Now，whatlivesarethey，andhowmanyinwhich，havingsearchedoutandbeheldtheobjectsofwillanddesireandtheiropposites，andmakingofthemalaw，choosing，Isay，thedearandthepleasantandthebestandnoblest，amanmayliveinthehappiestwaypossible？Letussaythatthetemperatelifeisonekindoflife，andtherationalanother，andthecourageousanother，andthehealthfulanother；andtothesefourletusopposefourotherlives-thefoolish，thecowardly，theintemperate，thediseased。Hewhoknowsthetemperatelifewilldescribeitasinallthingsgentle，havinggentlepainsandgentlepleasures，andplaciddesiresandlovesnotinsane；whereastheintemperatelifeisimpetuousinallthings，andhasviolentpainsandpleasures，andvehementandstingingdesires，andlovesutterlyinsane；andinthetemperatelifethepleasuresexceedthepains，butintheintemperatelifethepainsexceedthepleasuresingreatnessandnumberandfrequency。Henceoneofthetwolivesisnaturallyandnecessarilymorepleasantandtheothermorepainful，andhewhowouldlivepleasantlycannotpossiblychoosetoliveintemperately。Andifthisistrue，theinferenceclearlyisthatnomanisvoluntarilyintemperate；butthatthewholemultitudeofmenlacktemperanceintheirlives，eitherfromignorance，orfromwantofself-control，orboth。Andthesameholdsofthediseasedandhealthylife；theybothhavepleasuresandpains，butinhealththepleasureexceedsthepain，andinsicknessthepainexceedsthepleasure。Nowourintentioninchoosingthelivesisnotthatthepainfulshouldexceed，butthelifeinwhichpainisexceededbypleasurewehavedeterminedtobethemorepleasantlife。Andweshouldsaythatthetemperatelifehastheelementsbothofpleasureandpainfewerandsmallerandlessfrequentthantheintemperate，andthewiselifethanthefoolishlife，andthelifeofcouragethanthelifeofcowardice；oneofeachpairexceedinginpleasureandtheotherinpain，thecourageoussurpassingthecowardly，andthewiseexceedingthefoolish。Andsotheonedassoflivesexceedstheotherclassinpleasure；thetemperateandcourageousandwiseandhealthyexceedthecowardlyandfoolishandintemperateanddiseasedlives；andgenerallyspeaking，thatwhichhasanyvirtue，whetherofbodyorsoul，ispleasanterthantheviciouslife，andfarsuperiorinbeautyandrectitudeandexcellenceandreputation，andcauseshimwholivesaccordinglytobeinfinitelyhappierthantheopposite。
Enoughofthepreamble；andnowthelawsshouldfollow；or，tospeakmorecorrectly，outlineofthem。As，then，inthecaseofaweboranyothertissue，thewarpandthewoofcannotbemadeofthesamematerials，butthewarpisnecessarilysuperiorasbeingstronger，andhavingacertaincharacteroffirmness，whereasthewoofissofterandhasaproperdegreeofelasticity；-inasimilarmannerthosewhoaretoholdgreatofficesinstates，shouldbedistinguishedtrulyineachcasefromthosewhohavebeenbutslenderlyprovenbyeducation。Letussupposethattherearetwopartsintheconstitutionofastate-onethecreationofoffices，theotherthelawswhichareassignedtothemtoadminister。
But，beforeallthis，comesthefollowingconsideration：-Theshepherdorherdsman，orbreederofhorsesorthelike，whenhehasreceivedhisanimalswillnotbegintotrainthemuntilhehasfirstpurifiedtheminamannerwhichbefitsacommunityofanimals；hewilldividethehealthyandunhealthy，andthegoodbreedandthebadbreed，andwillsendawaytheunhealthyandbadlybredtootherherds，andtendtherest，reflectingthathislabourswillbevainandhavenoeffect，eitheronthesoulsorbodiesofthosewhomnatureandillnurturehavecorrupted，andthattheywillinvolveindestructionthepureandhealthynatureandbeingofeveryotheranimal，ifheshouldneglecttopurifythem。Nowthecaseofotheranimalsisnotsoimportant-theyareonlyworthintroducingforthesakeofillustration；butwhatrelatestomanisofthehighestimportance；andthelegislatorshouldmakeenquiries，andindicatewhatisproperforeachoneinthewayofpurificationandofanyotherprocedure。Take，forexample，thepurificationofacity-therearemanykindsofpurification，someeasierandothersmoredifficult；
andsomeofthem，andthebestandmostdifficultofthem，thelegislator，ifhebealsoadespot，maybeabletoeffect；butthelegislator，who，notbeingadespot，setsupanewgovernmentandlaws，evenifheattemptthemildestofpurgations，maythinkhimselfhappyifhecancompletehiswork。Thebestkindofpurificationispainful，likesimilarcuresinmedicine，involvingrighteouspunishmentandinflictingdeathorexileinthelastresort。
Forinthiswaywecommonlydisposeofgreatsinnerswhoareincurable，andarethegreatestinjuryofthewholestate。Butthemilderformofpurificationisasfollows：-whenmenwhohavenothing，andareinwantoffood，showadispositiontofollowtheirleadersinanattackonthepropertyoftherich-these，whoarethenaturalplagueofthestate，aresentawaybythelegislatorinafriendlyspiritasfarasheisable；andthisdismissalofthemiseuphemisticallytermedacolony。Andeverylegislatorshouldcontrivetodothisatonce。Ourpresentcase，however，ispeculiar。