species of the
four sorts; and thus they reckon them up; a monarchy, an oligarchy, a
democracy, and this fourth which they call an aristocracy. There is
also a fifth, which bears a name that is also common to the other four,
namely, a state: but as this is seldom to be met with, it has escaped
those who have endeavoured to enumerate the different sorts of
governments, which [1293b] they fix at four only, as does Plato in his
Republic.

An aristocracy, of which I have already treated in the first book, is
rightly called so; for a state governed by the best men, upon the most
virtuous principles, and not upon any hypothesis, which even good men
may propose, has alone a right to be called an aristocracy, for it is
there only that a man is at once a good man and a good citizen; while in
other states men are good only relative to those states. Moreover, there
are some other states which are called by the same name, that differ
both from oligarchies and free states, wherein not only the rich but
also the virtuous have a share in the administration; and have therefore
acquired the name of aristocracies; for in those governments wherein
virtue is not their common care, there are still men of worth and
approved goodness. Whatever state, then, like the Carthaginians,
favours the rich, the virtuous, and the citizens at large, is a sort
of aristocracy: when only the two latter are held in esteem, as at
Lacedaemon, and the state is jointly composed of these, it is a virtuous
democracy. These are the two species of aristocracies after the first,
which is the best of all governments. There is also a third, which is,
whenever a free state inclines to the dominion of a few.

CHAPTER VIII

It now remains for us to treat of that government which is particularly
called a free state, and also of a tyranny; and the reason for my
choosing to place that free state here is, because this, as well
as those aristocracies already mentioned, although they do not seem
excesses, yet, to speak true, they have all departed from what a perfect
government is. Nay, they are deviations both of them equally from other
forms, as I said at the beginning. It is proper to mention a tyranny the
last of all governments, for it is of all others the least like one:
but as my intention is to treat of all governments in general, for this
reason that also, as I have said, will be taken into consideration in
its proper place.

I shall now inquire into a fre