第19章

Andofthisthereasonissaidtohavebeenasfollows：-Cronosknewwhatweourselvesweredeclaring，thatnohumannatureinvestedwithsupremepowerisabletoorderhumanaffairsandnotoverflowwithinsolenceandwrong。Whichreflectionledhimtoappointnotmenbutdemigods，whoareofahigherandmoredivinerace，tobethekingsandrulersofourcities；hedidaswedowithflocksofsheepandothertameanimals。Forwedonotappointoxentobethelordsofoxen，orgoatsofgoats；butweourselvesareasuperiorrace，andruleoverthem。InlikemannerGod，inhisloveofmankind，placedoverusthedemons，whoareasuperiorrace，andtheywithgreatcaseandpleasuretothemselves，andnolesstous，takingcareusandgivinguspeaceandreverenceandorderandjusticeneverfailing，madethetribesofmenhappyandunited。Andthistradition，whichistrue，declaresthatcitiesofwhichsomemortalmanandnotGodistheruler，havenoescapefromevilsandtoils。StillwemustdoallthatwecantoimitatethelifewhichissaidtohaveexistedinthedaysofCronos，and，asfarastheprincipleofimmortalitydwellsinus，tothatwemusthearken，bothinprivateandpubliclife，andregulateourcitiesandhousesaccordingtolaw，meaningbytheveryterm“law，“thedistributionofmind。Butifeitherasinglepersonoranoligarchyorademocracyhasasouleagerafterpleasuresanddesires-wantingtobefilledwiththem，yetretainingnoneofthem，andperpetuallyafflictedwithanendlessandinsatiabledisorder；andthisevilspirit，havingfirsttrampledthelawsunderfoot，becomesthemastereitherofastateorofanindividual-then，asIwassaying，salvationishopeless。Andnow，Cleinias，wehavetoconsiderwhetheryouwillorwillnotacceptthistaleofmine。

Cle。Certainlywewill。

Ath。Youareaware-areyounot？-thatthereareofsaidtobeasmanyformsoflawsasthereareofgovernments，andofthelatterwehavealreadymentionedallthosewhicharecommonlyrecognized。Nowyoumustregardthisasamatteroffirst-rateimportance。Forwhatistobethestandardofjustandunjust，isoncemorethepointatissue。Mensaythatthelawoughtnottoregardeithermilitaryvirtue，orvirtueingeneral，butonlytheinterestsandpowerandpreservationoftheestablishedformofgovernment；thisisthoughtbythemtobethebestwayofexpressingthenaturaldefinitionofjustice。

Cle。How？

Ath。Justiceissaidbythemtobetheinterestofthestronger。

Cle。Speakplainer。

Ath。Iwill：-“Surely，“theysay，“thegoverningpowermakeswhateverlawshaveauthorityinanystate？“

Cle。True。

Ath。“Well，“theywouldadd，“anddoyousupposethattyrannyordemocracy，oranyotherconqueringpower，doesnotmakethecontinuanceofthepowerwhichispossessedbythemthefirstorprincipalobjectoftheirlaws？“

Cle。Howcantheyhaveanyother？

Ath。“Andwhoevertransgressestheselawsispunishedasanevil-doerbythelegislator，whocallsthelawsjust？“

Cle。Naturally。

Ath。“This，then，isalwaysthemodeandfashioninwhichjusticeexists。“

Cle。Certainly，iftheyarecorrectintheirview。

Ath。Why，yes，thisisoneofthosefalseprinciplesofgovernmenttowhichwewerereferring。

Cle。Whichdoyoumean？

Ath。Thosewhichwewereexaminingwhenwespokeofwhooughttogovernwhom。Didwenotarriveattheconclusionthatparentsoughttogoverntheirchildren，andtheeldertheyounger，andthenobletheignoble？Andthereweremanyotherprinciples，ifyouremember，andtheywerenotalwaysconsistent。Oneprinciplewasthisveryprincipleofmight，andwesaidthatPindarconsideredviolencenaturalandjustifiedit。

Cle。Yes；Iremember。

Ath。Consider，then，towhomourstateistobeentrusted。Forthereisathingwhichhasoccurredtimeswithoutnumberinstates-

Cle。Whatthing？

Ath。Thatwhentherehasbeenacontestforpower，thosewhogaintheupperhandsoentirelymonopolizethegovernment，astorefuseallsharetothedefeatedpartyandtheirdescendants-theylivewatchingoneanother，therulingclassbeinginperpetualfearthatsomeonewhohasarecollectionofformerwrongswillcomeintopowerandriseupagainstthem。Now，accordingtoourview，suchgovernmentsarenotpolitiesatall，norarelawsrightwhicharepassedforthegoodofparticularclassesandnotforthegoodofthewholestate。

