in number, and tilled the ground, living in a common habitation, which they protected by walls against wild beasts; but the several families retained the laws and customs which they separately received from their first parents.  They would naturally like their own laws better than any others, and would be already formed by them when they met in a common society:  thus legislation imperceptibly began among them.  For in the next stage the associated families would appoint plenipotentiaries, who would select and present to the chiefs those of all their laws which they thought best.  The chiefs in turn would make a further selection, and would thus become the lawgivers of the state, which they would form into an aristocracy or a monarchy.  ‘Probably.’  In the third stage various other forms of government would arise.  This state of society is described by Homer in speaking of the foundation of Dardania, which, he says,

’was built at the foot of many-fountained Ida, for Ilium, the city of the plain, as yet was not.’

Here, as also in the account of the Cyclopes, the poet by some divine inspiration has attained truth.  But to proceed with our tale.  Ilium was built in a wide plain, on a low hill, which was surrounded by streams descending from Ida.  This shows that many ages must have passed; for the men who remembered the deluge would never have placed their city at the mercy of the waters.  When mankind began to multiply, many other cities were built in similar situations.  These cities carried on a ten years’ war against Troy, by sea as well as land, for men were ceasing to be afraid of the sea, and, in the meantime, while the chiefs of the army were at Troy, their homes fell into confusion.  The youth revolted and refused to receive their own fathers; deaths, murders, exiles ensued.  Under the new name of Dorians, which they received from their chief Dorieus, the exiles returned:  the rest of the story is part of the history of Sparta.

Thus, after digressing from the subject of laws into music and drinking, we return to the settlement of Sparta, which in laws and institutions is the sister of Crete.  We have seen the rise of a first, second, and third state, during the lapse of ages; and now we arrive at a fourth state, and out of the comparison of all four we propose to gather the nature of laws and governments, and the changes which may be desirable in them.  ‘If,’ replies the Spartan, ’our new discussion is likely to be as good as the last, I would think the longest day too short for such an employment.’

Let us imagine the time when Lacedaemon, and Argos, and Messene were all subject, Megillus, to your ancestors.  Afterwards, they distributed the army into three portions, and made three cities—­Argos, Messene, Lacedaemon.  ‘Yes.’  Temenus was the king of Argos, Cresphontes of Messene, Procles and Eurysthenes ruled at Lacedaemon.  ‘Just so.’  And they all swore to assist any one of their number whose