Ath。ThatGodgovernsallthings，andthatchanceandopportunityco-operatewithhiminthegovernmentofhumanaffairs。Thereis，however，athirdandlessextremeview，thatartshouldbetherealso；
forIshouldsaythatinastormtheremustsurelybeagreatadvantageinhavingtheaidofthepilot’sart。Youwouldagree？
Cle。Yes。
Ath。Anddoesnotalikeprincipleapplytolegislationaswellastootherthings：evensupposingalltheconditionstobefavourablewhichareneededforthehappinessofthestate，yetthetruelegislatormustfromtimetotimeappearonthescene？
Cle。Mosttrue。
Ath。Ineachcasetheartistwouldbeabletoprayrightlyforcertainconditions，andiftheseweregrantedbyfortune，hewouldthenonlyrequiretoexercisehisart？
Cle。Certainly。
Ath。Andalltheotherartistsjustnowmentioned，iftheywerebiddentoofferupeachtheirspecialprayer，woulddoso？
Cle。Ofcourse。
Ath。Andthelegislatorwoulddolikewise？
Cle。Ibelievethathewould。
Ath。“Come，legislator，“wewillsaytohim；“whataretheconditionswhichyourequireinastatebeforeyoucanorganizeit？“
Howoughthetoanswerthisquestion？ShallIgivehisanswer？
Cle。Yes。
Ath。Hewillsay-“Givemeastatewhichisgovernedbyatyrant，andletthetyrantbeyoungandhaveagoodmemory；lethimbequickatlearning，andofacourageousandnoblenature；lethimhavethatqualitywhich，asIsaidbefore，istheinseparablecompanionofalltheotherpartsofvirtue，ifthereistobeanygoodinthem。“
Cle。Isuppose，Megillus，thatthiscompanionvirtueofwhichtheStrangerspeaks，mustbetemperance？
Ath。Yes，Cleinias，temperanceinthevulgarsense；notthatwhichintheforcedandexaggeratedlanguageofsomephilosophersiscalledprudence，butthatwhichisthenaturalgiftofchildrenandanimals，ofwhomsomelivecontinentlyandothersincontinently，butwhenisolated，wasaswesaid，hardlyworthreckoninginthecatalogueofgoods。Ithinkthatyoumustunderstandmymeaning。
Cle。Certainly。
Ath。Thenourtyrantmusthavethisaswellastheotherqualities，ifthestateistoacquireinthebestmannerandintheshortesttimetheformofgovernmentwhichismostconducivetohappiness；forthereneitherisnoreverwillbeabetterorspeedierwayofestablishingapolitythanbyatyranny。
Cle。Bywhatpossiblearguments，Stranger，cananymanpersuadehimselfofsuchamonstrousdoctrine？
Ath。Thereissurelynodifficultyinseeing，Cleinias，whatisinaccordancewiththeorderofnature？
Cle。Youwouldassume，asyousay，atyrantwhowasyoung，temperate，quickatlearning，havingagoodmemory，courageous，ofanoblenature？
Ath。Yes；andyoumustaddfortunate；andhisgoodfortunemustbethatheisthecontemporaryofagreatlegislator，andthatsomehappychancebringsthemtogether。Whenthishasbeenaccomplished，Godhasdoneallthatheeverdoesforastatewhichhedesirestobeeminentlyprosperous；Hehasdonesecondbestforastateinwhichtherearetwosuchrulers，andthirdbestforastateinwhichtherearethree。Thedifficultyincreaseswiththeincrease，anddiminisheswiththediminutionofthenumber。
Cle。Youmeantosay，Isuppose，thatthebestgovernmentisproducedfromatyranny，andoriginatesinagoodlawgiverandanorderlytyrant，andthatthechangefromsuchatyrannyintoaperfectformofgovernmenttakesplacemosteasily；lesseasilywhenfromanoligarchy；and，inthethirddegree，fromademocracy：isnotthatyourmeaning？
Ath。Notso；Imeanrathertosaythatthechangeisbestmadeoutofatyranny；andsecondly，outofamonarchy；andthirdly，outofsomesortofdemocracy：fourth，inthecapacityforimprovement，comesoligarchy，whichhasthegreatestdifficultyinadmittingofsuchachange，becausethegovernmentisinthehandsofanumberofpotentates。Iamsupposingthatthelegislatorisbynatureofthetruesort，andthathisstrengthisunitedwiththatofthechiefmenofthestate；andwhentherulingelementisnumericallysmall，andatthesametimeverystrong，asinatyranny，therethechangeislikelytobeeasiestandmostrapid。
Cle。How？Idonotunderstand。
Ath。AndyetIhaverepeatedwhatIamsayingagoodmanytimes；butIsupposethatyouhaveneverseenacitywhichisunderatyranny？
Cle。No，andIcannotsaythatIhaveanygreatdesiretoseeone。
Ath。Andyet，wherethereisatyranny，youmightcertainlyseethatofwhichIamnowspeaking。
Cle。Whatdoyoumean？
