Cle。Thatisverytrue。
Ath。Thenletusrecognizethedifficulty，andmakecleartoourownmindshowthebeginningistobeaccomplished。ThereisonlyoneproposalwhichIhavetooffer，andthatisonewhich，underourcircumstances，isbothnecessaryandexpedient。
Cle。Whatisit？
Ath。Imaintainthatthiscolonyofourshasafatherandmother，whoarenootherthanthecolonizingstate。WellIknowthatmanycolonieshavebeen，andwillbe，atenmitywiththeirparents。Butinearlydaysthechild，asinafamily，lovesandisbeloved；eveniftherecomeatimelaterwhenthetieisbroken，still，whileheisinwantofeducation，henaturallyloveshisparentsandisbelovedbythem，andfliestohisrelativesforprotection，andfindsinthemhisonlynaturalalliesintimeofneed；andthisparentalfeelingalreadyexistsintheCnosians，asisshownbytheircareofthenewcity；andthereisasimilarfeelingonthepartoftheyoungcitytowardsCnosus。AndIrepeatwhatIwassaying-forthereisnoharminrepeatingagoodthing-thattheCnosiansshouldtakeacommoninterestinallthesematters，andchoose，asfarastheycan，theeldestandbestofthecolonists，tothenumberofnotlessthanahundred；andlettherebeanotherhundredoftheCnosiansthemselves。These，Isay，ontheirarrival，shouldhaveajointcarethatthemagistratesshouldbeappointedaccordingtolaw，andthatwhentheyareappointedtheyshouldundergoascrutiny。Whenthishasbeeneffected，theCnosiansshallreturnhome，andthenewcitydothebestshecanforherownpreservationandhappiness。Iwouldhavetheseven-and-thirtynow，andinallfuturetime，chosentofulfilthefollowingduties：-Letthem，inthefirstplace，betheguardiansofthelaw；and，secondly，oftheregistersinwhicheachoneregistersbeforethemagistratetheamountofhisproperty，exceptingfourminaewhichareallowedtocitizensofthefirstclass，threeallowedtothesecond，twotothethird，andasingleminatothefourth。Andifanyone，despisingthelawsforthesakeofgain，befoundtopossessanythingmorewhichhasnotbeenregistered，letallthathehasinexcessbeconfiscated，andlethimbeliabletoasuitwhichshallbethereverseofhonourableorfortunate。Andletanyonewhowill，indicthimonthechargeoflovingbasegains，andproceedagainsthimbeforetheguardiansofthelaw。Andifhebecast，lethimlosehisshareofthepublicpossessions，andwhenthereisanypublicdistribution，lethimhavenothingbuthisoriginallot；andlethimbewrittendownacondemnedmanaslongashelives，insomeplaceinwhichanyonewhopleasescanreadabouthisonces。Theguardianofthelawshallnotholdofficelongerthantwentyyears，andshallnotbelessthanfiftyyearsofagewhenheiselected；orifheiselectedwhenheissixtyyearsofage，heshallholdofficefortenyearsonly；anduponthesameprinciple，hemustnotimaginethathewillbepermittedtoholdsuchanimportantofficeasthatofguardianofthelawsafterheisseventyyearsofage，ifhelivesolong。
Thesearethethreefirstordinancesabouttheguardiansofthelaw；
astheworkoflegislationprogresses，eachlawinturnwillassigntothemtheirfurtherduties。Andnowwemayproceedinordertospeakoftheelectionofotherofficers；forgeneralshavetobeelected，andtheseagainmusthavetheirministers，commanders，andcolonelsofhorse，andcommandersofbrigadesoffoot，whowouldbemorerightlycalledbytheirpopularnameofbrigadiers。Theguardiansofthelawshallproposeasgeneralsmenwhoarenativesofthecity，andaselectionfromthecandidatesproposedshallbemadebythosewhoareorhavebeenoftheageformilitaryservice。Andifonewhoisnotproposedisthoughtbysomebodytobebetterthanonewhois，lethimnamewhomheprefersintheplaceofwhom，andmakeoaththatheisbetter，andproposehim；andwhicheverofthemisapprovedbyvoteshallbeadmittedtothefinalselection；andthethreewhohavethegreatestnumberofvotesshallbeappointedgenerals，andsuperintendentsofmilitaryaffairs，afterpreviouslyundergoingascrutiny，liketheguardiansofthelaw。Andletthegeneralsthuselectedproposetwelvebrigadiers，oneforeachtribe；
