statesman-第8章
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property； with the exception of tame animals。 Consider；…there was
the original material； which ought to have been placed first； next
come instruments； vessels； vehicles； defences； playthings；
nourishment； small things； which may be…included under one
of these…as
for example； coins； seals and stamps； are omitted； for they have not
in them the character of any larger kind which includes
them； but some
of them may； with a little forcing； be placed among ornaments； and
others may be made to harmonize with the class of implements。 The
art of herding； which has been already divided into parts； will
include all property in tame animals except slaves。
Y。 Soc。 Very true。
Str。 The class of slaves and ministers only remains； and I suspect
that in this the real aspirants for the throne； who are the rivals
of the king in the formation of the political web； will be
discovered；
just as spinners； carders； and the rest of them； were the rivals of
the weaver。 All the others； who were termed co…operators； have been
got rid of among the occupations already mentioned； and
separated from
the royal and political science。
Y。 Soc。 I agree。
Str。 Let us go a little nearer； in order that we may be
more certain
of the complexion of this remaining class。
Y。 Soc。 Let us do so。
Str。 We shall find from our present point of view that the
greatest servants are in a case and condition which is the reverse
of what we anticipated。
Y。 Soc。 Who are they？
Str。 Those who have been purchased； and have so become
possessions； these are unmistakably slaves； and certainly do
not claim
royal science。
Y。 Soc。 Certainly not。
Str。 Again； freemen who of their own accord become the servants of
the other classes in a State； and who exchange and equalise the
products of husbandry and the other arts； some sitting in the
market…place； others going from city to city by land or sea； and
giving money in exchange for money or for other productions…the
money…changer； the merchant； the ship…owner； the retailer； will not
put in any claim to statecraft or politics？
Y。 Soc。 No； unless； indeed； to the politics of commerce。
Str。 But surely men whom we see acting as hirelings and serfs； and
too happy to turn their hand to anything； will not profess
to share in
royal science？
Y。 Soc。 Certainly not。
Str。 But what would you say of some other serviceable officials？
Y。 Soc。 Who are they； and what services do they perform？
Str。 There are heralds； and scribes perfected by practice； and
divers others who have great skill in various sorts of business
connected with the government of states…what shall we call them？
Y。 Soc。 They are the officials； and servants of the rulers； as you
just now called them； but not themselves rulers。
Str。 There may be something strange in any servant pretending to
be a ruler； and yet I do not think that I could have been dreaming
when I imagined that the principal claimants to political science
would be found somewhere in this neighbourhood。
Y。 Soc。 Very true。
Str。 Well； let us draw nearer； and try the claims of some who have
not yet been tested； in the first place； there are diviners； who
have a portion of servile or ministerial science； and are thought to
be the interpreters of the gods to men。
Y。 Soc。 True。
Str。 There is also the priestly class； who； as the law declares；
know how to give the gods gifts from men in the form of sacrifices
which are acceptable to them； and to ask on our behalf blessings in
return from them。 Now both these are branches of the servile or
ministerial art。
Y。 Soc。 Yes； clearly。
Str。 And here I think that we seem to be getting on the
right track；
for the priest and the diviner are swollen with pride and
prerogative；
and they create an awful impression of themselves by the magnitude
of their enterprises； in Egypt； the king himself is not allowed to
reign； unless he have priestly powers； and if he should be of
another class and has thrust himself in； he must get enrolled in the
priesthood。 In many parts of Hellas； the duty of offering the most
solemn propitiatory sacrifices is assigned to the highest
magistracies； and here； at Athens； the most solemn and
national of the
ancient sacrifices are supposed to be celebrated by him who has been
chosen by lot to be the King Archon。
Y。 Soc。 Precisely。
Str。 But who are these other kings and priests elected by lot who
now come into view followed by their retainers and a vast throng； as
the former class disappears and the scene changes？
Y。 Soc。 Whom can you mean？
Str。 They are a strange crew。
Y。 Soc。 Why strange？
Str。 A minute ago I thought that they were animals of every tribe；
for many of them are like lions and centaurs； and many more like
satyrs and such weak and shifty creatures；…Protean shapes quickly
changing into one another's forms and natures； and now； Socrates； I
begin to see who they are。
Y。 Soc。 Who are they？ You seem to be gazing on some strange vision。
Str。 Yes； every one looks strange when you do not know
him； and just
now I myself fell into this mistake…at first sight； coming suddenly
upon him； I did not recognize the politician and his troop。
Y。 Soc。 Who is he？
Str。 The chief of Sophists and most accomplished of wizards； who
must at any cost be separated from the true king or Statesman； if we
are ever to see daylight in the present enquiry。
Y。 Soc。 That is a hope not lightly to be renounced。
