ople from being desirous
of accepting their employments, and also to induce them to regard their
magistrates with favour when they know what a price they pay for their
honours. It is also necessary that the magistrates, upon entering into
their offices, should make magnificent sacrifices and erect some public
structure, that the people partaking of the entertainment, and seeing
the city ornamented with votive gifts in their temples and public
structures, may see with pleasure the stability of the government: add
to this also, that the nobles will have their generosity recorded: but
now this is not the conduct which those who are at present at the head
of an oligarchy pursue, but the contrary; for they are not more desirous
of honour than of gain; for which reason such oligarchies may more
properly be called little democracies. Thus [1321b] we have explained on
what principles a democracy and an oligarchy ought to be established.

CHAPTER VIII

After what has been said I proceed next to treat particularly of the
magistrates; of what nature they should be, how many, and for what
purpose, as I have already mentioned: for without necessary magistrates
no state can exist, nor without those which contribute to its dignity
and good order can exist happily: now it is necessary that in small
states the magistrates should be few; in a large one, many: also to
know well what offices may be joined together, and what ought to be
separated. The first thing necessary is to establish proper regulators
in the markets; for which purpose a certain magistrate should be
appointed to inspect their contracts and preserve good order; for of
necessity, in almost every city there must be both buyers and sellers to
supply each other's mutual wants: and this is what is most productive
of the comforts of life; for the sake of which men seem to have joined
together in one community. A second care, and nearly related to the
first, is to have an eye both to the public and private edifices in
the city, that they may be an ornament; and also to take care of all
buildings which are likely to fall: and to see that the highways are
kept in proper repair; and also that the landmarks between different
estates are preserved, that there may be no disputes on that account;
and all other business of the same nature. Now, this business may be
divided into several branches, over each of which in populous cities
they appoint a separate person; one to inspe