Now，whatlivesarethey，andhowmanyinwhich，havingsearchedoutandbeheldtheobjectsofwillanddesireandtheiropposites，andmakingofthemalaw，choosing，Isay，thedearandthepleasantandthebestandnoblest，amanmayliveinthehappiestwaypossible？Letussaythatthetemperatelifeisonekindoflife，andtherationalanother，andthecourageousanother，andthehealthfulanother；andtothesefourletusopposefourotherlives-thefoolish，thecowardly，theintemperate，thediseased。Hewhoknowsthetemperatelifewilldescribeitasinallthingsgentle，havinggentlepainsandgentlepleasures，andplaciddesiresandlovesnotinsane；whereastheintemperatelifeisimpetuousinallthings，andhasviolentpainsandpleasures，andvehementandstingingdesires，andlovesutterlyinsane；andinthetemperatelifethepleasuresexceedthepains，butintheintemperatelifethepainsexceedthepleasuresingreatnessandnumberandfrequency。Henceoneofthetwolivesisnaturallyandnecessarilymorepleasantandtheothermorepainful，andhewhowouldlivepleasantlycannotpossiblychoosetoliveintemperately。Andifthisistrue，theinferenceclearlyisthatnomanisvoluntarilyintemperate；butthatthewholemultitudeofmenlacktemperanceintheirlives，eitherfromignorance，orfromwantofself-control，orboth。Andthesameholdsofthediseasedandhealthylife；theybothhavepleasuresandpains，butinhealththepleasureexceedsthepain，andinsicknessthepainexceedsthepleasure。Nowourintentioninchoosingthelivesisnotthatthepainfulshouldexceed，butthelifeinwhichpainisexceededbypleasurewehavedeterminedtobethemorepleasantlife。Andweshouldsaythatthetemperatelifehastheelementsbothofpleasureandpainfewerandsmallerandlessfrequentthantheintemperate，andthewiselifethanthefoolishlife，andthelifeofcouragethanthelifeofcowardice；oneofeachpairexceedinginpleasureandtheotherinpain，thecourageoussurpassingthecowardly，andthewiseexceedingthefoolish。Andsotheonedassoflivesexceedstheotherclassinpleasure；thetemperateandcourageousandwiseandhealthyexceedthecowardlyandfoolishandintemperateanddiseasedlives；andgenerallyspeaking，thatwhichhasanyvirtue，whetherofbodyorsoul，ispleasanterthantheviciouslife，andfarsuperiorinbeautyandrectitudeandexcellenceandreputation，andcauseshimwholivesaccordinglytobeinfinitelyhappierthantheopposite。
Enoughofthepreamble；andnowthelawsshouldfollow；or，tospeakmorecorrectly，outlineofthem。As，then，inthecaseofaweboranyothertissue，thewarpandthewoofcannotbemadeofthesamematerials，butthewarpisnecessarilysuperiorasbeingstronger，andhavingacertaincharacteroffirmness，whereasthewoofissofterandhasaproperdegreeofelasticity；-inasimilarmannerthosewhoaretoholdgreatofficesinstates，shouldbedistinguishedtrulyineachcasefromthosewhohavebeenbutslenderlyprovenbyeducation。Letussupposethattherearetwopartsintheconstitutionofastate-onethecreationofoffices，theotherthelawswhichareassignedtothemtoadminister。
But，beforeallthis，comesthefollowingconsideration：-Theshepherdorherdsman，orbreederofhorsesorthelike，whenhehasreceivedhisanimalswillnotbegintotrainthemuntilhehasfirstpurifiedtheminamannerwhichbefitsacommunityofanimals；hewilldividethehealthyandunhealthy，andthegoodbreedandthebadbreed，andwillsendawaytheunhealthyandbadlybredtootherherds，andtendtherest，reflectingthathislabourswillbevainandhavenoeffect，eitheronthesoulsorbodiesofthosewhomnatureandillnurturehavecorrupted，andthattheywillinvolveindestructionthepureandhealthynatureandbeingofeveryotheranimal，ifheshouldneglecttopurifythem。Nowthecaseofotheranimalsisnotsoimportant-theyareonlyworthintroducingforthesakeofillustration；butwhatrelatestomanisofthehighestimportance；andthelegislatorshouldmakeenquiries，andindicatewhatisproperforeachoneinthewayofpurificationandofanyotherprocedure。Take，forexample，thepurificationofacity-therearemanykindsofpurification，someeasierandothersmoredifficult；
andsomeofthem，andthebestandmostdifficultofthem，thelegislator，ifhebealsoadespot，maybeabletoeffect；butthelegislator，who，notbeingadespot，setsupanewgovernmentandlaws，evenifheattemptthemildestofpurgations，maythinkhimselfhappyifhecancompletehiswork。Thebestkindofpurificationispainful，likesimilarcuresinmedicine，involvingrighteouspunishmentandinflictingdeathorexileinthelastresort。
