his friends says very properly to himself, Shall my friends
insult me? The spirit of freedom and command also is what all inherit
who are of this disposition for courage is commanding and invincible. It
also is not right for any one to say, that you should be severe to those
you know not; for this behaviour is proper for no one: nor are those who
are of a noble disposition harsh in their manners, excepting only to the
wicked; and when they are particularly so, it is, as has been already
said, against their friends, when they think they have injured them;
which is agreeable to reason: for when those who think they ought to
receive a favour from any one do not receive it, beside the injury done
them, they consider what they are deprived of: hence the saying, "Cruel
are the wars of brothers;" and this, "Those who have greatly loved
do greatly hate." And thus we have nearly determined how many the
inhabitants of a city ought to be, and what their natural disposition,
and also the country how large, and of what sort is necessary; I say
nearly, because it is needless to endeavour at as great accuracy in
those things which are the objects of the senses as in those which are
inquired into by the understanding only.

CHAPTER VIII

As in natural bodies those things are not admitted to be parts of them
without which the whole would not exist, so also it is evident that in
a political state everything that is necessary thereunto is not to be
considered as a part of it, nor any other community from whence one
whole is made; for one thing ought to be common and the same to the
community, whether they partake of it equally or unequally, as, for
instance, food, land, or the like; but when one thing is for the benefit
of one person, and another for the benefit of another, in this there is
nothing like a community, excepting that one makes it and the other
uses it; as, for instance, between any instrument employed in making any
work, and the workmen, as there is nothing common between the house and
the builder, but the art of the builder is employed on the house. Thus
property is necessary for states, but property is no part of the state,
though many species of it have life; but a city is a community of
equals, for the purpose of enjoying the best life possible: but the
happiest life is the best which consists in the perfect practice of
virtuous energies: as therefore some persons have great, others little
or no opportunity of