173

to a man, but that it is not profitable to do just things, because he will say nothing other than that it is advantageous for him to make the many-formed beast strong by feasting it, and the lion and the parts about the lion, but to starve the man and make him weak, so that he is dragged wherever either of them leads, and not to accustom one to the other nor make them friends, but 12.46.6 to let them bite and fight and devour one another among themselves. For absolutely, he said, this is what the one who praises injustice would say. Therefore, on the other hand, would not the one who says it is profitable to do just things say that one must do these things and say these things, from which the inner man of the man will be most in control and will take care of the many-headed beast like a farmer, nourishing and taming the gentle parts, but preventing the wild parts from growing, having made the nature of the lion an ally and caring for all in common, will thus nourish them to be friends to one another and to himself? For certainly, on the other hand, this is what the one who praises justice says.”

12.47.1 47. THAT PLATO ALSO LEGISLATES TO DIVIDE THE CITIZENS INTO TWELVE TRIBES IN IMITATION OF THE NATION OF THE HEBREWS

Since the whole nation of the Hebrews was divided into twelve tribes, Plato likewise legislates that this must be observed for his own citizens, saying thus: “Let the whole country be divided for us into twelve parts, equal as far as possible, and let one tribe be assigned by lot to each part, and yearly provide five, as it were, country-wardens and garrison-commanders.” And again he says: “The twelve generals who were chosen shall appoint commanders for them, a commander for each tribe.”

48. IN WHAT KIND OF PLACE PLATO LEGISLATES TO FOUND THE CITY; AND HE DESCRIBES SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THE ONE IN JERUSALEM

Of the royal metropolis established long ago among the children of the Hebrews, being far from the sea, and situated in the mountains, and possessing a most fertile land, Plato also says in his Laws that the city being founded by him must be of such a kind. And he speaks thus: 12.48.2 “This is what I would rather ask about it, whether it will be maritime or inland. The city we have just been speaking of, O stranger, is about eighty stades distant from the sea. What then? Are there harbors belonging to it, or is it altogether without harbors? It has excellent harbors on that side, O stranger, as well as possible. 12.48.3 Heavens, what a thing you say. And what of the country around it? Is it all-productive or deficient in some things? It is deficient in almost nothing. And will there be any neighboring city near it? Not very, which is why it is being settled; for some ancient depopulation which occurred in the place has made this country desolate for an immense time. And what? How much of a share of plains and mountains and forest has fallen to our lot? The whole resembles the nature of the rest of Crete. Would you say it is more rugged or more level? Very much so indeed. 12.48.4 Then it would not be incurable for the acquisition of virtue. For if it were going to be on the sea and have good harbors, and not be all-productive but in need of many things, it would need some great savior and divine lawgivers, if it were not, being of such a nature, to have many and various and base customs; but now it has the consolation 12.48.5 of the eighty stades. However, it lies nearer the sea than it ought, by about as much as you say it has better harbors; still, even this is welcome. For the sea as a neighbor to a country, on the one hand,

173

ἀνθρώπῳ, δίκαια δὲ πράττειν οὐ ξυμφέρει, διότι οὐδὲν ἄλλο φήσει ἢ λυσιτελεῖν αὐτῷ τὸ παντοδαπὸν θηρίον εὐωχοῦντι ποιεῖν ἰσχυρὸν καὶ τὸν λέοντα καὶ τὰ περὶ τὸν λέοντα, τὸν δὲ ἄνθρωπον λιμοκτονεῖν παὶ ποιεῖν ἀσθενῆ, ὥστε ἕλκεσθαι ὅπη ἂν ἐκείνων ὁπότερον ἄγῃ, καὶ μηδὲν ἕτερον ἑτέρῳ ξυνεθίζειν μηδὲ φίλον ποιεῖν, ἀλλ' 12.46.6 ἐᾶν αὐτὰ ἐν αὑτοῖς δάκνεσθαί τε καὶ μαχόμενα ἐσθίειν ἄλληλα. Παντάπασι γάρ, ἔφη, ταῦτ' ἂν λέγοι ὁ τὸ ἀδικεῖν ἐπαινῶν. Οὐκοῦν αὖ ὁ τὰ δίκαια λέγων λυσιτελεῖν φαίη ἂν δεῖν ταῦτα πράττειν καὶ ταῦτα λέγειν, ὅθεν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὁ ἐντὸς ἄνθρωπος ἔσται ἐγκρατέστατος καὶ τοῦ πολυκεφάλου θρέμματος ἐπιμελήσεται ὥσπερ γεωργός, τὰ μὲν ἥμερα τρέφων καὶ τιθασσεύων, τὰ δὲ ἄργια ἀποκωλύων φύεσθαι, ξύμμαχον ποιησάμενος τὴν τοῦ λέοντος φύσιν καὶ κοινῇ πάντων κηδόμενος ἀλλήλοις τε καὶ αὑτῷ οὕτω θρέψει; Κομιδῇ γὰρ αὖ λέγει ταῦτα ὁ τὸ δίκαιον ἐπαινῶν.»

