300
Str. But is it not true that any man or any number of men whatsoever who have written laws, if they undertake to make any change in those laws, thinking it is all improvement, are doing, to the best of their ability, the same thing which our true statesman does?
300
Y. Soc. Certainly.
300
Str. If, then, they were to do this without science, however, imitate badly in every case; but if they were scientific, then it would no longer be imitation, but the actual perfect reality of which we spoke?
300
Y. Soc. Yes, assuredly.
300
Str. And yet we agreed definitely a while ago that no multitude is able to acquire any art whatsoever.
300
Y. Soc. Yes, that is definitely agreed.
300
Str. Then if there is a kingly See 292 E. art, neither the collective body of the wealthy nor the whole people could ever acquire this science of statesmanship.
300
Y. Soc. No; certainly not.
301
Str. Such states, then, it seems, if they are to imitate well, so far as possible, that true form of government— by a single ruler who rules with science—must never do anything in contravention of their existing written laws and ancestral customs.
301
Y. Soc. You are quite right.
301
Str. Then whenever the rich imitate this government, we call such a state an aristocracy; and when they disregard the laws, we call it an oligarchy.
301
Y. Soc. Yes, I think we do.
301
Str. And again, when one man rules according to laws and imitates the scientific ruler, we call him a king, making no distinction in name between the single ruler who rules by science and him who rules by opinion if they both rule in accordance with laws.
301
Y. Soc. Yes, I think we do.