andthereshallbearightofcounterproposalasinthecaseofthegenerals，andthevotinganddecisionshalltakeplaceinthesameway。Untiltheprytanesandcouncilareelected，theguardiansofthelawshallconvenetheassemblyinsomeholyspotwhichissuitabletothepurpose，placingthehoplitesbythemselves，andthecavalrybythemselves，andinathirddivisionalltherestofthearmy。Allaretovoteforthegenerals[andforthecolonelsofhorse]，butthebrigadiersaretobevotedforonlybythosewhocarryshields[i。e。thehoplites]。Letthebodyofcavalrychoosephylarchsforthegenerals；butcaptainsoflighttroops，orarchers，oranyotherdivisionofthearmy，shallbeappointedbythegeneralsforthemselves。Thereonlyremainstheappointmentofofficersofcavalry：
theseshallbeproposedbythesamepersonswhoproposedthegenerals，andtheelectionandthecounter-proposalofothercandidatesshallbearrangedinthesamewayasinthecaseofthegenerals，andletthecavalryvoteandtheinfantrylookonattheelection；thetwowhohavethegreatestnumberofvotesshallbetheleadersofallthehorse。Disputesaboutthevotingmayberaisedonceortwice；butifthedisputeberaisedathirdtime，theofficerswhopresideattheseveralelectionsshalldecide。
Thecouncilshallconsistof30x12members-360willbeaconvenientnumberforsub-division。Ifwedividethewholenumberintofourpartsofninetyeach，wegetninetycounsellorsforeachclass。
First，allthecitizensshallselectcandidatesfromthefirstclass；theyshallbecompelledtovote，and，iftheydonot，shallbedulyfined。Whenthecandidateshavebeenselected，someoneshallmarkthemdown；thisshallbethebusinessofthefirstday。Andonthefollowingday，candidatesshallbeselectedfromthesecondclassinthesamemannerandunderthesameconditionsasonthepreviousday；andonthethirddayaselectionshallbemadefromthethirdclass，atwhicheveryonemay，ifhelikes，vote，andthethreefirstclassesshallbecompelledtovote；butthefourthandlowestclassshallbeundernocompulsion，andanymemberofthisclasswhodoesnotvoteshallnotbepunished。Onthefourthdaycandidatesshallbeselectedfromthefourthandsmallestclass；
theyshallbeselectedbyall，buthewhoisofthefourthclassshallsuffernopenalty，norhewhoisofthethird，ifhebenotwillingtovote；buthewhoisofthefirstorsecondclass，ifhedoesnotvoteshallbepunished；-hewhoisofthesecondclassshallpayafineoftripletheamountwhichwasexactedatfirst，andhewhoisofthefirstclassquadruple。Onthefifthdaytherulersshallbringoutthenamesnoteddown，forallthecitizenstosee，andeverymanshallchooseoutofthem，underpain，ifhedonot，ofsufferingthefirstpenalty；andwhentheyhavechosenoutofeachoftheclasses，theyshallchooseone-halfofthembylot，whoshallundergoascrutiny：-Thesearetoformthecouncilfortheyear。
Themodeofelectionwhichhasbeendescribedisinameanbetweenmonarchyanddemocracy，andsuchameanthestateoughtalwaystoobserve；forservantsandmastersnevercanbefriends，norgoodandbad，merelybecausetheyaredeclaredtohaveequalprivileges。Fortounequalsequalsbecomeunequal，iftheyarenotharmonizedbymeasure；
andbothbyreasonofequality，andbyreasonofinequality，citiesarefilledwithseditions。Theoldsaying，that“equalitymakesfriendship，“ishappyandalsotrue；butthereisobscurityandconfusionastowhatsortofequalityismeant。Fortherearetwoequalitieswhicharecalledbythesamename，butareinrealityinmanywaysalmosttheoppositeofoneanother；oneofthemmaybeintroducedwithoutdifficulty，byanystateoranylegislatorinthedistributionofhonours：thisistheruleofmeasure，weight，andnumber，whichregulatesandapportionsthem。Butthereisanotherequality，ofabetterandhigherkind，whichisnotsoeasilyrecognized。ThisisthejudgmentofZeus；amongmenitavailsbutlittle；thatlittle，however，isthesourceofthegreatestgoodtoindividualsandstates。Foritgivestothegreatermore，andtotheinferiorlessandinproportiontothenatureofeach；and，aboveall，greaterhonouralwaystothegreatervirtue，andtothelessless；andtoeitherinproportiontotheirrespectivemeasureofvirtueandeducation。Andthisisjustice，andiseverthetrueprincipleofstates，atwhichweoughttoaim，andaccordingtothisruleorderthenewcitywhichisnowbeingfounded，andanyothercitywhichmaybehereafterfounded。Tothisthelegislatorshouldlook-nottotheinterestsoftyrantsoneormore，ortothepowerofthepeople，buttojusticealways；which，asIwassaying，thedistributionofnaturalequalityamongunequalsineachcase。Buttherearetimesatwhicheverystateiscompelledtousethewords，“just，““equal，“inasecondarysense，inthehopeofescapinginsomedegreefromfactions。
