[1329a] (for leisure is needed both for the development of virtue and for active participation in politics). [loeb_subsection_3] And since the state also contains the military class and the class that deliberates about matters of policy and judges questions of justice, and these are manifestly in a special sense parts of the state, are these classes also to be set down as distinct or are both functions to be assigned to the same persons? But here also the answer is clear, because in a certain sense they should be assigned to the same persons, but in a certain sense to different ones. Inasmuch as each of these two functions belongs to a different prime of life, and one requires wisdom, the other strength, they are to be assigned to different people; but inasmuch as it is a thing impossible that when a set of men are able to employ force and to resist control, these should submit always to be ruled, from this point of view both functions must be assigned to the same people; for those who have the power of arms have the power to decide whether the constitution shall stand or fall. [loeb_subsection_4] The only course left them is to assign this constitutional function to both sets of men without distinction,Or, amending this curious Greek, for the constitution to assign both these functions to the same people. yet not simultaneously, but, as in the natural order of things strength is found in the younger men and wisdom in the elder, it seems to be expedient and just for their functions to be allotted to both in this way, for this mode of division possesses conformity with merit. [loeb_subsection_5] Moreover the ownership of properties also must be centered round these classes, for the citizens must necessarily possess plentiful means, and these are the citizens. For theartisan class has no share in the state, nor has any other class that is not an artificer of virtue.A Platonic phrase, Plat. Rep. 500d. And this is clear from our basic principle; for in conjunction with virtue happiness is bound to be forthcoming, but we should pronounce a state happy having regard not to a particular section of it but to all its citizens. And it is also manifest that the properties must belong to these classes, inasmuch asAs this is a new point, perhaps we should transpose inasmuch as ( εἴπερ) and that ( ὅτι) in the line above. it is necessary for the tillers of the soil to be slaves, or serfs of alien race. [loeb_subsection_6] There remains of the list enumerated the class of priests; and the position of this class also is manifest. Priests must be appointed neither from the tillers of the soil nor from the artisans, for it is seemly that the gods should be worshipped by citizens; and since the citizen body is divided into two parts, the military class and the councillor class, and as it is seemly that those who have relinquished these duties owing to age should render to the gods their due worship and should spend their retirement in their service, it is to these that the priestly offices should be assigned.
We have therefore stated the things indispensable for the constitution of a state, and the things that are parts of a state: tillers of the soil, craftsmen and the laboring class generally are a necessary appurtenance of states, but the military and deliberative classes are parts of the state; and moreover each of these divisions is separate from the others, either permanently or by turn.i.e. the appurtenances are permanently separate form the army and the deliberative, which are the parts, and which are separate from each other only by turn, i.e. a citizen passes on from one to the other.
[loeb_section_9] [loeb_subsection_1] And that it is proper for the state to be divided up into castes and for the military class to be distinct from that of the tillers of the soil [1329b] does not seem to be a discovery of political philosophers of today or one made recently.Perhaps to be read as denying the originality of Plato’sRepublic.
In Egypt this arrangement still exists even now, as also in Crete; it is said to have been established in Egypt by the legislation of Sesostris and in Crete by thatof Minos. [loeb_subsection_2] Common meals also seem to be an ancient institution, those in Crete having begun in the reign of Minos, while those in Italy are much older than these. According to the historians one of the settlers there, a certain Italus, became king of Oenotria, and from him they took the name of Italians instead of that of Oenotrians, and the name of Italy was given to all that promontoryi.e. the south-west peninsula or toe of Italy. of Europe lying between the Gulfs of Scylletium and of Lametus,i.e. the Gulfs of Squillace and Eufemia. which are half a day’s journey apart. [loeb_subsection_3] It was this Italus then who according to tradition converted the Oenotrians from a pastoral life to one of agriculture and gave them various ordinances, being the first to institute their system of common meals; hence the common meals and some of his laws are still observed by certain of his successors even today. The settlers in the direction of TyrrheniaThe modern Tuscany, i.e. the people of Lucania, Campania and Latium. were Opicans, who today as in former times bear the surname ofAusonians; the region towards IapygiaThe south-east promontory or heel of Italy. and the Ionian Gulf, called Syrtis, was inhabited by the Chones, who also were Oenotrians by race. [loeb_subsection_4] It is from this country that the system of common meals has its origin, while the division of the citizen-body by hereditary caste came from Egypt, for the reign of Sesostris long antedates that of Minos. We may almost take it therefore that all other political devices also have been discovered repeatedly, or rather an infinite number of times over, in the lapse of ages; for the discoveries of a necessary kind are probably taught by need itself, and when the necessaries have been provided it is reasonable that things contributing to refinement and luxury should find their development; so that we must assume that this is the way with political institutions also. [loeb_subsection_5] The antiquity of all of them is indicated by the history of Egypt; for the Egyptians are reputed to be the oldest of nations, but they have always had laws and a political system. Hence we should use the results of previous discovery when adequate, while endeavoring to investigate matters hitherto passed over.
It has been stated before that the land ought to be owned by those who possess arms and those who share the rights of the constitution, and why the cultivators ought to be a different caste from these, and what is the proper extent and conformation of the country. [loeb_subsection_6] We have now to discuss first the allotment of the land, and the proper class and character of its cultivators; since we advocate not common ownership of land, as some have done,