man, as man has dominion over the animals.  They took care of us with great ease and pleasure to themselves, and no less to us; and the tradition says that only when God, and not man, is the ruler, can the human race cease from ill.  This was the manner of life which prevailed under Cronos, and which we must strive to follow so far as the principle of immortality still abides in us and we live according to law and the dictates of right reason.  But in an oligarchy or democracy, when the governing principle is athirst for pleasure, the laws are trampled under foot, and there is no possibility of salvation.  Is it not often said that there are as many forms of laws as there are governments, and that they have no concern either with any one virtue or with all virtue, but are relative to the will of the government?  Which is as much as to say that ‘might makes right.’  ‘What do you mean?’ I mean that governments enact their own laws, and that every government makes self-preservation its principal aim.  He who transgresses the laws is regarded as an evil-doer, and punished accordingly.  This was one of the unjust principles of government which we mentioned when speaking of the different claims to rule.  We were agreed that parents should rule their children, the elder the younger, the noble the ignoble.  But there were also several other principles, and among them Pindar’s ‘law of violence.’  To whom then is our state to be entrusted?  For many a government is only a victorious faction which has a monopoly of power, and refuses any share to the conquered, lest when they get into office they should remember their wrongs.  Such governments are not polities, but parties; nor are any laws good which are made in the interest of particular classes only, and not of the whole.  And in our state I mean to protest against making any man a ruler because he is rich, or strong, or noble.  But those who are obedient to the laws, and who win the victory of obedience, shall be promoted to the service of the Gods according to the degree of their obedience.  When I call the ruler the servant or minister of the law, this is not a mere paradox, but I mean to say that upon a willingness to obey the law the existence of the state depends.  ‘Truly, Stranger, you have a keen vision.’  Why, yes; every man when he is old has his intellectual vision most keen.  And now shall we call in our colonists and make a speech to them?  Friends, we say to them, God holds in His hand the beginning, middle, and end of all things, and He moves in a straight line towards the accomplishment of His will.  Justice always bears Him company, and punishes those who fall short of His laws.  He who would be happy follows humbly in her train; but he who is lifted up with pride, or wealth, or honour, or beauty, is soon deserted by God, and, being deserted, he lives in confusion and disorder.  To many he seems a great man; but in a short time he comes to utter destruction.  Wherefore, seeing these things, what ought we to do or think?