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。