Thenextthingtobenotedis，thatthecityshouldbeplacedasnearlyaspossibleinthecentreofthecountry；weshouldchooseaplacewhichpossesseswhatissuitableforacity，andthismayeasilybeimaginedanddescribed。Thenwewilldividethecityintotwelveportions，firstfoundingtemplestoHestia，toZeusandtoAthene，inaspotwhichwewillcalltheAcropolis，andsurroundwithacircularwall，makingthedivisionoftheentirecityandcountryradiatefromthispoint。Thetwelveportionsshallbeequalizedbytheprovisionthatthosewhichareofgoodlandshallbesmaller。whilethoseofinferiorqualityshallbelarger。Thenumberofthelotsshallbe5040，andeachofthemshallbedividedintotwo，andeveryallotmentshallbecomposedoftwosuchsections；oneoflandnearthecity，theotheroflandwhichisatadistance。Thisarrangementshallbecarriedoutinthefollowingmanner：Thesectionwhichisnearthecityshallbeaddedtothatwhichisonborders，andformonelot，andtheportionwhichisnextnearestshallbeaddedtotheportionwhichisnextfarthest；andsooftherest。Moreover，inthetwosectionsofthelotsthesameprincipleofequalizationofthesoiloughttobemaintained；thebadnessandgoodnessshallbecompensatedbymoreandless。Andthelegislatorshalldividethecitizensintotwelveparts，andarrangetherestoftheirproperty，asfaraspossible，soastoformtwelveequalparts；andthereshallbearegistrationofall。AfterthistheyshallassigntwelvelotstotwelveGods，andcallthembytheirnames，anddedicatetoeachGodtheirseveralportions，andcallthetribesafterthem。Andtheyshalldistributethetwelvedivisionsofthecityinthesamewayinwhichtheydividedthecountry；andeverymanshallhavetwohabitations，oneinthecentreofthecountry，andtheotherattheextremity。
Enoughofthemannerofsettlement。
Nowweoughtbyallmeanstoconsiderthattherecanneverbesuchahappyconcurrenceofcircumstancesaswehavedescribed；neithercanallthingscoincideastheyarewanted。Menwhowillnottakeoffenceatsuchamodeoflivingtogether，andwillendurealltheirlifelongtohavetheirpropertyfixedatamoderatelimit，andtobegetchildreninaccordancewithourordinances，andwillallowthemselvestobedeprivedofgoldandotherthingswhichthelegislator，asisevidentfromtheseenactments，willcertainlyforbidthem；andwillendure，further，thesituationofthelandwiththecityinthemiddleanddwellingsroundabout；-allthisisasifthelegislatorweretellinghisdreams，ormakingacityandcitizensofwax。Thereistruthintheseobjections，andthereforeeveryoneshouldtaketoheartwhatIamgoingtosay。Oncemore，then，thelegislatorshallappearandaddressus：-“Omyfriends，“hewillsaytous，“donotsupposemeignorantthatthereisacertaindegreeoftruthinyourwords；butIamofopinionthat，inmatterswhicharenotpresentbutfuture，hewhoexhibitsapatternofthatatwhichheaims，shouldinnothingfallshortofthefairestandtruest；andthatifhefindsanypartofthisworkimpossibleofexecutionheshouldavoidandnotexecuteit，butheshouldcontrivetocarryoutthatwhichisnearestandmostakintoit；youmustallowthelegislatortoperfecthisdesign，andwhenitisperfected，youshouldjoinwithhiminconsideringwhatpartofhislegislationisexpedientandwhatwillarouseopposition；forsurelytheartistwhoistobedeemedworthyofanyregardatall，oughtalwaystomakehisworkself-consistent。“
Havingdeterminedthatthereistobeadistributionintotwelveparts，letusnowseeinwhatwaythismaybeaccomplished。Thereisnodifficultyinperceivingthatthetwelvepartsadmitofthegreatestnumberofdivisionsofthatwhichtheyinclude，orinseeingtheothernumberswhichareconsequentuponthem，andareproducedoutofthemupto5040；whereforethelawoughttoorderphratriesanddemesandvillages，andalsomilitaryranksandmovements，aswellascoinsandmeasures，dryandliquid，andweights，soastobecommensurableandagreeabletooneanother。Norshouldwefeartheappearanceofminuteness，ifthelawcommandsthatallthevesselswhichamanpossessesshouldhaveacommonmeasure，whenweconsidergenerallythatthedivisionsandvariationsofnumbershaveauseinrespectofallthevariationsofwhichtheyaresusceptible，bothinthemselvesandasmeasuresofheightanddepth，andinallsounds，andinmotions，aswellthosewhichproceedinastraightdirection，upwardsordownwards，asinthosewhichgoroundandround。
Thelegislatoristoconsiderallthesethingsandtobidthecitizens，asfaraspossible，nottolosesightofnumericalorder；