Str。 Never； if I can help it； and； first； let me ask you a
question。
Y。 Soc。 What？
Str。 Is not monarchy a recognized form of government？
Y。 Soc。 Yes。
Str。 And； after monarchy； next in order comes the government of
the few？
Y。 Soc。 Of course。
Str。 Is not the third form of government the rule of the
multitude； which is called by the name of democracy？
Y。 Soc。 Certainly。
Str。 And do not these three expand in a manner into five；
producing out of themselves two other names Y。 Soc。 What are they？
Y。 Soc。 What are they？
Str。 There is a criterion of voluntary and involuntary； poverty
and riches； law and the absence of law； which men now…a…days apply
to them； the two first they subdivide accordingly； and ascribe to
monarchy two forms and two corresponding names； royalty and tyranny。
Y。 Soc。 Very true。
Str。 And the government of the few they distinguish by the names
of aristocracy and oligarchy。
Y。 Soc。 Certainly。
Str。 Democracy alone； whether rigidly observing the laws
or not； and
whether the multitude rule over the men of property with
their consent
or against their consent； always in ordinary language has the same
name。
Y。 Soc。 True。
Str。 But do you suppose that any form of government which
is defined
by these characteristics of the one； the few； or the many； of
poverty or wealth； of voluntary or compulsory submission； of written
law or the absence of law； can be a right one？
Y。 Soc。 Why not？
Str。 Reflect； and follow me。
Y。 Soc。 In what direction？
Str。 Shall we abide by what we said at first； or shall we retract
our words？
Y。 Soc。 To what do you refer？
Str。 If I am not mistaken； we said that royal power was a science？
Y。 Soc。 Yes。
Str。 And a science of a peculiar kind； which was selected
out of the
rest as having a character which is at once judicial and
authoritative？
Y。 Soc。 Yes。
Str。 And there was one kind of authority over lifeless things and
another other living animals； and so we proceeded in the
division step
by step up to this point； not losing the idea of science； but unable
as yet to determine the nature of the particular science？
Y。 Soc。 True。
Str。 Hence we are led to observe that the distinguishing principle
of the State cannot be the few or many； the voluntary or
involuntary； poverty or riches； but some notion of science must
enter into it； if we are to be consistent with what has preceded。
Y。 Soc。 And we must be consistent。
Str。 Well； then； in which of these various forms of States may the
science of government； which is among the greatest of all
sciences and
most difficult to acquire； be supposed to reside？ That we must
discover； and then we shall see who are the false politicians who
pretend to be politicians but are not； although they persuade many；
and shall separate them from the wise king。
Y。 Soc。 That； as the argument has already intimated； will be our
duty。
Str。 Do you think that the multitude in a State can attain
political
science？
Y。 Soc。 Impossible。
Str。 But； perhaps； in a city of a thousand men； there would be a
hundred； or say fifty； who could？
Y。 Soc。 In that case political science would certainly be the
easiest of all sciences； there could not be found in a city of that
number as many really first…rate draught…players； if judged by the
standard of the rest of Hellas； and there would certainly not be as
many kings。 For kings we may truly call those who possess royal
science； whether they rule or not； as was shown in the previous
argument。
Str。 Thank you for reminding me； and the consequence is that any
true form of government can only be supposed to be the government of
one； two； or； at any rate； of a few。
Y。 Soc。 Certainly。
Str。 And these； whether they rule with the will； or
against the will
of their subjects； with written laws or。 without written laws； and
whether they are poor or rich； and whatever be the nature of their
rule； must be supposed； according to our present view； to
rule on some
scientific principle； just as the physician； whether he cures us
against our will or with our will； and whatever be his mode of
treatment…incision； burning； or the infliction of some other
pain…whether he practises out of a book or not out of a book； and
whether he be rich or poor； whether he purges or reduces in
some other
way； or even fattens his patients； is a physician all the same； so
long as he exercises authority over them according to rules
of art； if
he only does them good and heals and saves them。 And this we lay
down to be the only proper test of the art of medicine； or of any
other art of command。
Y。 Soc。 Quite true。
Str。 Then that can be the only true form of government in which
the governors are really found to possess science； and are not mere
pretenders； whether they rule according to law or without law；
over…willing or unwilling subjects； and are rich or poor
themselves…none of these things can with any propriety be included
in the notion of the ruler。
Y。 Soc。 True。
Str。 And whether with a view to the public good they purge
the State
by killing some； or exiling some； whether they reduce the size of
the body corporate by sending out from the hive swarms of citizens；
or； by introducing persons from without； increase it； while they act
according to the rules of wisdom and justice； and use their
power with
a view to the general security and improvement； the city over which
they rule； and which has these characteristics； may be described as
the only true State。 All other governmen
