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Now those who are skilled in tending and keeping bees think that the hive which hums loudest and is most full of noise is thriving and in good condition; but he to whom God has given the care of the rational and political swarm will judge of its happiness chiefly by the quietness and tranquillity of the people; he will accept and imitate to the best of his ability the other precepts of Solon, but will wonder in great perplexity why that great man prescribed that in case of factional disorder whoever joined neither faction should be deprived of civic rights. For in a body afflicted with disease the beginning of a change to health does not come from the diseased parts, but it comes when the condition in the healthy parts gains strength and drives out that which is contrary to nature; and in a people afflicted with faction, if it is not dangerous and destructive but is destined to cease sometime, there must be a strong, permanent, and permeating admixture of sanity and soundness; for to this element there flows from the men of understanding that which is akin to it, and then it permeates the part which is diseased; but States which have fallen into complete disorder are utterly ruined unless they meet with some external necessity and chastisement and are thus forcibly compelled by their misfortunes to be reasonable. Yet certainly it is not fitting in time of disorder to sit without feeling or grief, singing the praises of your own impassiveness and of the inactive and blessed life,This refers to the doctrine held by the Epicurean and Sceptic Schools of philosophy that the perfect state is that of complete tranquillity. and rejoicing in the follies of others; on the contrary, at such times you should by all means put on the buskin of Theramenes,Theramenes was prominent in the oligarchy at Athens in 411 b.c., but later turned against his former associates. In 404 b.c. he was elected one of the Thirty Tyrants, but tried to restrain his colleagues and was put to death by them. He was nicknames Cothurnus because the buskin could be worn on either foot, as he was a member of each party in turn (cf. turncoat). Aristotle, Constitution of Athens, 28. 5. praises him as a patriot. conversing with both parties and joining neither; for you will appear to be, not an outsider by not joining in wrongdoing, but a common partisan of all by coming to their aid; and your not sharing in their misfortunes will not arouse envy, if it is plain that you sympathize with all alike. But the best thing is to see to it in advance that factional discord shall never arise among them and to regard this as the greatest and noblest function of what may be called the art of statesmanship. For observe that of the greatest blessings which States can enjoy, - peace, liberty, plenty, abundance of men, and concord, - so far as peace is concerned the peoples have no need of statesmanship at present; for all war, both Greek and foreign,For the phrase cf. Thucydides, ii. 364. has been banished from among us and has disappeared; and of liberty the peoples have as great a share as our rulers grant them, and perhaps more would not be better for them; but bounteous productiveness of the soil, kindly tempering of the seasons, that wives may bear children like to their sires,Hesiod, Works and Days, 233. and that the offspring may live in safety - these things the wise man will ask the gods in his prayers to grant his fellow-citizens.