Ath。Imeanthatyoumightseehow，withouttroubleandinnoverylongperiodoftime，thetyrant，ifhewishes，canchangethemannersofastate：hehasonlytogointhedirectionofvirtueorofvice，whicheverheprefers，hehimselfindicatingbyhisexamplethelinesofconduct，praisingandrewardingsomeactionsandreprovingothers，anddegradingthosewhodisobey。
Cle。Buthowcanweimaginethatthecitizensingeneralwillatoncefollowtheexamplesettothem；andhowcanhehavethispowerbothofpersuadingandofcompellingthem？
Ath。Letnoone，myfriends，persuadeusthatthereisanyquickerandeasierwayinwhichstateschangetheirlawsthanwhentherulerslead：suchchangesneverhave，noreverwill，cometopassinanyotherway。Therealimpossibilityordifficultyisofanothersort，andisrarelysurmountedinthecourseofages；butwhenonceitissurmounted，tenthousandorratherallblessingsfollow。
Cle。Ofwhatareyouspeaking？
Ath。Thedifficultyistofindthedivineloveoftemperateandjustinstitutionsexistinginanypowerfulformsofgovernment，whetherinamonarchyoroligarchyofwealthorofbirth。YoumightaswellhopetoreproducethecharacterofNestor，whoissaidtohaveexcelledallmeninthepowerofspeech，andyetmoreinhistemperance。This，however，accordingtothetradition，wasinthetimesofTroy；inourowndaysthereisnothingofthesort；butifsuchanoneeitherhasorevershallcomeintobeing，orisnowamongus，blessedisheandblessedaretheywhohearthewisewordsthatflowfromhislips。Andthismaybesaidofpoweringeneral：
Whenthesupremepowerinmancoincideswiththegreatestwisdomandtemperance，thenthebestlawsandthebestconstitutioncomeintobeing；butinnootherway。AndletwhatIhavebeensayingberegardedasakindofsacredlegendororacle，andletthisbeourproofthat，inonepointofview，theremaybeadifficultyforacitytohavegoodlaws，butthatthereisanotherpointofviewinwhichnothingcanbeeasierorsoonereffected，grantingoursupposition。
Cle。Howdoyoumean？
Ath。Letustrytoamuseourselves，oldboysasweare，bymouldinginwordsthelawswhicharesuitabletoyourstate。
Cle。Letusproceedwithoutdelay。
Ath。ThenletusinvokeGodatthesettlementofourstate；mayhehearandbepropitioustous，andcomeandsetinordertheStateandthelaws!
Cle。Mayhecome!
Ath。Butwhatformofpolityarewegoingtogivethecity？
Cle。Telluswhatyoumeanalittlemoreclearly。Doyoumeansomeformofdemocracy，oroligarchy，oraristocracy，ormonarchy？Forwecannotsupposethatyouwouldincludetyranny。
Ath。Whichofyouwillfirsttellmetowhichoftheseclasseshisowngovernmentistobereferred？
Megillus。OughtItoanswerfirst，sinceIamtheelder？
Cle。Perhapsyoushould。
Meg。Andyet，Stranger，IperceivethatIcannotsay，withoutmorethought，whatIshouldcallthegovernmentofLacedaemon，foritseemstometobelikeatyranny-thepowerofourEphorsismarvellouslytyrannical；andsometimesitappearstometobeofallcitiesthemostdemocratical；andwhocanreasonablydenythatitisanaristocracy？Wehavealsoamonarchywhichisheldforlife，andissaidbyallmankind，andnotbyourselvesonly，tobethemostancientofallmonarchies；and，therefore，whenaskedonasudden，IcannotpreciselysaywhichformofgovernmenttheSpartanis。
Cle。Iaminthesamedifficulty，Megillus；forIdonotfeelconfidentthatthepolityofCnosusisanyofthese。
Ath。Thereasonis，myexcellentfriends，thatyoureallyhavepolities，butthestatesofwhichwewerejustnowspeakingaremerelyaggregationsofmendwellingincitieswhoarethesubjectsandservantsofapartoftheirownstate，andeachofthemisnamedafterthedominantpower；theyarenotpolitiesatall。Butifstatesaretobenamedaftertheirrulers，thetruestateoughttobecalledbythenameoftheGodwhorulesoverwisemen。
Cle。AndwhoisthisGod？
Ath。MayIstillmakeuseoffabletosomeextent，inthehopethatImaybebetterabletoansweryourquestion：shallI？
Cle。Byallmeans。
Ath。Intheprimevalworld，andalongwhilebeforethecitiescameintobeingwhosesettlementswehavedescribed，thereissaidtohavebeeninthetimeofCronosablessedruleandlife，ofwhichthebest-orderedofexistingstatesisacopy。
Cle。Itwillbeverynecessarytohearaboutthat。
Ath。Iquiteagreewithyou；andthereforeIhaveintroducedthesubject。
Cle。Mostappropriately；andsincethetaleistothepoint，youwilldowellingivingusthewholestory。
Ath。Iwilldoasyousuggest。Thereisatraditionofthehappylifeofmankindindayswhenallthingswerespontaneousandabundant。