Introduction and translationClarendon Press, 1885 |
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Common terms and phrases
according already ancient animals appointed arise aristocracy Aristotle art of money-making artisans assembly Bekker's better body Carthage Carthaginians causes character Charondas citizens Cleisthenes common meals constitutional government cracy Cretan Crete demagogues demo democracy democratic despotic elected elements enquire Ephors Epidamnus equality evil example exercises exist form of democracy forms of government freemen Greek happiness Hellas Hippodamus honour husbandmen individual judges justice kind king Lacedaemon Lacedaemonian law-courts legislator leisure live magistracies magistrates manner master means ment mode modern monarchy nature noble notables oligarchy Orthagoras party Peisistratidae perfect Periander Perioeci Persian War persons Phaleas Phrygian mode Plato political poor preserved principle qualification question reason revolution rich royalty rule ruler sake share slaves sort soul Spartan statesman superior Syssitia things Thrasybulus Thurii tion true tyranny tyrant virtue virtuous vote wealth whereas women
Popular passages
Page lxxi - For as we have many members In one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ and every one members one of another.
Page 3 - A social instinct is implanted in all men by nature, and yet he who first founded the state was the greatest of benefactors. For man, when perfected, is the best of animals, but, when separated from law and justice, he is the worst of all...
Page cxlvi - In the first place ( 1 ) there must be a union of those who cannot exist without each other; for example, of male and female, that the race may continue; and this is a union which is formed, not of deliberate purpose, but because, in common with other animals and with plants, mankind have a natural desire to leave behind them an image of themselves.
Page 1 - When several villages are united in a single complete community, large enough to be nearly or quite selfsufficing, the state comes into existence, originating in the bare needs of life, and continuing in existence for the sake of a good life.
Page 115 - A fifth form of democracy, in other respects the same, is that in which, not the law, but the multitude, have the supreme power, and supersede the law by their decrees. This is a state of affairs brought about by the demagogues. For in democracies which are subject to the law the best citizens hold the first place, and there are no demagogues ; but where the laws are not supreme, there demagogues spring up. For the people becomes a monarch, and is many in one ; and the many have the power in their...
Page 5 - For that some should rule and others be ruled is a thing, not only necessary, but expedient; from the hour of their birth, some are marked out for subjection, others for rule.
Page xl - How small of all that human hearts endure, That part which laws or kings can cause or cure.
Page 2 - The proof that the state is a creation of nature and prior to the individual is that the individual, when isolated, is not self-sufficing; and therefore he is like a part in relation to the whole.
Page 126 - And democracies are safer and more permanent than oligarchies, because they have a middle class which is more numerous and has a greater share in the government ; for when there is no middle class, and the poor greatly exceed in number, troubles arise, and the state soon comes to an end.
Page 245 - And in another place Odysseus says there is no better way of passing life than when 'Men's hearts are merry and the banqueters in the hall, sitting in order, hear the voice of the minstrel.