Politics

​Nevertheless, it is possible that the many, when they come together, are better than those few, not individually but as a whole, just as dinner parties to which many contribute are better than those provided at one person’s expense. For since they are many, each has a share of virtue and prudence, and when they come together, the multitude becomes like a single human being with many feet, many hands, and many senses, and so too regarding their characters and intellect. This is why the many also judge better both the works of music and those of the poets; for some judge one part, and all of them together judge the whole. But excellent men differ from each of the many in this very respect, just as beautiful people are said to differ from those who are not beautiful, and as things painted by art differ from real things, by the fact that what is scattered separately is gathered into one; since, if they are taken separately, the eye of this particular painted figure, or some other part of someone else, might be more beautiful than the painting. Whether, therefore, this difference between the many and the few excellent men can exist in the case of every populace and every multitude is not clear; but, by Zeus, it is clear that in some cases it is impossible (for the same argument would apply even to beasts; and yet, what do some people differ from beasts, so to speak?). Nevertheless, concerning a certain multitude, nothing prevents what has been said from being true. Therefore, by these means, one might resolve both the difficulty mentioned before and the one that follows it: namely, over what things the free people and the multitude of citizens ought to be sovereign. Such are those who are neither wealthy nor have any single evaluation of virtue. For their participating in the greatest offices is not safe (since, because of injustice and folly, they must on the one hand act unjustly and on the other hand make errors); yet to give them no share and not to let them participate is fearsome (for when there are many who are deprived of honor and are poor, this city must necessarily be full of enemies). It remains, then, for them to participate in deliberating and judging. Wherefore, both Solon and some of the other legislators appoint them to the election of magistrates and the audit of the rulers, but do not allow them to rule alone. For all of them, when they come together, have sufficient perception, and by mixing with the better they benefit the cities, just as impure food mixed with pure food makes the whole more useful than the small amount of pure food; but each individual on his own is imperfect regarding judgment. But this arrangement of the constitution has a first difficulty: namely, that it would seem to belong to the same person to judge who has treated a patient correctly as to treat them and make the sick person healthy from the present disease; and this person is the doctor.