t system of laws, should calculate them for
the use of the better part of the citizens, or the many, in the
circumstances we have already mentioned? The rectitude of anything
consists in its equality; that therefore which is equally right will be
advantageous to the whole state, and to every member of it in common.

Now, in general, a citizen is one who both shares in the government and
also in his turn submits to be governed; [1284a] their condition, it is
true, is different in different states: the best is that in which a man
is enabled to choose and to persevere in a course of virtue during his
whole life, both in his public and private state. But should there be
one person, or a very few, eminent for an uncommon degree of virtue,
though not enough to make up a civil state, so that the virtue of the
many, or their political abilities, should be too inferior to come in
comparison with theirs, if more than one; or if but one, with his only;
such are not to be considered as part of the city; for it would be doing
them injustice to rate them on a level with those who are so far their
inferiors in virtue and political abilities, that they appear to them
like a god amongst men. From whence it is evident, that a system of laws
must be calculated for those who are equal to each other in nature and
power. Such men, therefore, are not the object of law; for they are
themselves a law: and it would be ridiculous in any one to endeavour to
include them in the penalties of a law: for probably they might say what
Antisthenes tells us the lions did to the hares when they demanded to
be admitted to an equal share with them in the government. And it is on
this account that democratic states have established the ostracism; for
an equality seems the principal object of their government. For which
reason they compel all those who are very eminent for their power, their
fortune, their friendships, or any other cause which may give them too
great weight in the government, to submit to the ostracism, and leave
the city for a stated time; as the fabulous histories relate the
Argonauts served Hercules, for they refused to take him with them in the
ship Argo on account of his superior valour. For which reason those who
hate a tyranny and find fault with the advice which Periander gave to
Thrasybulus, must not think there was nothing to be said in its defence;
for the story goes, that Periander said nothing to the messenger in
answer to the busi