Political fragments of Archytas, Charondas, Zaleucus, and other ancient Pythagoreans, preserved by Stobæus : $b and also, Ethical fragments of Hierocles, the celebrated commentator on the Golden Pythagoric Verses, preserved by the same author
Philosophy
Political fragments of Archytas, Charondas, Zaleucus, and other ancient Pythagoreans, preserved by Stobæus : $b and also, Ethical fragments of Hierocles, the celebrated commentator on the Golden Pythagoric Verses, preserved by the same author
Ethics -- Early works to 1800; Political science -- Early works to 1800
It is necessary that the laws should not be enclosed in houses, and
by gates, but in the manners of the citizens. What, therefore, is the
principle of every polity? The education of youth. For vines will
never bear useful fruit, unless they are well cultivated; nor will
horses ever become excellent, if colts are not properly trained.
For recently produced fruit receives a figure especially similar to
that which touches and is near to it. And men prudently attend to
the manner in which vines ought to be cut and taken care of; but in
things pertaining to the education of their own species, they conduct
themselves negligently and rashly; though neither vines nor wine
govern men, but man and the soul of man. And we commit the nurture
of a plant, indeed, to a man of some worth, and think that he who
takes care of it, deserves no less than two mina; but we commit the
education of youth to some Illyrian or Thracian, who are men of no
worth. The first legislators, however, as they could not render the
middle class of mankind stable, adjoined [in their education] dancing
and rhythm, which participate of motion alone and order; and besides
these they added sports, some of which exhorted them to fellowship,
but others to truth and mental acuteness. In a similar manner also
they instituted for those who through intoxication or repletion
had committed any crime, the pipe and harmony, by which they gave
an arrangement to the mind, so that the manners being matured and
rendered mild, they might be capable of being adorned.
FROM THE TREATISE OF ARCHYTAS ON LAW AND JUSTICE.
I say that every [political] association consists of a governor
and the governed; and of a third thing, viz. the laws. Of laws,
however, one is animated, viz. a king; but another inanimate, viz.
written law. The first law, therefore, is animated[11]; and if it
is observed, the king will be legitimate; the magistrate will be
consentaneous; the subject will be free; and the whole community will
be happy. But if both the animated and written laws are transgressed,
the king will be a tyrant; the magistrate unfit for his office;
the subject a slave; and the whole community unhappy. For actions
form a continued series from governing, the being governed, and,
in the third place, from subjugation. To govern, therefore, is the
province of that which is more, but to be governed, of that which
is less excellent, and to be subjugated, pertains to both these.
For that part of the soul which is rational governs, the part which
is irrational is governed, and both are vanquished by the passions.
For virtue is produced from the apt conjunction of both these parts;
and she leads the soul from pleasures and pains to tranquillity and
apathy[12].
AND IN ANOTHER PART OF THE SAME WORK.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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