Stateswhichhavesuchlawsarenotpolitiesbutparties，andtheirnotionsofjusticearesimplyunmeaning。Isaythis，becauseIamgoingtoassertthatwemustnotentrustthegovernmentinyourstatetoanyonebecauseheisrich，orbecausehepossessesanyotheradvantage，suchasstrength，orstature，oragainbirth：buthewhoismostobedienttothelawsofthestate，heshallwinthepalm；andtohimwhoisvictoriousinthefirstdegreeshallbegiventhehighestofficeandchiefministryofthegods；andthesecondtohimwhobearsthesecondpalm；andonasimilarprincipleshallalltheotherbeassignedtothosewhocomenextinorder。AndwhenIcalltherulersservantsorministersofthelaw，Igivethemthisnamenotforthesakeofnovelty，butbecauseIcertainlybelievethatuponsuchserviceorministrydependsthewell-orill-beingofthestate。Forthatstateinwhichthelawissubjectandhasnoauthority，I

perceivetobeonthehighwaytoruin；butIseethatthestateinwhichthelawisabovetherulers，andtherulersaretheinferiorsofthelaw，hassalvation，andeveryblessingwhichtheGodscanconfer。

Cle。Truly，Stranger，youseewiththekeenvisionofage。

Ath。Why，yes；everymanwhenheisyounghasthatsortofvisiondullest，andwhenheisoldkeenest。

Cle。Verytrue。

Ath。Andnow，whatistobethenextstep？Maywenotsupposethecoloniststohavearrived，andproceedtomakeourspeechtothem？

Cle。Certainly。

Ath。“Friends，“wesaytothem，-“God，astheoldtraditiondeclares，holdinginhishandthebeginning，middle，andendofallthatis，travelsaccordingtohisnatureinastraightlinetowardstheaccomplishmentofhisend。Justicealwaysaccompanieshim，andisthepunisherofthosewhofallshortofthedivinelaw。Tojustice，hewhowouldbehappyholdsfast，andfollowsinhercompanywithallhumilityandorder；buthewhoisliftedupwithpride，orelatedbywealthorrank，orbeauty，whoisyoungandfoolish，andhasasoulhotwithinsolence，andthinksthathehasnoneedofanyguideorruler，butisablehimselftobetheguideofothers，he，Isay，isleftdesertedofGod；andbeingthusdeserted，hetakestohimotherswhoarelikehimself，anddancesabout，throwingallthingsintoconfusion，andmanythinkthatheisagreatman，butinashorttimehepaysapenaltywhichjusticecannotbutapprove，andisutterlydestroyed，andhisfamilyandcitywithhim。Wherefore，seeingthathumanthingsarethusordered，whatshouldawisemandoorthink，ornotdoorthink？

Cle。EverymanoughttomakeuphismindthathewillbeoneofthefollowersofGod；therecanbenodoubtofthat。

Ath。ThenwhatlifeisagreeabletoGod，andbecominginhisfollowers？Oneonly，expressedonceforallintheoldsayingthat“likeagreeswithlike，withmeasuremeasure，“butthingswhichhavenomeasureagreeneitherwiththemselvesnorwiththethingswhichhave。NowGodoughttobetousthemeasureofallthings，andnotman，asmencommonlysay(Protagoras)：thewordsarefarmoretrueofhim。AndhewhowouldbedeartoGodmust，asfarasispossible，belikehimandsuchasheis。WhereforethetemperatemanisthefriendofGod，forheislikehim；andtheintemperatemanisunlikehim，anddifferentfromhim，andunjust。Andthesameappliestootherthings；andthisistheconclusion，whichisalsothenoblestandtruestofallsayings-thatforthegoodmantooffersacrificetotheGods，andholdconversewiththembymeansofprayersandofferingsandeverykindofservice，isthenoblestandbestofallthings，andalsothemostconducivetoahappylife，andveryfitandmeet。Butwiththebadman，theoppositeofthisistrue：forthebadmanhasanimpuresoul，whereasthegoodispure；andfromonewhoispolluted，neithergoodmannorGodcanwithoutimproprietyreceivegifts。WhereforetheunholydoonlywastetheirmuchserviceupontheGods，butwhenofferedbyanyholyman，suchserviceismostacceptabletothem。Thisisthemarkatwhichweoughttoaim。

