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。