soldiers, stout in
body, and able to continue in the open air all night. The generality of
the people of whom other democracies are composed are much worse than
these; for their lives are wretched nor have they any business with
virtue in anything they do; these are your mechanics, your exchange-men,
and hired servants; as all these sorts of men frequent the exchange and
the citadel, they can readily attend the public assembly; whereas the
husbandmen, being more dispersed in the country, cannot so easily meet
together-nor are they equally desirous of doing it with these others!
When a country happens to be so situated that a great part of the land
lies at a distance from the city, there it is easy to establish a good
democracy or a free state for the people in general will be obliged to
live in the country; so that it will be necessary in such a democracy,
though there may be an exchange-mob at hand, never to allow a legal
assembly without the inhabitants of the country attend. We have shown in
what manner the first and best democracy ought to be established, and it
will be equally evident as to the rest, for from these we [1319b] should
proceed as a guide, and always separate the meanest of the people from
the rest. But the last and worst, which gives to every citizen without
distinction a share in every part of the administration, is what few
citizens can bear, nor is it easy to preserve for any long time, unless
well supported by laws and manners. We have already noticed almost every
cause that can destroy either this or any other state. Those who have
taken the lead in such a democracy have endeavoured to support it, and
make the people powerful by collecting together as many persons as they
could and giving them their freedom, not only legitimately but naturally
born, and also if either of their parents were citizens, that is to say,
if either their father or mother; and this method is better suited to
this state than any other: and thus the demagogues have usually managed.
They ought, however, to take care, and do this no longer than the common
people are superior to the nobles and those of the middle rank, and
then stop; for, if they proceed still further, they will make the
state disorderly, and the nobles will ill brook the power of the common
people, and be full of resentment against it; which was the cause of
an insurrection at Cyrene: for a little evil is overlooked, but when it
becomes a great one it strikes