Andofthisthereasonissaidtohavebeenasfollows：-Cronosknewwhatweourselvesweredeclaring，thatnohumannatureinvestedwithsupremepowerisabletoorderhumanaffairsandnotoverflowwithinsolenceandwrong。Whichreflectionledhimtoappointnotmenbutdemigods，whoareofahigherandmoredivinerace，tobethekingsandrulersofourcities；hedidaswedowithflocksofsheepandothertameanimals。Forwedonotappointoxentobethelordsofoxen，orgoatsofgoats；butweourselvesareasuperiorrace，andruleoverthem。InlikemannerGod，inhisloveofmankind，placedoverusthedemons，whoareasuperiorrace，andtheywithgreatcaseandpleasuretothemselves，andnolesstous，takingcareusandgivinguspeaceandreverenceandorderandjusticeneverfailing，madethetribesofmenhappyandunited。Andthistradition，whichistrue，declaresthatcitiesofwhichsomemortalmanandnotGodistheruler，havenoescapefromevilsandtoils。StillwemustdoallthatwecantoimitatethelifewhichissaidtohaveexistedinthedaysofCronos，and，asfarastheprincipleofimmortalitydwellsinus，tothatwemusthearken，bothinprivateandpubliclife，andregulateourcitiesandhousesaccordingtolaw，meaningbytheveryterm“law，“thedistributionofmind。Butifeitherasinglepersonoranoligarchyorademocracyhasasouleagerafterpleasuresanddesires-wantingtobefilledwiththem，yetretainingnoneofthem，andperpetuallyafflictedwithanendlessandinsatiabledisorder；andthisevilspirit，havingfirsttrampledthelawsunderfoot，becomesthemastereitherofastateorofanindividual-then，asIwassaying，salvationishopeless。Andnow，Cleinias，wehavetoconsiderwhetheryouwillorwillnotacceptthistaleofmine。
Cle。Certainlywewill。
Ath。Youareaware-areyounot？-thatthereareofsaidtobeasmanyformsoflawsasthereareofgovernments，andofthelatterwehavealreadymentionedallthosewhicharecommonlyrecognized。Nowyoumustregardthisasamatteroffirst-rateimportance。Forwhatistobethestandardofjustandunjust，isoncemorethepointatissue。Mensaythatthelawoughtnottoregardeithermilitaryvirtue，orvirtueingeneral，butonlytheinterestsandpowerandpreservationoftheestablishedformofgovernment；thisisthoughtbythemtobethebestwayofexpressingthenaturaldefinitionofjustice。
Cle。How？
Ath。Justiceissaidbythemtobetheinterestofthestronger。
Cle。Speakplainer。
Ath。Iwill：-“Surely，“theysay，“thegoverningpowermakeswhateverlawshaveauthorityinanystate？“
Cle。True。
Ath。“Well，“theywouldadd，“anddoyousupposethattyrannyordemocracy，oranyotherconqueringpower，doesnotmakethecontinuanceofthepowerwhichispossessedbythemthefirstorprincipalobjectoftheirlaws？“
Cle。Howcantheyhaveanyother？
Ath。“Andwhoevertransgressestheselawsispunishedasanevil-doerbythelegislator，whocallsthelawsjust？“
Cle。Naturally。
Ath。“This，then，isalwaysthemodeandfashioninwhichjusticeexists。“
Cle。Certainly，iftheyarecorrectintheirview。
Ath。Why，yes，thisisoneofthosefalseprinciplesofgovernmenttowhichwewerereferring。
Cle。Whichdoyoumean？
Ath。Thosewhichwewereexaminingwhenwespokeofwhooughttogovernwhom。Didwenotarriveattheconclusionthatparentsoughttogoverntheirchildren，andtheeldertheyounger，andthenobletheignoble？Andthereweremanyotherprinciples，ifyouremember，andtheywerenotalwaysconsistent。Oneprinciplewasthisveryprincipleofmight，andwesaidthatPindarconsideredviolencenaturalandjustifiedit。
Cle。Yes；Iremember。
Ath。Consider，then，towhomourstateistobeentrusted。Forthereisathingwhichhasoccurredtimeswithoutnumberinstates-
Cle。Whatthing？
Ath。Thatwhentherehasbeenacontestforpower，thosewhogaintheupperhandsoentirelymonopolizethegovernment，astorefuseallsharetothedefeatedpartyandtheirdescendants-theylivewatchingoneanother，therulingclassbeinginperpetualfearthatsomeonewhohasarecollectionofformerwrongswillcomeintopowerandriseupagainstthem。Now，accordingtoourview，suchgovernmentsarenotpolitiesatall，norarelawsrightwhicharepassedforthegoodofparticularclassesandnotforthegoodofthewholestate。
