Ath。Andthatisthebestanswer；forwhicheveralternativeyouhadchosen，Ithinkthatyouwouldhavegonewrong。
　　Meg。Iamfortunate。
　　Ath。Verygood；aquality，whichisamereappendageofthingswhichcanbepraisedorblamed，doesnotdeserveanexpressionofopinion，butisbestpassedoverinsilence。
　　Meg。Youarespeakingoftemperance？
　　Ath。Yes；butoftheothervirtues，thatwhichhavingthisappendageisalsomostbeneficial，willbemostdeservingofhonour，andnextthatwhichisbeneficialinthenextdegree；andsoeachofthemwillberightlyhonouredaccordingtoaregularorder。
　　Meg。True。
　　Ath。Andoughtnotthelegislatortodeterminetheseclasses？
　　Meg。Certainlyheshould。
　　Ath。Supposethatweleavetohimthearrangementofdetails。Butthegeneraldivisionoflawsaccordingtotheirimportanceintoafirstandsecondandthirdclass，wewhoareloversoflawmaymakeourselves。
　　Meg。Very；good。
　　Ath。Wemaintain，then，thataStatewhichwouldbesafeandhappy，asfarasthenatureofmanallows，mustandoughttodistributehonouranddishonourintherightway。Andtherightwayistoplacethegoodsofthesoulfirstandhighestinthescale，alwaysassumingtemperancetobetheconditionofthem；andtoassignthesecondplacetothegoodsofthebody；andthethirdplacetomoneyandproperty。Anditanylegislatororstatedepartsfromthisrulebygivingmoneytheplaceofhonour，orinanywaypreferringthatwhichisreallylast，maywenotsay，thatheorthestateisdoinganunholyandunpatrioticthing？
　　Meg。Yes；letthatbeplainlydeclared。
　　Ath。TheconsiderationofthePersiangovernmentsledusthusfartoenlarge。WeremarkedthatthePersiansgrewworseandworse。Andweaffirmthereasonofthistohavebeen，thattheytoomuchdiminishedthefreedomofthepeople，andintroducedtoomuchofdespotism，andsodestroyedfriendshipandcommunityoffeeling。Andwhenthereisanendofthese，nolongerdothegovernorsgovernonbehalfoftheirsubjectsorofthepeople，butonbehalfofthemselves；andiftheythinkthattheycangaineversosmallanadvantageforthemselves，theydevastatecities，andsendfireanddesolationamongfriendlyraces。Andastheyhateruthlesslyandhorribly，soaretheyhated；andwhentheywantthepeopletofightforthem，theyfindnocommunityoffeelingorwillingnesstorisktheirlivesontheirbehalf；theiruntoldmyriadsareuselesstothemonthefieldofbattle，andtheythinkthattheirsalvationdependsontheemploymentofmercenariesandstrangerswhomtheyhire，asiftheywereinwantofmoremen。Andtheycannothelpbeingstupid，sincetheyproclaimbyactionsthattheordinarydistinctionsofrightandwrongwhicharemadeinastateareatrifle，whencomparedwithgoldandsilver。
　　Meg。Quitetrue。
　　Ath。AndnowenoughofthePersians，andtheirpresentmaladministrationoftheirgovernment，whichisowingtotheexcessofslaveryanddespotismamongthem。
　　Meg。Good。
　　Ath。Next，wemustpassinreviewthegovernmentofAtticainlikemanner，andfromthisshowthatentirefreedomandtheabsenceofallsuperiorauthorityisnotbyanymeanssogoodasgovernmentbyotherswhenproperlylimited，whichwasourancientAthenianconstitutionatthetimewhenthePersiansmadetheirattackonHellas，or，speakingmorecorrectly，onthewholecontinentofEurope。
　　Therewerefourclasses，arrangedaccordingtoapropertycensus，andreverencewasourqueenandmistress，andmadeuswillingtoliveinobediencetothelawswhichthenprevailed。AlsothevastnessofthePersianarmament，bothbyseaandonland，causedahelplessterror，whichmadeusmoreandmoretheservantsofourrulersandofthelaws；andforallthesereasonsanexceedingharmonyprevailedamongus。AbouttenyearsbeforethenavalengagementatSalamis，Datiscame，leadingaPersianhostbycommandofDarius，whichwasexpresslydirectedagainsttheAtheniansandEretrians，havingorderstocarrythemawaycaptive；andtheseordershewastoexecuteunderpainofdeath。NowDatisandhismyriadssoonbecamecompletemastersofEretria，andhesentafearfulreporttoAthensthatnoEretrianhadescapedhim；forthesoldiersofDatishadjoinedhandsandnettedthewholeofEretria。Andthisreport，whetherwellorillfounded，wasterribletoalltheHellenes，andabovealltotheAthenians，andtheydispatchedembassiesinalldirections，butnoonewaswillingtocometotheirrelief，withtheexceptionoftheLacedaemonians；andthey，eitherbecausetheyweredetainedbytheMessenianwar，whichwasthengoingon，orforsomeotherreasonofwhichwearenottold，cameadaytoolateforthebattleofMarathon。
