoutwhatelsemighthavebeendone。Wesaid，forinstance，justnow，thatthereoughttobenogreatandunmixedpowers；andthiswasundertheideathatastateoughttobefreeandwiseandharmonious，andthatalegislatoroughttolegislatewithaviewtothisend。Noristhereanyreasontobesurprisedatourcontinuallyproposingaimsforthelegislatorwhichappearnottobealwaysthesame；butweshouldconsiderwhenwesaythattemperanceistobetheaim，orwisdomistobetheaim，orfriendshipistobetheaim，thatalltheseaimsarereallythesame；andifso，avarietyinthemodesofexpressionoughtnottodisturbus。

Cle。Letusresumetheargumentinthatspirit。Andnow，speakingoffriendshipandwisdomandfreedom，Iwishthatyouwouldtellmeatwhat，inyouropinion，thelegislatorshouldaim。

Ath。Hearme，then：therearetwomotherformsofstatesfromwhichtherestmaybetrulysaidtobederived；andoneofthemmaybecalledmonarchyandtheotherdemocracy：thePersianshavethehighestformoftheone，andweoftheother；almostalltherest，asIwassaying，arevariationsofthese。Now，ifyouaretohavelibertyandthecombinationoffriendshipwithwisdom，youmusthaveboththeseformsofgovernmentinameasure；theargumentemphaticallydeclaresthatnocitycanbewellgovernedwhichisnotmadeupofboth。

Cle。Impossible。

Ath。Neithertheone，ifitbeexclusivelyandexcessivelyattachedtomonarchy，northeother，ifitbesimilarlyattachedtofreedom，observesmoderation；butyourstates，theLaconianandCretan，havemoreofit；andthesamewasthecasewiththeAtheniansandPersiansofoldtime，butnowtheyhaveless。ShallI

tellyouwhy？

Cle。Byallmeans，ifitwilltendtoelucidateoursubject。

Ath。Hear，then：-TherewasatimewhenthePersianshadmoreofthestatewhichisameanbetweenslaveryandfreedom。InthereignofCyrustheywerefreemenandalsolordsofmanyothers：therulersgaveashareoffreedomtothesubjects，andbeingtreatedasequals，thesoldierswereonbettertermswiththeirgenerals，andshowedthemselvesmorereadyinthehourofdanger。Andiftherewasanywisemanamongthem，whowasabletogivegoodcounsel，heimpartedhiswisdomtothepublic；forthekingwasnotjealous，butallowedhimfulllibertyofspeech，andgavehonourtothosewhocouldadvisehiminanymatter。Andthenationwaxedinallrespects，becausetherewasfreedomandfriendshipandcommunionofmindamongthem。

Cle。Thatcertainlyappearstohavebeenthecase。

Ath。How，then，wasthisadvantagelostunderCambyses，andagainrecoveredunderDarius？ShallItrytodivine？

Cle。Theenquiry，nodoubt，hasabearinguponoursubject。

Ath。IimaginethatCyrus，thoughagreatandpatrioticgeneral，hadnevergivenhismindtoeducation，andneverattendedtotheorderofhishousehold。

Cle。Whatmakesyousayso？

Ath。Ithinkthatfromhisyouthupwardshewasasoldier，andentrustedtheeducationofhischildrentothewomen；andtheybroughtthemupfromtheirchildhoodasthefavouritesoffortune，whowereblessedalready，andneedednomoreblessings。Theythoughtthattheywerehappyenough，andthatnooneshouldbeallowedtoopposetheminanyway，andtheycompelledeveryonetopraiseallthattheysaidordid。Thiswashowtheybroughtthemup。

Cle。Asplendideducationtruly!