Forinthiswaywecommonlydisposeofgreatsinnerswhoareincurable，andarethegreatestinjuryofthewholestate。Butthemilderformofpurificationisasfollows：-whenmenwhohavenothing，andareinwantoffood，showadispositiontofollowtheirleadersinanattackonthepropertyoftherich-these，whoarethenaturalplagueofthestate，aresentawaybythelegislatorinafriendlyspiritasfarasheisable；andthisdismissalofthemiseuphemisticallytermedacolony。Andeverylegislatorshouldcontrivetodothisatonce。Ourpresentcase，however，ispeculiar。
Forthereisnoneedtodeviseanycolonyorpurifyingseparationunderthecircumstancesinwhichweareplaced。Butas，whenmanystreamsflowtogetherfrommanysources，whetherspringsormountaintorrents，intoasinglelake，weoughttoattendandtakecarethattheconfluentwatersshouldbeperfectlyclear，andinordertoeffectthis，shouldpumpanddrawoffanddivertimpurities，soineverypoliticalarrangementtheremaybetroubleanddanger。But，seeingthatwearenowonlydiscoursingandnotacting，letourselectionbesupposedtobecompleted，andthedesiredpurityattained。Touchingevilmen，whowanttojoinandbecitizensofourstate，afterwehavetestedthembyeverysortofpersuasionandforasufficienttime，wewillpreventthemfromcoming；butthegoodwewilltotheutmostofourabilityreceiveasfriendswithopenarms。
Anotherpieceofgoodfortunemustnotbeforgotten，which，asweweresaying，theHeraclidcolonyhad，andwhichisalsoours-thatwehaveescapeddivisionoflandandtheabolitionofdebts；forthesearealwaysasourceofdangerouscontention，andacitywhichisdrivenbynecessitytolegislateuponsuchmatterscanneitherallowtheoldwaystocontinue，noryetventuretoalterthem。Wemusthaverecoursetoprayers，sotospeak，andhopethataslightchangemaybecautiouslyeffectedinalengthoftime。Andsuchachangecanbeaccomplishedbythosewhohaveabundanceofland，andhavingalsomanydebtors，arewilling，inakindlyspirit，tosharewiththosewhoareinwant，sometimesremittingandsometimesgiving，holdingfastinapathofmoderation，anddeemingpovertytobetheincreaseofaman’sdesiresandnotthediminutionofhisproperty。
Forthisisthegreatbeginningofsalvationtoastate，anduponthislastingbasismaybeerectedafterwardswhateverpoliticalorderissuitableunderthecircumstances；butifthechangebebaseduponanunsoundprinciple，thefutureadministrationofthecountrywillbefullofdifficulties。Thatisadangerwhich，asIamsaying，isescapedbyus，andyetwehadbettersayhow，ifwehadnotescaped，wemighthaveescaped；andwemayventurenowtoassertthatnootherwayofescape，whethernarroworbroad，canbedevisedbutfreedomfromavariceandasenseofjustice-uponthisrockourcityshallbebuilt；forthereoughttobenodisputesamongcitizensaboutproperty。Iftherearequarrelsoflongstandingamongthem，nolegislatorofanydegreeofsensewillproceedastepinthearrangementofthestateuntiltheyaresettled。ButthattheytowhomGodhasgiven，ashehastous，tobethefoundersofanewstateasyetfreefromenmity-thattheyshouldcreatethemselvesenmitiesbytheirmodeofdistributinglandsandhouses，wouldbesuperhumanfollyandwickedness。
Howthencanwerightlyorderthedistributionoftheland？Inthefirstplace，thenumberofthecitizenshastobedetermined，andalsothenumberandsizeofthedivisionsintowhichtheywillhavetobeformed；andthelandandthehouseswillthenhavetobeapportionedbyusasfairlyaswecan。Thenumberofcitizenscanonlybeestimatedsatisfactorilyinrelationtotheterritoryandtheneighbouringstates。Theterritorymustbesufficienttomaintainacertainnumberofinhabitantsinamoderatewayoflife-morethanthisisnotrequired；andthenumberofcitizensshouldbesufficienttodefendthemselvesagainsttheinjusticeoftheirneighbours，andalsotogivethemthepowerofrenderingefficientaidtotheirneighbourswhentheyarewronged。Afterhavingtakenasurveyoftheirsandtheirneighbours’territory，wewilldeterminethelimitsoftheminfactaswellasintheory。Andnow，letusproceedtolegislatewithaviewtoperfectingtheformandoutlineofourstate。