　　Afterawhile，thenewsarrivedofmightypreparationsbeingmade，andinnumerablethreatscamefromtheking。Then，astimewenton，arumourreachedusthatDariushaddied，andthathisson，whowasyoungandhot-headed，hadcometothethroneandwaspersistinginhisdesign。TheAthenianswereundertheimpressionthatthewholeexpeditionwasdirectedagainstthem，inconsequenceofthebattleofMarathon；andhearingofthebridgeovertheHellespont，andthecanalofAthos，andthehostofships，consideringthattherewasnosalvationforthemeitherbylandorbysea，fortherewasnoonetohelpthem，andrememberingthatinthefirstexpedition，whenthePersiansdestroyedEretria，noonecametotheirhelp，orwouldriskthedangerofanalliancewiththem，theythoughtthatthiswouldhappenagain，atleastonland；nor，whentheylookedtothesea，couldtheydescryanyhopeofsalvation；fortheywereattackedbyathousandvesselsandmore。Onechanceofsafetyremained，slightindeedanddesperate，buttheironlyone。Theysawthatontheformeroccasiontheyhadgainedaseeminglyimpossiblevictory，andborneupbythishope，theyfoundthattheironlyrefugewasinthemselvesandintheGods。Allthesethingscreatedinthemthespiritoffriendship；therewasthefearofthemoment，andtherewasthathigherfear，whichtheyhadacquiredbyobediencetotheirancientlaws，andwhichIhaveseveraltimesintheprecedingdiscoursecalledreverence，ofwhichthegoodmanoughttobeawillingservant，andofwhichthecowardisindependentandfearless。Ifthisfearhadnotpossessedthem，theywouldneverhavemettheenemy，ordefendedtheirtemplesandsepulchresandtheircountry，andeverythingthatwasnearanddeartothem，astheydid；
　　butlittlebylittletheywouldhavebeenallscatteredanddispersed。
　　Meg。Yourwords，Athenian，arequitetrue，andworthyofyourselfandofyourcountry。
　　Ath。Theyaretrue，Megillus；andtoyou，whohaveinheritedthevirtuesofyourancestors，Imayproperlyspeakoftheactionsofthatday。AndIwouldwishyouandCleiniastoconsiderwhethermywordshavenotalsoabearingonlegislation；forIamnotdiscoursingonlyforthepleasureoftalking，butfortheargument’ssake。
　　PleasetoremarkthattheexperiencebothofourselvesandthePersianswas，inacertainsense，thesame；forastheyledtheirpeopleintoutterservitude，sowetooledoursintoallfreedom。
　　Andnow，howshallweproceed？forIwouldlikeyoutoobservethatourpreviousargumentshavegooddealtosayforthemselves。
　　Meg。True；butIwishthatyouwouldgiveusafullerexplanation。
　　Ath。Iwill。Undertheancientlaws，myfriends，thepeoplewasnotasnowthemaster，butratherthewillingservantofthelaws。
　　Meg。Whatlawsdoyoumean？
　　Ath。Inthefirstplace，letusspeakofthelawsaboutmusic-thatistosay，suchmusicasthenexisted-inorderthatwemaytracethegrowthoftheexcessoffreedomfromthebeginning。Nowmusicwasearlydividedamongusintocertainkindsandmanners。OnesortconsistedofprayerstotheGods，whichwerecalledhymns；andtherewasanotherandoppositesortcalledlamentations，andanothertermedpaeans，andanother，celebratingthebirthofDionysus，called，Ibelieve，“dithyrambs。“Andtheyusedtheactualword“laws，“ornomoi，foranotherkindofsong；andtothistheyaddedtheterm“citharoedic。“Alltheseandothersweredulydistinguished，norweretheperformersallowedtoconfuseonestyleofmusicwithanother。