But it is necessary that the more excellent law and the city should
be composed of every other polity, and should have something of a
democracy, of an oligarchy, of a kingdom, and of an aristocracy;
as is the case in Lacedæmon. For the kings there are monarchs;
the elders form an aristocracy; the ephori an oligarchy; and the
ippagretæ[14] and the young men a democracy. It is necessary,
however, that law should not only be good and beautiful, but that
it should also reciprocate in its parts: for thus it will be strong
and stable. But when I say it should reciprocate, I mean that the
same magistrate should alternately govern and be governed, as in
Lacedæmon, in which there are the most equitable laws. For there the
ephori are opposed to the kings, the elders to the ephori, and the
media between these are the young men, and the ippagretæ; for these
last both incline to those rulers that excel in power, and are in
subjection to others.
It is necessary that the law should, in the first place, establish
what pertains to the gods, to dæmons and parents, and, in short, to
what is beautiful and honourable. But in the second place, it should
establish what pertains to things that are useful. For it is fit
that minor concerns should be subsequent to such as are greater. Nor
should the laws be contained in houses and gates, but in the manners
of the citizens. For neither in Lacedæmon, which possesses the most
excellent laws, is the city governed by a multitude of writings, but
rather by the manners of the subjects. But it will be beneficial to
the community, if law is not monarchical, and advantageous [only]
to a private individual, but if it is generally useful, and extends
to every one; and if it refers punishment to disgrace and ignominy,
and not to the loss of property. For by punishing with disgrace,
the citizens will endeavour in the most decorous and useful manner,
to avoid the punishment ordained by the laws. But if the punishment
is pecuniary, the citizens will value money immoderately, and will
conceive it to be the greatest remedy of crimes. It will be best,
therefore, for the whole city to be so arranged that it may not be in
want of any thing external, either with respect to virtue or power,
or any other cause. For thus the body, a family, and an army will be
beautifully constituted, when each of these has the cause of safety
in itself, and does not derive it externally. And this, indeed, will
be the case with the body when it is strong, with a family when
it is well composed, and with an army which neither consists of
mercenaries, nor is unexercised. For these, when thus constituted,
will be far more excellent than others, and will be free indeed, and
foreign from every thing of a servile nature; and will not, for the
purpose of endurance, be in want of many things, but of a few, and
those easily procured. For thus he who is strong will not sink under
burdens, and he who is thinly clothed will vanquish cold; since men
are exercised by casualties and calamities. Indeed, to the man who is
temperate, and who has laboured much both in body and soul, all meat
and drink will appear to be agreeable; and a bed composed of leaves
will be pleasant; but to him who has deliberately chosen a luxurious
and Sybaritic life, even the apparatus of the great [or Persian]
king would not be sufficiently pleasing. Hence it is necessary that
the manners and pursuits of the citizens should be deeply tinctured
with law: for this will cause them to be sufficient to themselves,
and will be the means of distributing to each of them that which is
due to him according to his desert. For thus, also, the sun, moving
in a circle through the zodiac, distributes to every thing on the
earth generation, nutriment, and an appropriate portion of life;
administering, as if it were equitable legislation, the excellent
temperature of the seasons. Hence, too, Jupiter is called _Nomios_,
or _legal_; and _Nemeios_, or the _distributor_. He, likewise, who
distributes nutriment to sheep, is called _Nomeus_, or a _shepherd_;
and the songs of harpers are denominated _Nomai_. For these properly
dispose the parts of the soul by harmony, rhythms, and measures.
ON THE MUTATIONS OF POLITIES, FROM THE TREATISE OF HIPPODAMUS ON A
POLITY.
Every thing mortal, by a necessity of nature, is conversant with
mutations; some things, indeed, receiving a revolution from a worse
to a better condition, but others from a better to a worse. For
things that are generated, are increased; when increased, arrive at
their acme: after this become old, and at length finally perish.
And things, indeed, which are generated by nature, through the same
nature terminate in the immanifest; and again from the immanifest
accede to mortality, through a permutation of generation; and, by a
reciprocation of corruption, form a circular retrogression. And some
things, through human folly, from an ebullition of insolence and
satiety, when both houses and cities have been exalted to the summit
of human felicity, and been exuberantly rich, have perished, together
with their much applauded possessions. Thus, also, it happens that
every empire is bounded by three times: by one, indeed, and that
the first, which comprehends in itself acquisition; by the second,
which comprehends fruition; and by the last, which brings with it
destruction. For empires at their commencement being destitute of
the goods of fortune, are busied in acquisition; but afterwards
becoming prosperous, they perish. Such things, therefore, as are
under the dominion of the gods, being incorruptible, are preserved
through the whole of time by incorruptible natures; but such things
as are under the government of men, being mortal, receive from
mortals a perpetually various mutation. For the end, indeed, of
satiety and lascivious insolence is destruction; but a strenuous and
worthy life is the end of poverty and narrow circumstances. Not only
poverty, however, but many other things bring human life to an end.