Ath。Suchanoneaswomenwerelikelytogivethem，andespeciallyprincesseswhohadrecentlygrownrich，andintheabsenceofthemen，too，whowereoccupiedinwarsanddangers，andhadnotimetolookafterthem。

Cle。Whatwouldyouexpect？

Ath。Theirfatherhadpossessionsofcattleandsheep，andmanyherdsofmenandotheranimals，buthedidnotconsiderthatthosetowhomhewasabouttomakethemoverwerenottrainedinhisowncalling，whichwasPersian；forthePersiansareshepherds-sonsofaruggedland，whichisasternmother，andwellfittedtoproducesturdyraceabletoliveintheopenairandgowithoutsleep，andalsotofight，iffightingisrequired。Hedidnotobservethathissonsweretraineddifferently；throughtheso-calledblessingofbeingroyaltheywereeducatedintheMedianfashionbywomenandeunuchs，whichledtotheirbecomingsuchaspeopledobecomewhentheyarebroughtupunreproved。Andso，afterthedeathofCyrus，hissons，inthefulnessofluxuryandlicence，tookthekingdom，andfirstoneslewtheotherbecausehecouldnotendurearival；and，afterwards，theslayerhimself，madwithwineandbrutality，losthiskingdomthroughtheMedesandtheEunuch，astheycalledhim，whodespisedthefollyofCambyses。

Cle。Sorunsthetale，andsuchprobablywerethefacts。

Ath。Yes；andthetraditionsays，thattheempirecamebacktothePersians，throughDariusandthesevenchiefs。

Cle。True。

Ath。Letusnotetherestofthestory。Observe，thatDariuswasnotthesonofaking，andhadnotreceivedaluxuriouseducation。Whenhecametothethrone，beingoneoftheseven，hedividedthecountryintosevenportions，andofthisarrangementtherearesomeshadowytracesstillremaining；hemadelawsupontheprincipleofintroducinguniversalequalityintheorderofthestate，andheembodiedinhislawsthesettlementofthetributewhichCyruspromised-thuscreatingafeelingoffriendshipandcommunityamongallthePersians，andattachingthepeopletohimwithmoneyandgifts。HencehisarmiescheerfullyacquiredforhimcountriesaslargeasthosewhichCyrushadleftbehindhim。DariuswassucceededbyhissonXerxes；andheagainwasbroughtupintheroyalandluxuriousfashion。Mightwenotmostjustlysay：“ODarius，howcameyoutobringupXerxesinthesamewayinwhichCyrusbroughtupCambyses，andnottoseehisfatalmistake？“ForXerxes，beingthecreationofthesameeducation，metwithmuchthesamefortuneasCambyses；andfromthattimeuntilnowtherehasneverbeenareallygreatkingamongthePersians，althoughtheyareallcalledGreat。Andtheirdegeneracyisnottobeattributedtochance，asImaintain；thereasonisrathertheevillifewhichisgenerallyledbythesonsofveryrichandroyalpersons；forneverwillboyorman，youngorold，excelinvirtue，whohasbeenthuseducated。Andthis，Isay，iswhatthelegislatorhastoconsider，andwhatatthepresentmomenthastobeconsideredbyus。Justlymayyou，OLacedaemonians，bepraised，inthatyoudonotgivespecialhonouroraspecialeducationtowealthratherthantopoverty，ortoaroyalratherthantoaprivatestation，wherethedivineandinspiredlawgiverhasnotoriginallycommandedthemtobegiven。Fornomanoughttohavepre-eminenthonourinastatebecausehesurpassesothersinwealth，anymorethanbecauseheisswiftoffootorfairorstrong，unlesshehavesomevirtueinhim；norevenifhehavevirtue，unlesshehavethisparticularvirtueoftemperance。

Meg。Whatdoyoumean，Stranger？

Ath。Isupposethatcourageisapartofvirtue？

Meg。Tobesure。

Ath。Then，nowhearandjudgeforyourself：-Wouldyouliketohaveforafellow-lodgerorneighbouraverycourageousman，whohadnocontroloverhimself？

Meg。Heavenforbid!

Ath。Oranartist，whowascleverinhisprofession，butarogue？

Meg。Certainlynot。

Ath。Andsurelyjusticedoesnotgrowapartfromtemperance？

Meg。Impossible。

Ath。Anymorethanourpatternwiseman，whomweexhibitedashavinghispleasuresandpainsinaccordancewithandcorrespondingtotruereason，canbeintemperate？

Meg。No。

Ath。Thereisafurtherconsiderationrelatingtothedueandundueawardofhonoursinstates。

Meg。Whatisit？

Ath。Ishouldliketoknowwhethertemperancewithouttheothervirtues，existingaloneinthesoulofman，isrightlytobepraisedorblamed？

Meg。Icannottell。