Andtheauthoritywhichdeterminedandgavejudgment，andpunishedthedisobedient，wasnotexpressedinahiss，norinthemostunmusicalshoutsofthemultitude，asinourdays，norinapplauseandclappingofhands。Butthedirectorsofpublicinstructioninsistedthatthespectatorsshouldlisteninsilencetotheend；andboysandtheirtutors，andthemultitudeingeneral，werekeptquietbyahintfromastick。Suchwasthegoodorderwhichthemultitudewerewillingtoobserve；theywouldneverhavedaredtogivejudgmentbynoisycries。Andthen，astimewenton，thepoetsthemselvesintroducedthereignofvulgarandlawlessinnovation。Theyweremenofgenius，buttheyhadnoperceptionofwhatisjustandlawfulinmusic；raginglikeBacchanalsandpossessedwithinordinatedelights-minglinglamentationswithhymns，andpaeanswithdithyrambs；
　　imitatingthesoundsofthefluteonthelyre，andmakingonegeneralconfusion；ignorantlyaffirmingthatmusichasnotruth，and，whethergoodorbad，canonlybejudgedofrightlybythepleasureofthehearer。Andbycomposingsuchlicentiousworks，andaddingtothemwordsaslicentious，theyhaveinspiredthemultitudewithlawlessnessandboldness，andmadethemfancythattheycanjudgeforthemselvesaboutmelodyandsong。Andinthiswaythetheatresfrombeingmutehavebecomevocal，asthoughtheyhadunderstandingofgoodandbadinmusicandpoetry；andinsteadofanaristocracy，anevilsortoftheatrocracyhasgrownup。Forifthedemocracywhichjudgedhadonlyconsistedofeducatedpersons，nofatalharmwouldhavebeendone；butinmusictherefirstarosetheuniversalconceitofomniscienceandgenerallawlessness；-freedomcamefollowingafterwards，andmen，fancyingthattheyknewwhattheydidnotknow，hadnolongeranyfear，andtheabsenceoffearbegetsshamelessness。Forwhatisthisshamelessness，whichissoevilathing，buttheinsolentrefusaltoregardtheopinionofthebetterbyreasonofanover-daringsortofliberty？
　　Meg。Verytrue。
　　Ath。Consequentuponthisfreedomcomestheotherfreedom，ofdisobediencetorulers；andthentheattempttoescapethecontrolandexhortationoffather，mother，elders，andwhenneartheend，thecontrolofthelawsalso；andattheveryendthereisthecontemptofoathsandpledges，andnoregardatallfortheGods-hereintheyexhibitandimitatetheoldsocalledTitanicnature，andcometothesamepointastheTitanswhentheyrebelledagainstGod，leadingalifeofendlessevils。ButwhyhaveIsaidallthis？Iask，becausetheargumentoughttobepulledupfromtimetotime，andnotbeallowedtorunaway，butheldwithbitandbridle，andthenweshallnot，astheproverbsays，falloffourass。Letusthenoncemoreaskthequestion，Towhatendhasallthisbeensaid？
　　Meg。Verygood。
　　Ath。This，then，hasbeensaidforthesake-
　　Meg。Ofwhat？
　　Ath。Weweremaintainingthatthelawgiveroughttohavethreethingsinview：first，thatthecityforwhichhelegislatesshouldbefree；andsecondly，beatunitywithherself；andthirdly，shouldhaveunderstanding；-thesewereourprinciples，weretheynot？
　　Meg。Certainly。
　　Ath。Withaviewtothisweselectedtwokindsofgovernment，thedespotic，andtheotherthemostfree；andnowweareconsideringwhichofthemistherightform：wetookameaninbothcases，ofdespotismintheone，andoflibertyintheother，andwesawthatinameantheyattainedtheirperfection；butthatwhentheywerecarriedtotheextremeofeither，slaveryorlicence，neitherpartywerethegainers。
　　Meg。Verytrue。
　　Ath。AndthatwasourreasonforconsideringthesettlementoftheDorianarmy，andofthecitybuiltbyDardanusatthefootofthemountains，andtheremovalofcitiestotheseashore，andofourmentionofthefirstmen，whowerethesurvivorsofthedeluge。Andallthatwaspreviouslysaidaboutmusicanddrinking，andwhatpreceded，wassaidwiththeviewofseeinghowastatemightbebestadministered，andhowanindividualmightbestorderhisownlife。Andnow，MegillusandCleinias，howcanweputtotheproofthevalueofourwords？