POLITIKUS.
The Politikus by itself, apart from the Sophistês 260
Views of Plato on mensuration. Objects measured against each
other. Objects compared with a common standard. In each Art, the
purpose to be attained is the standard _ib._
Purpose in the Sophistês and Politikus is--To attain dialectic
aptitude. This is the standard of comparison whereby to judge
whether the means employed are suitable 261
Plato's defence of the Politikus against critics. Necessity that
the critic shall declare explicitly what his standard of
comparison is 262
Comparison of Politikus with Protagoras, Phædon, Philêbus, &c.
_ib._
Definition of the statesman, or Governor. Scientific competence.
Sokratic point of departure. Procedure of Plato in subdividing
263
King during the Saturnian period, was of a breed superior to the
people--not so any longer 264
Distinction of causes Principal and Causes Auxiliary. The King is
the only Principal Cause, but his auxiliaries pretend to be
principal also 266
Plato does not admit the received classification of government. It
does not touch the point upon which all true distinction ought to
be founded--Scientific or Unscientific 267
Unscientific governments are counterfeits. Government by any
numerous body must be counterfeit. Government by the one
scientific man is the true government 268
Fixed laws, limiting the scientific Governor, are mischievous, as
they would be for the physician and the steersman. Absurdity of
determining medical practice by laws, and presuming every one to
know it 269
Government by fixed laws is better than lawless government by
unscientific men, but worse than lawless government by scientific
men. It is a second-best _ib._
Comparison of unscientific governments. The one despot is the
worse. Democracy is the least bad, because it is least of a
government 270
The true governor distinguished from the General, the Rhetor, &c.
They are all properly his subordinates and auxiliaries 271
What the scientific Governor will do. He will aim at the formation
of virtuous citizens. He will weave together the energetic virtues
with the gentle virtues. Natural dissidence between them 272
If a man sins by excess of the energetic element, he is to be
killed or banished: if of the gentle, he is to be made a slave.
The Governor must keep up in the minds of the citizens an
unanimous standard of ethical orthodoxy 272
Remarks--Sokratic Ideal--Title to govern mankind derived
exclusively from scientific superiority in an individual person
273
Different ways in which this ideal is worked out by Plato and
Xenophon. The man of speculation and the man of action _ib._
The theory in the Politikus is the contradiction to that theory
which is assigned to Protagoras in the Protagoras 274
Points of the Protagorean theory--rests upon common sentiment
275
Counter-Theory in the Politikus. The exigencies of the Eleate in
the Politikus go much farther than those of Protagoras 276
The Eleate complains that under the Protagorean theory no adverse
criticism is allowed. The dissenter is either condemned to silence
or punished _ib._
Intolerance at Athens, not so great as elsewhere. Plato complains
of the assumption of infallibility in existing societies, but
exacts it severely in that which he himself constructs 277
Theory of the Politikus--distinguished three gradations of polity.
Gigantic individual force the worst 278
Comparison of the Politikus with the Republic. Points of analogy
and difference 279
Comparison of the Politikus with the Kratylus. Dictatorial,
constructive, science or art, common to both: applied in the
former to social administration--in the latter to the formation
and modification of names 281
Courage and Temperance are assumed in the Politikus. No notice
taken of the doubts and difficulties raised in Lachês and
Charmidês 282
Purpose of the difficulties in Plato's Dialogues of Search--To
stimulate the intellect of the hearer. His exposition does not
give solutions 284