Stateswhichhavesuchlawsarenotpolitiesbutparties，andtheirnotionsofjusticearesimplyunmeaning。Isaythis，becauseIamgoingtoassertthatwemustnotentrustthegovernmentinyourstatetoanyonebecauseheisrich，orbecausehepossessesanyotheradvantage，suchasstrength，orstature，oragainbirth：buthewhoismostobedienttothelawsofthestate，heshallwinthepalm；andtohimwhoisvictoriousinthefirstdegreeshallbegiventhehighestofficeandchiefministryofthegods；andthesecondtohimwhobearsthesecondpalm；andonasimilarprincipleshallalltheotherbeassignedtothosewhocomenextinorder。AndwhenIcalltherulersservantsorministersofthelaw，Igivethemthisnamenotforthesakeofnovelty，butbecauseIcertainlybelievethatuponsuchserviceorministrydependsthewell-orill-beingofthestate。Forthatstateinwhichthelawissubjectandhasnoauthority，I
perceivetobeonthehighwaytoruin；butIseethatthestateinwhichthelawisabovetherulers，andtherulersaretheinferiorsofthelaw，hassalvation，andeveryblessingwhichtheGodscanconfer。
Cle。Truly，Stranger，youseewiththekeenvisionofage。
Ath。Why，yes；everymanwhenheisyounghasthatsortofvisiondullest，andwhenheisoldkeenest。
Cle。Verytrue。
Ath。Andnow，whatistobethenextstep？Maywenotsupposethecoloniststohavearrived，andproceedtomakeourspeechtothem？
Cle。Certainly。
Ath。“Friends，“wesaytothem，-“God，astheoldtraditiondeclares，holdinginhishandthebeginning，middle，andendofallthatis，travelsaccordingtohisnatureinastraightlinetowardstheaccomplishmentofhisend。Justicealwaysaccompanieshim，andisthepunisherofthosewhofallshortofthedivinelaw。Tojustice，hewhowouldbehappyholdsfast，andfollowsinhercompanywithallhumilityandorder；buthewhoisliftedupwithpride，orelatedbywealthorrank，orbeauty，whoisyoungandfoolish，andhasasoulhotwithinsolence，andthinksthathehasnoneedofanyguideorruler，butisablehimselftobetheguideofothers，he，Isay，isleftdesertedofGod；andbeingthusdeserted，hetakestohimotherswhoarelikehimself，anddancesabout，throwingallthingsintoconfusion，andmanythinkthatheisagreatman，butinashorttimehepaysapenaltywhichjusticecannotbutapprove，andisutterlydestroyed，andhisfamilyandcitywithhim。Wherefore，seeingthathumanthingsarethusordered，whatshouldawisemandoorthink，ornotdoorthink？
Cle。EverymanoughttomakeuphismindthathewillbeoneofthefollowersofGod；therecanbenodoubtofthat。
Ath。ThenwhatlifeisagreeabletoGod，andbecominginhisfollowers？Oneonly，expressedonceforallintheoldsayingthat“likeagreeswithlike，withmeasuremeasure，“butthingswhichhavenomeasureagreeneitherwiththemselvesnorwiththethingswhichhave。NowGodoughttobetousthemeasureofallthings，andnotman，asmencommonlysayProtagoras：thewordsarefarmoretrueofhim。AndhewhowouldbedeartoGodmust，asfarasispossible，belikehimandsuchasheis。WhereforethetemperatemanisthefriendofGod，forheislikehim；andtheintemperatemanisunlikehim，anddifferentfromhim，andunjust。Andthesameappliestootherthings；andthisistheconclusion，whichisalsothenoblestandtruestofallsayings-thatforthegoodmantooffersacrificetotheGods，andholdconversewiththembymeansofprayersandofferingsandeverykindofservice，isthenoblestandbestofallthings，andalsothemostconducivetoahappylife，andveryfitandmeet。Butwiththebadman，theoppositeofthisistrue：forthebadmanhasanimpuresoul，whereasthegoodispure；andfromonewhoispolluted，neithergoodmannorGodcanwithoutimproprietyreceivegifts。WhereforetheunholydoonlywastetheirmuchserviceupontheGods，butwhenofferedbyanyholyman，suchserviceismostacceptabletothem。Thisisthemarkatwhichweoughttoaim。
