Book 7
1328a
A sign of this is that spirit is more roused against associates and friends than against strangers, when it thinks itself slighted. Therefore ArchilochusArchilochus of Paros (one of the earliest lyric poets, fl. 600 B.C., the inventor of the iambic meter, which he used for lampoons), fr. 61 Bergk, 676 Diehl, 67 Edmonds,Elegy and Iambus, 2. 133. for instance, when reproaching his friends, appropriately apostrophizes his spirit: For ’tis thy friends that make thee choke with rage. Moreover it is from this faculty that power to command and love of freedom are in all cases derived; for spirit is a commanding and indomitable element. But it is a mistake to describe the Guardians as cruel towards strangers; it is not right to be cruel towards anybody, and men of great-souled nature are not fierce except towards wrongdoers, and their anger is stillfiercer against their companions if they think that these are wronging them, as has been said before. And this is reasonable, because they think that in addition to the harm done them they are also being defrauded of a benefit by persons whom they believe to owe them one. Hence the sayings For brothers’ wars are cruel, Eur. frag. 965. and They that too deeply loved too deeply hate. Nauck frag. 78
1328a
We have now approximately decided what are the proper numbers and the natural qualities of those who exercise the right of citizens, and the proper extent and nature of the territory (for we must notseek to attain the same exactness by means of theoretical discussions as is obtained by means of the facts that come to us through sense-perceptions).
