often either their fellow-magistrates or some private persons conspire
together and turn out the _kosmoi_. They are also permitted to resign
their office before their time is elapsed, and if all this was done by
law it would be well, and not at the pleasure of the individuals, which
is a bad rule to follow. But what is worst of all is, that general
confusion which those who are in power introduce to impede the ordinary
course of justice; which sufficiently shows what is the nature of the
government, or rather lawless force: for it is usual with the principal
persons amongst them to collect together some of the common people and
their friends, and then revolt and set up for themselves, and come
to blows with each other. And what is the difference, if a state is
dissolved at once by such violent means, or if it gradually so alters in
process of time as to be no longer the same constitution? A state like
this would ever be exposed to the invasions of those who were powerful
and inclined to attack it; but, as has been already mentioned, its
situation preserves it, as it is free from the inroads of foreigners;
and for this reason the family slaves still remain quiet at Crete, while
the Helots are perpetually revolting: for the Cretans take no part in
foreign affairs, and it is but lately that any foreign troops have
made an attack upon the island; and their ravages soon proved the
ineffectualness of their laws. And thus much for the government of
Crete.

CHAPTER XI

The government of Carthage seems well established, and in many respects
superior to others; in some particulars it bears a near resemblance
to the Lacedaemonians; and indeed these three states, the Cretans, the
Lacedaemonians and the Carthaginians are in some things very like
each other, in others they differ greatly. Amongst many excellent
constitutions this may show how well their government is framed, that
although the people are admitted to a share in the administration, the
form of it remains unaltered, without any popular insurrections, worth
notice, on the one hand, or degenerating into a tyranny on the
other. Now the Carthaginians have these things in common with the
Lacedaemonians: public tables for those who are connected together by
the tie of mutual friendship, after the manner of their Phiditia; they
have also a magistracy, consisting of an hundred and four persons,
similar to the ephori, or rather selected with more judgment; for
amongst