Butwhatweaponsshallweuse，andhowshallwedirectthem？Inthefirstplace，weaffirmthatnextaftertheOlympianGodsandtheGodsoftheState，honourshouldbegiventotheGodsbelow；theyshouldreceiveeverythinginevenandofthesecondchoice，andillomen，whiletheoddnumbers，andthefirstchoice，andthethingsofluckyomen，aregiventotheGodsabove，byhimwhowouldrightlyhitthemarkofpiety。NexttotheseGods，awisemanwilldoservicetothedemonsorspirits，andthentotheheroes，andafterthemwillfollowtheprivateandancestralGods，whoareworshippedasthelawprescribesintheplaceswhicharesacredtothem。Nextcomesthehonouroflivingparents，towhom，asismeet，wehavetopaythefirstandgreatestandoldestofalldebts，consideringthatallwhichamanhasbelongstothosewhogavehimbirthandbroughthimup，andthathemustdoallthathecantoministertothem，first，inhisproperty，secondly，inhisperson，andthirdly，inhissoul，inreturnfortheendlesscareandtravailwhichtheybestoweduponhimofold，inthedaysofhisinfancy，andwhichheisnowtopaybacktothemwhentheyareoldandintheextremityoftheirneed。
Andallhislifelongheoughtnevertoutter，ortohaveuttered，anunbecomingwordtothem；foroflightandfleetingwordsthepenaltyismostsevere；Nemesis，themessengerofjustice，isappointedtowatchoverallsuchmatters。Whentheyareangryandwanttosatisfytheirfeelingsinwordordeed，heshouldgivewaytothem；
forafatherwhothinksthathehasbeenwrongedbyhissonmaybereasonablyexpectedtobeveryangry。Attheirdeath，themostmoderatefuneralisbest，neitherexceedingthecustomaryexpense，noryetfallingshortofthehonourwhichhasbeenusuallyshownbytheformergenerationtotheirparents。Andletamannotforgettopaytheyearlytributeofrespecttothedead，honouringthemchieflybyomittingnothingthatconducestoaperpetualremembranceofthem，andgivingareasonableportionofhisfortunetothedead。Doingthis，andlivingafterthismanner，weshallreceiveourrewardfromtheGodsandthosewhoareaboveus[i。e。，thedemons]；andweshallspendourdaysforthemostpartingoodhope。Andhowamanoughttoorderwhatrelatestohisdescendantsandhiskindredandfriendsandfellow-citizens，andtheritesofhospitalitytaughtbyHeaven，andtheintercoursewhicharisesoutofalltheseduties，withaviewtotheembellishmentandorderlyregulationofhisownlife-thesethings，Isay，thelaws，asweproceedwiththem，willaccomplish，partlypersuading，andpartlywhennaturesdonotyieldtothepersuasionofcustom，chastisingthembymightandright，andwillthusrenderourstate，iftheGodsco-operatewithus，prosperousandhappy。Butofwhathastobesaid，andmustbesaidbythelegislatorwhoisofmywayofthinking，andyet，ifsaidintheformoflaw，wouldbeoutofplace-ofthisIthinkthathemaygiveasamplefortheinstructionofhimselfandofthoseforwhomheislegislating；andthenwhen，asfarasheisable，hehasgonethroughallthepreliminaries，hemayproceedtotheworkoflegislation。Now，whatwillbetheformofsuchprefaces？Theremaybeadifficultyinincludingordescribingthemallunderasingleform，butIthinkthatwemaygetsomenotionofthemifwecanguaranteeonething。
Cle。Whatisthat？
Ath。Ishouldwishthecitizenstobeasreadilypersuadedtovirtueaspossible；thiswillsurelybetheaimofthelegislatorinallhislaws。
Cle。Certainly。
Ath。Theproposalappearstometobeofsomevalue；andIthinkthatapersonwilllistenwithmoregentlenessandgood-willtothepreceptsaddressedtohimbythelegislator，whenhissoulisnotaltogetherunpreparedtoreceivethem。Evenalittledoneinthewayofconciliationgainshisear，andisalwaysworthhaving。Forthereisnogreatinclinationorreadinessonthepartofmankindtobemadeasgood，orasquicklygood，aspossible。ThecaseofthemanyprovesthewisdomofHesiod，whosaysthattheroadtowickednessissmoothandcanbetravelledwithoutperspiring，becauseitissoveryshort：
ButbeforevirtuetheimmortalGodshaveplacedthesweatoflabour，andlongandsteepisthewaythither，andruggedatfirst；butwhenyouhavereachedthetop，althoughdifficultbefore，itistheneasy。
Cle。Yes；andhecertainlyspeakswell。
Ath。Verytrue：andnowletmetellyoutheeffectwhichtheprecedingdiscoursehashaduponme。
Cle。Proceed。
Ath。Supposethatwehavealittleconversationwiththelegislator，andsaytohim-“O，legislator，speak；ifyouknowwhatweoughttosayanddo，youcansurelytell。“
Cle。Ofcoursehecan。
Ath。“Didwenothearyoujustnowsaying，thatthelegislatoroughtnottoallowthepoetstodowhattheyliked？Forthattheywouldnotknowinwhichoftheirwordstheywentagainstthelaws，tothehurtofthestate。“