Butwhatweaponsshallweuse，andhowshallwedirectthem？Inthefirstplace，weaffirmthatnextaftertheOlympianGodsandtheGodsoftheState，honourshouldbegiventotheGodsbelow；theyshouldreceiveeverythinginevenandofthesecondchoice，andillomen，whiletheoddnumbers，andthefirstchoice，andthethingsofluckyomen，aregiventotheGodsabove，byhimwhowouldrightlyhitthemarkofpiety。NexttotheseGods，awisemanwilldoservicetothedemonsorspirits，andthentotheheroes，andafterthemwillfollowtheprivateandancestralGods，whoareworshippedasthelawprescribesintheplaceswhicharesacredtothem。Nextcomesthehonouroflivingparents，towhom，asismeet，wehavetopaythefirstandgreatestandoldestofalldebts，consideringthatallwhichamanhasbelongstothosewhogavehimbirthandbroughthimup，andthathemustdoallthathecantoministertothem，first，inhisproperty，secondly，inhisperson，andthirdly，inhissoul，inreturnfortheendlesscareandtravailwhichtheybestoweduponhimofold，inthedaysofhisinfancy，andwhichheisnowtopaybacktothemwhentheyareoldandintheextremityoftheirneed。

Andallhislifelongheoughtnevertoutter，ortohaveuttered，anunbecomingwordtothem；foroflightandfleetingwordsthepenaltyismostsevere；Nemesis，themessengerofjustice，isappointedtowatchoverallsuchmatters。Whentheyareangryandwanttosatisfytheirfeelingsinwordordeed，heshouldgivewaytothem；

forafatherwhothinksthathehasbeenwrongedbyhissonmaybereasonablyexpectedtobeveryangry。Attheirdeath，themostmoderatefuneralisbest，neitherexceedingthecustomaryexpense，noryetfallingshortofthehonourwhichhasbeenusuallyshownbytheformergenerationtotheirparents。Andletamannotforgettopaytheyearlytributeofrespecttothedead，honouringthemchieflybyomittingnothingthatconducestoaperpetualremembranceofthem，andgivingareasonableportionofhisfortunetothedead。Doingthis，andlivingafterthismanner，weshallreceiveourrewardfromtheGodsandthosewhoareaboveus[i。e。，thedemons]；andweshallspendourdaysforthemostpartingoodhope。Andhowamanoughttoorderwhatrelatestohisdescendantsandhiskindredandfriendsandfellow-citizens，andtheritesofhospitalitytaughtbyHeaven，andtheintercoursewhicharisesoutofalltheseduties，withaviewtotheembellishmentandorderlyregulationofhisownlife-thesethings，Isay，thelaws，asweproceedwiththem，willaccomplish，partlypersuading，andpartlywhennaturesdonotyieldtothepersuasionofcustom，chastisingthembymightandright，andwillthusrenderourstate，iftheGodsco-operatewithus，prosperousandhappy。Butofwhathastobesaid，andmustbesaidbythelegislatorwhoisofmywayofthinking，andyet，ifsaidintheformoflaw，wouldbeoutofplace-ofthisIthinkthathemaygiveasamplefortheinstructionofhimselfandofthoseforwhomheislegislating；andthenwhen，asfarasheisable，hehasgonethroughallthepreliminaries，hemayproceedtotheworkoflegislation。Now，whatwillbetheformofsuchprefaces？Theremaybeadifficultyinincludingordescribingthemallunderasingleform，butIthinkthatwemaygetsomenotionofthemifwecanguaranteeonething。

Cle。Whatisthat？

Ath。Ishouldwishthecitizenstobeasreadilypersuadedtovirtueaspossible；thiswillsurelybetheaimofthelegislatorinallhislaws。

Cle。Certainly。

Ath。Theproposalappearstometobeofsomevalue；andIthinkthatapersonwilllistenwithmoregentlenessandgood-willtothepreceptsaddressedtohimbythelegislator，whenhissoulisnotaltogetherunpreparedtoreceivethem。Evenalittledoneinthewayofconciliationgainshisear，andisalwaysworthhaving。Forthereisnogreatinclinationorreadinessonthepartofmankindtobemadeasgood，orasquicklygood，aspossible。ThecaseofthemanyprovesthewisdomofHesiod，whosaysthattheroadtowickednessissmoothandcanbetravelledwithoutperspiring，becauseitissoveryshort：

ButbeforevirtuetheimmortalGodshaveplacedthesweatoflabour，andlongandsteepisthewaythither，andruggedatfirst；butwhenyouhavereachedthetop，althoughdifficultbefore，itistheneasy。

Cle。Yes；andhecertainlyspeakswell。

Ath。Verytrue：andnowletmetellyoutheeffectwhichtheprecedingdiscoursehashaduponme。

Cle。Proceed。

Ath。Supposethatwehavealittleconversationwiththelegislator，andsaytohim-“O，legislator，speak；ifyouknowwhatweoughttosayanddo，youcansurelytell。“

Cle。Ofcoursehecan。

Ath。“Didwenothearyoujustnowsaying，thatthelegislatoroughtnottoallowthepoetstodowhattheyliked？Forthattheywouldnotknowinwhichoftheirwordstheywentagainstthelaws，tothehurtofthestate。“