As in a web the warp is stronger than the woof, so should the rulers be stronger than their half-educated subjects.  Let us suppose, then, that in the constitution of a state there are two parts, the appointment of the rulers, and the laws which they have to administer.  But, before going further, there are some preliminary matters which have to be considered.

As of animals, so also of men, a selection must be made; the bad breed must be got rid of, and the good retained.  The legislator must purify them, and if he be not a despot he will find this task to be a difficult one.  The severer kinds of purification are practised when great offenders are punished by death or exile, but there is a milder process which is necessary when the poor show a disposition to attack the property of the rich, for then the legislator will send them off to another land, under the name of a colony.  In our case, however, we shall only need to purify the streams before they meet.  This is often a troublesome business, but in theory we may suppose the operation performed, and the desired purity attained.  Evil men we will hinder from coming, and receive the good as friends.

Like the old Heraclid colony, we are fortunate in escaping the abolition of debts and the distribution of land, which are difficult and dangerous questions.  But, perhaps, now that we are speaking of the subject, we ought to say how, if the danger existed, the legislator should try to avert it.  He would have recourse to prayers, and trust to the healing influence of time.  He would create a kindly spirit between creditors and debtors:  those who have should give to those who have not, and poverty should be held to be rather the increase of a man’s desires than the diminution of his property.  Good-will is the only safe and enduring foundation of the political society; and upon this our city shall be built.  The lawgiver, if he is wise, will not proceed with the arrangement of the state until all disputes about property are settled.  And for him to introduce fresh grounds of quarrel would be madness.

Let us now proceed to the distribution of our state, and determine the size of the territory and the number of the allotments.  The territory should be sufficient to maintain the citizens in moderation, and the population should be numerous enough to defend themselves, and sometimes to aid their neighbours.  We will fix the number of citizens at 5040, to which the number of houses and portions of land shall correspond.  Let the number be divided into two parts and then into three; for it is very convenient for the purposes of distribution, and is capable of fifty-nine divisions, ten of which proceed without interval from one to ten.  Here are numbers enough for war and peace, and for all contracts and dealings.  These properties of numbers are true, and should be ascertained with a view to use.