Thenextthingtobenotedis，thatthecityshouldbeplacedasnearlyaspossibleinthecentreofthecountry；weshouldchooseaplacewhichpossesseswhatissuitableforacity，andthismayeasilybeimaginedanddescribed。Thenwewilldividethecityintotwelveportions，firstfoundingtemplestoHestia，toZeusandtoAthene，inaspotwhichwewillcalltheAcropolis，andsurroundwithacircularwall，makingthedivisionoftheentirecityandcountryradiatefromthispoint。Thetwelveportionsshallbeequalizedbytheprovisionthatthosewhichareofgoodlandshallbesmaller。whilethoseofinferiorqualityshallbelarger。Thenumberofthelotsshallbe5040，andeachofthemshallbedividedintotwo，andeveryallotmentshallbecomposedoftwosuchsections；oneoflandnearthecity，theotheroflandwhichisatadistance。Thisarrangementshallbecarriedoutinthefollowingmanner：Thesectionwhichisnearthecityshallbeaddedtothatwhichisonborders，andformonelot，andtheportionwhichisnextnearestshallbeaddedtotheportionwhichisnextfarthest；andsooftherest。Moreover，inthetwosectionsofthelotsthesameprincipleofequalizationofthesoiloughttobemaintained；thebadnessandgoodnessshallbecompensatedbymoreandless。Andthelegislatorshalldividethecitizensintotwelveparts，andarrangetherestoftheirproperty，asfaraspossible，soastoformtwelveequalparts；andthereshallbearegistrationofall。AfterthistheyshallassigntwelvelotstotwelveGods，andcallthembytheirnames，anddedicatetoeachGodtheirseveralportions，andcallthetribesafterthem。Andtheyshalldistributethetwelvedivisionsofthecityinthesamewayinwhichtheydividedthecountry；andeverymanshallhavetwohabitations，oneinthecentreofthecountry，andtheotherattheextremity。
Enoughofthemannerofsettlement。
Nowweoughtbyallmeanstoconsiderthattherecanneverbesuchahappyconcurrenceofcircumstancesaswehavedescribed；neithercanallthingscoincideastheyarewanted。Menwhowillnottakeoffenceatsuchamodeoflivingtogether，andwillendurealltheirlifelongtohavetheirpropertyfixedatamoderatelimit，andtobegetchildreninaccordancewithourordinances，andwillallowthemselvestobedeprivedofgoldandotherthingswhichthelegislator，asisevidentfromtheseenactments，willcertainlyforbidthem；andwillendure，further，thesituationofthelandwiththecityinthemiddleanddwellingsroundabout；-allthisisasifthelegislatorweretellinghisdreams，ormakingacityandcitizensofwax。Thereistruthintheseobjections，andthereforeeveryoneshouldtaketoheartwhatIamgoingtosay。Oncemore，then，thelegislatorshallappearandaddressus：-“Omyfriends，“hewillsaytous，“donotsupposemeignorantthatthereisacertaindegreeoftruthinyourwords；butIamofopinionthat，inmatterswhicharenotpresentbutfuture，hewhoexhibitsapatternofthatatwhichheaims，shouldinnothingfallshortofthefairestandtruest；andthatifhefindsanypartofthisworkimpossibleofexecutionheshouldavoidandnotexecuteit，butheshouldcontrivetocarryoutthatwhichisnearestandmostakintoit；youmustallowthelegislatortoperfecthisdesign，andwhenitisperfected，youshouldjoinwithhiminconsideringwhatpartofhislegislationisexpedientandwhatwillarouseopposition；forsurelytheartistwhoistobedeemedworthyofanyregardatall，oughtalwaystomakehisworkself-consistent。“
Havingdeterminedthatthereistobeadistributionintotwelveparts，letusnowseeinwhatwaythismaybeaccomplished。Thereisnodifficultyinperceivingthatthetwelvepartsadmitofthegreatestnumberofdivisionsofthatwhichtheyinclude，orinseeingtheothernumberswhichareconsequentuponthem，andareproducedoutofthemupto5040；whereforethelawoughttoorderphratriesanddemesandvillages，andalsomilitaryranksandmovements，aswellascoinsandmeasures，dryandliquid，andweights，soastobecommensurableandagreeabletooneanother。Norshouldwefeartheappearanceofminuteness，ifthelawcommandsthatallthevesselswhichamanpossessesshouldhaveacommonmeasure，whenweconsidergenerallythatthedivisionsandvariationsofnumbershaveauseinrespectofallthevariationsofwhichtheyaresusceptible，bothinthemselvesandasmeasuresofheightanddepth，andinallsounds，andinmotions，aswellthosewhichproceedinastraightdirection，upwardsordownwards，asinthosewhichgoroundandround。