12.47.1 μζʹ. ΟΤΙ ΚΑΙ ΠΛΑΤΩΝ ΕΙΣ ∆Ω∆ΕΚΑ ΦΥΛΑΣ ΝΟΜΟΘΕΤΕΙ ∆ΙΕΛΕΙΝ ΤΟΥΣ ΠΟΛΙΤΑΣ ΚΑΤΑ ΜΙΜΗΣΙΝ ΤΟΥ ΤΩΝ ΕΒΡΑΙΩΝ ΕΘΝΟΥΣ

Τοῦ παντὸς Ἑβραίων ἔθνους εἰς δώδεκα φυλὰς διεσταλμένου καὶ ὁ Πλάτων ὁμοίως τοῦτο χρῆναι δεῖν ἐπὶ τῶν αὑτοῦ πολιτῶν φυλάξαι νομοθετεῖ, λέγων ὧδε· «∆ώδεκα μὲν ἡμῖν ἡ χώρα πᾶσα εἰς δύναμιν ἰσομοιρίᾳ νενεμήσθω, φυλὴ δὲ μία τῷ μορίῳ ἑκάστῳ ἐπικληρωθεῖσα κατ' ἐνιαυτὸν παρεχέτω πέντε οἷον ἀγρονόμους τε καὶ φρουράρχους.» Καὶ πάλιν φησί· «Ταξιάρχους αὐτοῖσι προβάλλεσθαι μὲν τοὺς αἱρεθέντας στρατηγοὺς δώδεκα, ἑκάστῃ φυλῇ ταξίαρχον.»

μηʹ. ΕΝ ΠΟΤΑΠΩΙ ΤΗΝ ΠΟΛΙΝ ΚΑΤΟΙΚΙΖΕΙΝ Ο ΠΛΑΤΩΝ ΝΟΜΟΘΕΤΕΙ ΤΟΠΩΙ· ∆ΙΑΓΡΑΦΕΙ ∆Ε ΕΟΙΚΟΤΑ ΤΙΝΑ ΤΩΙ ΕΝ ΙΕΡΟΣΟΛΥΜΟΙΣ

Τῆς παρὰ παισὶν Ἑβραίων πάλαι πρότερον συνεστώσης βασιλικῆς μητροπόλεως, ἄπωθεν μὲν θαλάσσης οὔσης, ἐν ὄρεσι δὲ κατῳκισμένης πάμφορόν τε γῆν κεκτημένης, καὶ ὁ Πλάτων τοιαύτην τινὰ εἶναι δεῖν φησι τὴν πρὸς αὐτοῦ κατοικιζομένην ἐν τοῖς Νόμοις. λέγει δὲ ὧδε· 12.48.2 «Τόδε δὲ περὶ αὐτῆς ἐστιν ὃ βουλόμενος μᾶλλον ἐπερωτάτω, πότερον ἐπιθαλαττίδιος ἔσται τις ἢ χερσαία. Σχεδόν, ὦ ξένε, ἀπέχει θαλάττης γε ἡ πόλις, ἧς πέρι τὰ νῦν δὴ λεχθέντα ἡμῖν, εἴς τινας ὀγδοήκοντα σταδίους. Τί δέ; λιμένες ἆρ' εἰσὶ κατ' αὐτῆς, ἢ τὸ παράπαν ἀλίμενος; Εὐλίμενος μὲν οὖν ταύτη γε, ὡς δυνατόν ἐστι μάλιστα, ὦ ξένε. 12.48.3 Παπαῖ, οἷον λέγεις. τί δέ; περὶ αὐτὴν ἡ χώρα πότερα πάμφορος ἢ καί τινων ἐπιδεής; Σχεδὸν οὐδενὸς ἐπιδεής. Γείτων δὲ αὐτῆς πόλις ἆρ' ἔσται τις πλησίον; Οὐ πάνυ, διὸ κατοικίζεται· παλαιὰ γάρ τις ἐξοίκησις ἐν τῷ τόπῳ γενομένη τὴν χώραν ταύτην ἔρημον ἀπείργασται χρόνον ἀμήχανον ὅσον. Τί δέ; πεδίων τε καὶ ὀρῶν καὶ ὕλης πῶς μέρος ἑκάστων ἡμῖν εἴληχε; Προσέοικε τῇ τῆς ἄλλης Κρήτης φύσει ὅλη. Τραχυτέραν αὐτὴν ἢ πεδινωτέραν ἂν λέγοις; Πάνυ μὲν οὖν. 12.48.4 Οὐ τοίνυν ἀνίατος ἂν εἴη πρὸς ἀρετῆς κτῆσιν. εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἐπιθαλαττία τε ἔμελλεν εἶναι καὶ εὐλίμενος καὶ μὴ πάμφορος, ἀλλ' ἐπιδεὴς πολλῶν, μεγάλου τινὸς ἔδει σωτῆρός γε αὐτῇ καὶ νομοθετῶν θείων τινῶν, εἰ μὴ πολλά τε ἔμελλεν ἤθη καὶ ποικίλα καὶ φαῦλα ἕξειν τοιαύτη φύσει γενομένη· νῦν δὲ παρα 12.48.5 μύθιον ἔχει τὸ τῶν ὀγδοήκοντα σταδίων. ἐγγύτερον μέντοι τοῦ δέοντος κεῖται τῆς θαλάττης, σχεδὸν ὅσον εὐλιμενωτέραν φῂς αὐτὴν εἶναι· ὅμως δὲ ἀγαπητὸν καὶ τοῦτο. πρόσοικος γὰρ θάλαττα χώρᾳ τὸ μὲν παρ'