Timaeus — Plato

Republic VIII. Socrates, Adeimantus. The subjects discover the weakness of their rulers.

A slight cause, internal or external, may produce revolution.

Such is the origin and nature of democracy

p. 264

The characteristics of democracy.

Reptihlic VIII. Socrates, Adeimantus. Democracy allows a man to do as he likes, and therefore contains the greatest variety of characters and constitutions.

The law falls into abeyance.

In the first place, are they not free ; and is not the cityfull of freedom and frankness — a man may say and do what he hkes? 'Tis said so, he rephed. And where freedom is, the individual is clearly able to order for himself his own life as he pleases? Clearly. Then in this kind of State there will be the greatest variety of human natures? There will. This, then, seems likely to be the fairest of States, being like an embroidered robe which is spangled with every sort of flower ^ And just as women and children think a variety of colours to be of all things most charming, so there are many men to whom this State, which is spangled with the manners and characters of mankind, will appear to be the fairest of States. Yes. Yes, my good Sir, and there will be no better in which to look for a government. Why? Because of the liberty which reigns there — they have a complete assortment of constitutions ; and he who has a mind to establish a State, as we have been doing, must go to a democracy as he would to a bazaar at which they sell them, and pick out the one that suits him ; then, when he has made his choice, he may found his State. He will be sure to have patterns enough. ' And there being no necessity, I said, for you to govern in this State, even if you have the capacity, or to be governed, unless you like, or to go to war when the rest go to war, or to be at peace when others are at peace, unless you are so disposed — there being no necessity also, because some law forbids you to hold office or be a dicast, that you should not hold office or be a dicast, if you have a fancy — is not this a way of life which for the moment is supremely delightful? For the moment, yes.

p. 558

Omitting ri [iriv) £<t>7}.

cases quite charming? Have you not observed how, in a democracy, many persons, although they have been sen- ^°^jf,^,^^^' tenced to death or exile, just stay where they are and walk about the world — the gentleman parades like a hero, and nobody sees or cares? Yes, he replied, many and many a one.

See too, I said, the forgiving spirit of democracy, and the All principles ' don't care ' about trifles, and the disregard which she shows '"lod'^tast^"'^ of all the fine principles which we solemnly laid down at the are trampled foundation of the city — as when we said that, except in the case JJen^o^rac' ^ of some rarely gifted nature, there never will be a good man who has not from his childhood been used to play amid things of beauty and make of them a joy and a study — how grandly does she trample all these fine notions of ours under her feet, never giving a thought to the pursuits which make a statesman, and promoting to honour any one who professes to be the people's friend.

Yes, she is of a noble spirit. These and other kindred characteristics are proper to democracy, which is a charming form of government, full of variety and disorder, and dispensing a sort of equahty to equals and unequals alike. We know her well. Consider now, I said, what manner of man the individual is, or rather consider, as in the case of the State, how he comes into being. Very good, he said.

Is not this the way — he is the son of the miserly and oligarchical father who has trained him in his own habits? Exactly. And, like his father, he keeps under by force the pleasures Which are which are of the spending and not of the getting sort, being ^nVwhrrTe those which are called unnecessary? unnecessary Obviously.

P'^"^""""- Would you like, for the sake of clearness, to distinguish which are the necessary and which are the unnecessary pleasures ? I should. ' Or, ' the philosophical temper of the condemned.'