Thelegislatoristoconsiderallthesethingsandtobidthecitizens，asfaraspossible，nottolosesightofnumericalorder；
fornosingleinstrumentofyouthfuleducationhassuchmightypower，bothasregardsdomesticeconomyandpolitics，andinthearts，asthestudyofarithmetic。Aboveall，arithmeticstirsuphimwhoisbynaturesleepyanddull，andmakeshimquicktolearn，retentive，shrewd，andaidedbyartdivinehemakesprogressquitebeyondhisnaturalpowers。Allsuchthings，ifonlythelegislator，byotherlawsandinstitutions，canbanishmeannessandcovetousnessfromthesoulsofmen，sothattheycanusethemproperlyandtotheirowngood，willbeexcellentandsuitableinstrumentsofeducation。Butifhecannot，hewillunintentionallycreateinthem，insteadofwisdom，thehabitofcraft，whicheviltendencymaybeobservedintheEgyptiansandPhoenicians，andmanyotherraces，throughthegeneralvulgarityoftheirpursuitsandacquisitions，whethersomeunworthylegislatortheirshasbeenthecause，orsomeimpedimentofchanceornature。Forwemustnotfailtoobserve，OMegillusandCleinias，thatthereisadifferenceinplaces，andthatsomebegetbettermenandothersworse；andwemustlegislateaccordingly。Someplacesaresubjecttostrangeandfatalinfluencesbyreasonofdiversewindsandviolentheats，somebyreasonofwaters；or，again，fromthecharacterofthefoodgivenbytheearth，whichnotonlyaffectsthebodiesofmenforgoodorevil，butproducessimilarresultsintheirsouls。Andinallsuchqualitiesthosespotsexcelinwhichthereisadivineinspiration，andinwhichthedemi-godshavetheirappointedlots，andarepropitious，notadverse，tothesettlersinthem。Toallthesemattersthelegislator，ifhehaveanysenseinhim，willattendasfarasmancan，andframehislawsaccordingly。Andthisiswhatyou，Cleinias，mustdo，andtomattersofthiskindyoumustturnyourmindsinceyouaregoingtocolonizeanewcountry。
Cleinias。Yourwords，AthenianStranger，areexcellent，andIwilldoasyousay。
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AthenianStranger。Andnowhavingmadeanendofthepreliminarieswewillproceedtotheappointmentofmagistracies。
Cleinias。Verygood。
Ath。Intheorderingofastatetherearetwoparts：first，thenumberofthemagistracies，andthemodeofestablishingthem；and，secondly，whentheyhavebeenestablished，lawsagainwillhavetobeprovidedforeachofthem，suitableinnatureandnumber。Butbeforeelectingthemagistratesletusstopalittleandsayawordinseasonabouttheelectionofthem。
Cle。Whathaveyougottosay？
Ath。ThisiswhatIhavetosay；everyonecansee，thatalthoughtheworkoflegislationisamostimportantmatter，yetifawell-orderedcitysuperaddtogoodlawsunsuitableoffices，notonlywilltherebenouseinhavingthegoodlaws-notonlywilltheyberidiculousanduseless，butthegreatestpoliticalinjuryandevilwillaccruefromthem。
Cle。Ofcourse。
Ath。Thennow，myfriend，letusobservewhatwillhappenintheconstitutionofoutintendedstate。Inthefirstplace，youwillacknowledgethatthosewhoaredulyappointedtomagisterialpower，andtheirfamilies，shouldseverallyhavegivensatisfactoryproofofwhattheyare，fromyouthupwarduntilthetimeofelection；inthenextplace，thosewhoaretoelectshouldhavebeentrainedinhabitsoflaw，andbewelleducated，thattheymayhavearightjudgment，andmaybeabletoselectorrejectmenwhomtheyapproveordisapprove，astheyareworthyofeither。Buthowcanweimaginethatthosewhoarebroughttogetherforthefirsttime，andarestrangerstooneanother，andalsouneducated，willavoidmakingmistakesinthechoiceofmagistrates？
Cle。Impossible。
Ath。Thematterisserious，andexcuseswillnotservetheturn。I
willtellyou，then，whatyouandIwillhavetodo，sinceyou，asyoutellme，withnineothers，haveofferedtosettlethenewstateonbehalfofthepeopleofCrete，andIamtohelpyoubytheinventionofthepresentromance。Icertainlyshouldnotliketoleavethetalewanderingallovertheworldwithoutahead；-aheadlessmonsterissuchahideousthing。