Forequityandindulgenceareinfractionsoftheperfectandstrictruleofjustice。Andthisisthereasonwhyweareobligedtousetheequalityofthelot，inordertoavoidthediscontentofthepeople；andsoweinvokeGodandfortuneinourprayers，andbegthattheythemselveswilldirectthelotwithaviewtosupremejustice。Andtherefore，althoughwearecompelledtousebothequalities，weshouldusethatintowhichtheelementofchanceentersasseldomaspossible。
Thus，Omyfriends，andforthereasonsgiven，shouldastateactwhichwouldendureandbesaved。Butasashipsailingontheseahastobewatchednightandday，inlikemanneracityalsoissailingonaseaofpolitics，andisliabletoallsortsofinsidiousassaults；andthereforefrommorningtonight，andfromnighttomorning，rulersmustjoinhandswithrulers，andwatcherswithwatchers，receivingandgivinguptheirtrustinaperpetualsuccession。Nowamultitudecanneverfulfiladutyofthissortwithanythinglikeenergy。Moreover，thegreaternumberofthesenatorswillhavetobeleftduringthegreaterpartoftheyeartoordertheirconcernsattheirownhomes。Theywillthereforehavetobearrangedintwelveportions，answeringtothetwelvemonths，andfurnishguardiansofthestate，eachportionforasinglemonth。Theirbusinessistobeathandandreceiveanyforeignerorcitizenwhocomestothem，whethertogiveinformation，ortoputoneofthosequestions，towhich，whenaskedbyothercities，acityshouldgiveananswer，andtowhich，ifsheaskthemherself，sheshouldreceiveananswer；oragain，whenthereisalikelihoodofinternalcommotions，whicharealwaysliabletohappeninsomeformorother，theywill，iftheycan，preventtheiroccurring；oriftheyhavealreadyoccurred，willlosetimeinmakingthemknowntothecity，andhealingtheevil。
Wherefore，also，thiswhichisthepresidingbodyofthestateoughtalwaystohavethecontroloftheirassemblies，andofthedissolutionsofthem，ordinaryaswellasextraordinary。Allthisistobeorderedbythetwelfthpartofthecouncil，whichisalwaystokeepwatchtogetherwiththeotherofficersofthestateduringoneportionoftheyear，andtorestduringtheremainingelevenportions。
Thuswillthecitybefairlyordered。Andnow，whoistohave，thesuperintendenceofthecountry，andwhatshallbethearrangement？
Seeingthatthewholecityandtheentirecountryhavebeenbothofthemdividedintotwelveportions，oughttherenottobeappointedsuperintendentsofthestreetsofthecity，andofthehouses，andbuildings，andharbours，andtheagora，andfountains，andsacreddomains，andtemples，andthelike？
Cle。Tobesurethereought。
Ath。Letusassume，then，thatthereoughttobeservantsofthetemples，andpriestsandpriestesses。Theremustalsobesuperintendentsofroadsandbuddings，whowillhaveacareofmen，thattheymaydonoharm，andalsoofbeasts，bothwithintheenclosureandinthesuburbs。Threekindsofofficerswillthushavetobeappointed，inorderthatthecitymaybesuitablyprovidedaccordingtoherneeds。Thosewhohavethecareofthecityshallbecalledwardensofthecity；andthosewhohavethecareoftheagorashallbecalledwardensoftheagora；andthosewhohavethecareofthetemplesshallbecalledpriests。Thosewhoholdhereditaryofficesaspriestsorpriestesses，shallnotbedisturbed；butiftherebefewornonesuch，asisprobableatthefoundationofanewcity，priestsandpriestessesshallbeappointedtobeservantsoftheGodswhohavenoservants。Someofourofficersshallbeelected，andothersappointedbylot，thosewhoareofthepeopleandthosewhoarenotofthepeopleminglinginafriendlymannerineveryplaceandcity，thatthestatemaybeasfaraspossibleofonemind。Theofficersofthetemplesshallbeappointedbylot；inthiswaytheirelectionwillbecommittedtoGod，thathemaydowhatisagreeabletohim。Andhewhoobtainsalotshallundergoascrutiny，first，astowhetherheissoundofbodyandoflegitimatebirth；andinthesecondplace，inordertoshowthatheisofaperfectlypurefamily，notstainedwithhomicideoranysimilarimpietyinhisownperson，andalsothathisfatherandmotherhaveledasimilarunstainedlife。NowthelawsaboutalldivinethingsshouldbebroughtfromDelphi，andinterpretersappointed，underwhosedirectiontheyshouldbeused。Thetenureofthepriesthoodshouldalwaysbeforayearandnolonger；