Thenumberofourcitizensshallbe5040-thiswillbeaconvenientnumber；andtheseshallbeownersofthelandandprotectorsoftheallotment。Thehousesandthelandwillbedividedinthesameway，sothateverymanmaycorrespondtoalot。Letthewholenumberbefirstdividedintotwoparts，andthenintothree；andthenumberisfurthercapableofbeingdividedintofourorfiveparts，oranynumberofpartsuptoten。Everylegislatoroughttoknowsomucharithmeticastobeabletotellwhatnumberismostlikelytobeusefultoallcities；andwearegoingtotakethatnumberwhichcontainsthegreatestandmostregularandunbrokenseriesofdivisions。Thewholeofnumberhaseverypossibledivision，andthenumber5040canbedividedbyexactlyfifty-ninedivisors，andtenoftheseproceedwithoutintervalfromonetoten：thiswillfurnishnumbersforwarandpeace，andforallcontractsanddealings，includingtaxesanddivisionsoftheland。Thesepropertiesofnumbershouldbeascertainedatleisurebythosewhoareboundbylawtoknowthem；fortheyaretrue，andshouldbeproclaimedatthefoundationofthecity，withaviewtouse。Whetherthelegislatorisestablishinganewstateorrestoringanoldanddecayedone，inrespectofGodsandtemples-thetempleswhicharetobebuiltineachcity，andtheGodsordemi-godsafterwhomtheyaretobecalled-ifhebeamanofsense，hewillmakenochangeinanythingwhichtheoracleofDelphi，orDodona，ortheGodAmmon，oranyancienttraditionhassanctionedinwhatevermanner，whetherbyapparitionsorreputedinspirationofHeaven，inobediencetowhichmankindhaveestablishedsacrificesinconnectionwithmysticrites，eitheroriginatingonthespot，orderivedfromTyrrheniaorCyprusorsomeotherplace，andonthestrengthofwhichtraditionstheyhaveconsecratedoraclesandimages，andaltarsandtemples，andportionedoutasacreddomainforeachofthem。Theleastpartofalltheseoughtnottobedisturbedbythelegislator；butheshouldassigntotheseveraldistrictssomeGod，ordemi-god，orhero，and，inthedistributionofthesoil，shouldgivetothesefirsttheirchosendomainandallthingsfitting，thattheinhabitantsoftheseveraldistrictsmaymeetatfixedtimes，andthattheymayreadilysupplytheirvariouswants，andentertainoneanotherwithsacrifices，andbecomefriendsandacquaintances；forthereisnogreatergoodinastatethanthatthecitizensshouldbeknowntooneanother。Whennotlightbutdarknessandignoranceofeachother’scharactersprevailsamongthem，noonewillreceivethehonourofwhichheisdeserving，orthepowerorthejusticetowhichheisfairlyentitled：
wherefore，ineverystate，aboveallthings，everymanshouldtakeheedthathehavenodeceitinhim，butthathebealwaystrueandsimple；andthatnodeceitfulpersontakeanyadvantageofhim。
Thenextmoveinourpastimeoflegislation，likethewithdrawalofthestonefromtheholylineinthegameofdraughts，beinganunusualone，willprobablyexcitewonderwhenmentionedforthefirsttime。Andyet，ifamanwillonlyreflectandweighthematterwithcare，hewillseethatourcityisorderedinamannerwhich，ifnotthebest，isthesecondbest。Perhapsalsosomeonemaynotapprovethisform，becausehethinksthatsuchaconstitutionisilladaptedtoalegislatorwhohasnotdespoticpower。Thetruthis，thattherearethreeformsofgovernment，thebest，thesecondandthethirdbest，whichwemayjustmention，andthenleavetheselectiontotherulerofthesettlement。Followingthismethodinthepresentinstance，letusspeakofthestateswhicharerespectivelyfirst，second，andthirdinexcellence，andthenwewillleavethechoicetoCleiniasnow，ortoanyoneelsewhomayhereafterhavetomakeasimilarchoiceamongconstitutions，andmaydesiretogivetohisstatesomefeaturewhichiscongenialtohimandwhichheapprovesinhisowncountry。
Thefirstandhighestformofthestateandofthegovernmentandofthelawisthatinwhichthereprevailsmostwidelytheancientsaying，that“Friendshaveallthingsincommon。“Whetherthereisanywherenow，orwilleverbe，thiscommunionofwomenandchildrenandofproperty，inwhichtheprivateandindividualisaltogetherbanishedfromlife，andthingswhicharebynatureprivate，suchaseyesandearsandhands，havebecomecommon，andinsomewayseeandhearandactincommon，andallmenexpresspraiseandblameandfeeljoyandsorrowonthesameoccasions，andwhateverlawsthereareunitethecitytotheutmost-whetherallthisispossibleornot，I
saythatnoman，actinguponanyotherprinciple，willeverconstituteastatewhichwillbetruerorbetterormoreexaltedinvirtue。
WhethersuchastateisgovernedbyGodsorsonsofGods，one，ormorethanone，happyarethemenwho，livingafterthismanner，dwellthere；andthereforetothiswearetolookforthepatternofthestate，andtoclingtothis，andtoseekwithallourmightforonewhichislikethis。Thestatewhichwehavenowinhand，whencreated，willbenearesttoimmortalityandtheonlyonewhichtakesthesecondplace；andafterthat，bythegraceofGod，wewillcompletethethirdone。Andwewillbeginbyspeakingofthenatureandoriginofthesecond。