Cle。Excellent，Stranger。
Ath。Yes；andIwillbeasgoodasmyword。
Cle。Letusbyallmeansdoasyoupropose。
Ath。Thatwewill，bythegraceofGod，ifoldagewillonlypermitus。
Cle。ButGodwillbegracious。
Ath。Yes；andunderhisguidanceletusconsiderfurtherpoint。
Cle。Whatisit？
Ath。Letusrememberwhatacourageouslymadanddaringcreationthisourcityis。
Cle。Whathadyouinyourmindwhenyousaidthat？
Ath。Ihadinmymindthefreeandeasymannerinwhichweareordainingthattheinexperiencedcolonistsshallreceiveourlaws。Nowamanneednotbeverywise，Cleinias，inordertoseethatnoonecaneasilyreceivelawsattheirfirstimposition。Butifwecouldanyhowwaituntilthosewhohavebeenimbuedwiththemfromchildhood，andhavebeennurturedinthem，andbecomehabituatedtothem，taketheirpartinthepublicelectionsofthestate；Isay，ifthiscouldbeaccomplished，andrightlyaccomplishedbyanywayorcontrivance-then，Ithinkthattherewouldbeverylittledanger，attheendofthetime，ofastatethustrainednotbeingpermanent。
Cle。Areasonablesupposition。
Ath。Thenletusconsiderifwecanfindanywayoutofthedifficulty；forImaintain，Cleinias，thattheCnosians，abovealltheotherCretans，shouldnotbesatisfiedwithbarelydischargingtheirdutytothecolony，buttheyoughttotaketheutmostpainstoestablishtheofficeswhicharefirstcreatedbytheminthebestandsurestmanner。Aboveall，thisappliestotheselectionoftheguardiansofthelaw，whomustbechosenfirstofall，andwiththegreatestcare；theothersareoflessimportance。
Cle。Whatmethodcanwedeviseofelectingthem？
Ath。Thiswillbethemethod：-SonsoftheCretans，Ishallsaytothem，inasmuchastheCnosianshaveprecedenceovertheotherstates，theyshould，incommonwiththosewhojointhissettlement，chooseabodyofthirty-seveninall，nineteenofthembeingtakenfromthesettlers，andtheremainderfromthecitizensofCnosus。OfthoselattertheCnosiansshallmakeapresenttoyourcolony，andyouyourselfshallbeoneoftheeighteen，andshallbecomeacitizenofthenewstate；andifyouandtheycannotbepersuadedtogo，theCnosiansmayfairlyusealittleviolenceinordertomakeyou。
Cle。Butwhy，Stranger，donotyouandMegillustakeapartinournewcity？
Ath。O，Cleinias，Athensisproud，andSpartatoo；andtheyarebothalongwayoff。Butyouandlikewisetheothercolonistsareconvenientlysituatedasyoudescribe。Ihavebeenspeakingofthewayinwhichthenewcitizensmaybebestmanagedunderpresentcircumstances；butinafter-ages，ifthecitycontinuestoexist，lettheelectionbeonthiswise。Allwhoarehorseorfootsoldiers，orhaveseenmilitaryserviceattheproperageswhentheywereseverallyfittedforit，shallshareintheelectionofmagistrates；andtheelectionshallbeheldinwhatevertemplethestatedeemsmostvenerable，andeveryoneshallcarryhisvotetothealtaroftheGod，writingdownonatabletthenameofthepersonforwhomhevotes，andhisfather’sname，andhistribe，andward；andatthesideheshallwritehisownnameinlikemanner。
Anyonewhopleasesmaytakeawayanytabletwhichhedoesnotthinkproperlyfilledup，andexhibititintheAgaraforaperiodofnotlessthanthirtydays。Thetabletswhicharejudgedtobefirst，tothenumberof300，shallbeshownbythemagistratestothewholecity，andthecitizensshallinlikemannerselectfromthesethecandidateswhomtheyprefer；andthissecondselection，tothenumberof100，shallbeagainexhibitedtothecitizens；inthethird，letanyonewhopleasesselectwhompleasesoutofthe100，walkingthroughthepartsofvictims，andletthemchooseformagistratesandproclaimthesevenandthirtywhohavethegreatestnumberofvotes。Butwho，CleiniasandMegillus，willorderforusinthecolonyallthismatterofthemagistrates，andthescrutiniesofthem？Ifwereflect，weshallseethatcitieswhichareinprocessofconstructionlikeoursmusthavesomesuchpersons，whocannotpossiblybeelectedbeforethereareanymagistrates；andyettheymustbeelectedinsomeway，andtheyarenottobeinferiormen，butthebestpossible。Forastheproverbsays，“agoodbeginningishalfthebusiness“；and“tohavebegunwell“ispraisedbyall，andinmyopinionisagreatdealmorethanhalfthebusiness，andhasneverbeenpraisedbyanyoneenough。