§2.1263aλέγω δὲ τὰ περὶ τὴν κτῆσιν πότερον κἂν ᾖ ἐκεῖνα χωρίς, καθʼ ὃν νῦν τρόπον ἔχει πᾶσι, τάς γε κτήσεις κοινὰς εἶναι βέλτιον καὶ τὰς χρήσεις, οἷον τὰ μὲν γήπεδα χωρίς, τοὺς δὲ καρποὺς εἰς τὸ κοινὸν φέροντας ἀναλίσκειν (ὅπερ ἔνια ποιεῖ τῶν ἐθνῶν), ἢ τοὐναντίον τὴν μὲν γῆν κοινὴν εἶναι καὶ γεωργεῖν κοινῇ, τοὺς δὲ καρποὺς διαιρεῖσθαι πρὸς τὰς ἰδίας χρήσεις (λέγονται δέ τινες καὶ τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον κοινωνεῖν τῶν βαρβάρων), ἢ καὶ τὰ γήπεδα καὶ τοὺς καρποὺς κοινούς.
And I speak of the matters concerning property, whether, even if those things are separate, in the manner that is now the case for everyone, it is better for properties and their uses to be common; for instance, should the plots of land be separate, but bringing the crops into the common stock, they consume them (as some of the nations do), or on the contrary, should the land be common and they cultivate it in common, but the crops be divided for private uses (and some of the barbarians are said to share in this manner), or should both the plots of land and the crops be common?
ἑτέρων μὲν οὖν ὄντων τῶν γεωργούντων ἄλλος ἂν εἴη τρόπος καὶ ῥᾴων, αὐτῶν δʼ αὑτοῖς διαπονούντων τὰ περὶ τὰς κτήσεις πλείους ἂν παρέχοι δυσκολίας.
Now, if the cultivators were others, there would be another and easier way, but if they themselves labor for themselves on the matters of property, it would present more difficulties.
καὶ γὰρ ἐν ταῖς ἀπολαύσεσι καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις μὴ γινομένων ἴσων ἀλλʼ ἀνίσων ἀναγκαῖον ἐγκλήματα γίνεσθαι πρὸς τοὺς ἀπολαύοντας μὲν ἢ λαμβάνοντας πολλά, ὀλίγα δὲ πονοῦντας, τοῖς ἐλάττω μὲν λαμβάνουσι, πλείω δὲ πονοῦσιν.
For indeed, in both enjoyments and labors, when equal shares do not occur but unequal ones do, accusations must inevitably arise on the part of those who receive less but labor more, against those who enjoy or take much but labor little.
ὅλως δὲ τὸ συζῆν καὶ κοινωνεῖν τῶν ἀνθρωπικῶν πάντων χαλεπόν, καὶ μάλιστα τῶν τοιούτων.
And as a whole, to live together and to share in all human matters is difficult, and especially in such things as these.
δηλοῦσι δʼ αἱ τῶν συναποδήμων κοινωνίαι· σχεδὸν γὰρ οἱ πλεῖστοι διαφέρονται ἐκ τῶν ἐν ποσὶ καὶ ἐκ μικρῶν προσκρούοντες ἀλλήλοις.
This is shown by the associations of fellow travelers; for almost the majority of them quarrel over things at hand and from small things strike against one another.
ἔτι δὲ τῶν θεραπόντων τούτοις μάλιστα προσκρούομεν οἷς πλεῖστα προσχρώμεθα πρὸς τὰς διακονίας τὰς ἐγκυκλίους.
Furthermore, we strike most against those of the servants whom we employ most for our everyday services.
τὸ μὲν οὖν κοινὰς εἶναι τὰς κτήσεις ταύτας τε καὶ ἄλλας τοιαύτας ἔχει δυσχερείας, ὃν δὲ νῦν τρόπον ἔχει καὶ ἐπικοσμηθὲν ἔθεσι καὶ τάξει νόμων ὀρθῶν, οὐ μικρὸν ἂν διενέγκαι.
That properties should be common, therefore, has these and other such difficulties; but the manner that is now the case, if adorned by customs and the order of correct laws, would differ not a little.
ἕξει γὰρ τὸ ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων ἀγαθόν· λέγω δὲ τὸ ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων τὸ ἐκ τοῦ κοινὰς εἶναι τὰς κτήσεις καὶ τὸ ἐκ τοῦ ἰδίας.
For it will have the good of both; and I mean by "the good of both" that which comes from properties being common and that which comes from them being private.
δεῖ γὰρ πὼς μὲν εἶναι κοινάς, ὅλως δʼ ἰδίας.
For properties ought to be common in some way, but as a whole private.
αἱ μὲν γὰρ ἐπιμέλειαι διῃρημέναι τὰ ἐγκλήματα πρὸς ἀλλήλους οὐ ποιήσουσιν, μᾶλλον δʼ ἐπιδώσουσιν ὡς πρὸς ἴδιον ἑκάστου προσεδρεύοντος· διʼ ἀρετὴν δʼ ἔσται πρὸς τὸ χρῆσθαι, κατὰ τὴν παροιμίαν, κοινὰ τὰ φίλων. ἔστι δὲ καὶ νῦν τὸν τρόπον τοῦτον ἐν ἐνίαις πόλεσιν οὕτως ὑπογεγραμμένον, ὡς οὐκ ὂν ἀδύνατον, καὶ μάλιστα ἐν ταῖς καλῶς οἰκουμέναις τὰ μὲν ἔστι τὰ δὲ γένοιτʼ ἄν· ἰδίαν γὰρ ἕκαστος τὴν κτῆσιν ἔχων τὰ μὲν χρήσιμα ποιεῖ τοῖς φίλοις, τοῖς δὲ χρῆται κοινοῖς, οἷον καὶ ἐν Λακεδαίμονι τοῖς τε δούλοις χρῶνται τοῖς ἀλλήλων ὡς εἰπεῖν ἰδίοις, ἔτι δʼ ἵπποις καὶ κυσίν, κἂν δεηθῶσιν ἐφοδίων ἐν τοῖς ἀγροῖς κατὰ τὴν χώραν.
For cares, being divided, will not cause accusations against one another, but rather they will increase as each attends to his own; and through virtue there will be, for the purpose of use, according to the proverb, "the things of friends are common." And indeed even now in some cities this is outlined in this way, as not being impossible, and especially in those that are well governed, some parts exist and others might come to be; for each having his property private, makes some things useful to his friends, and uses others in common, just as also in Lacedaemon they use one another's slaves as, so to speak, their own, and furthermore horses and dogs, and if they need provisions in the fields throughout the territory.
φανερὸν τοίνυν ὅτι βέλτιον εἶναι μὲν ἰδίας τὰς κτήσεις, τῇ δὲ χρήσει ποιεῖν κοινάς· ὅπως δὲ γίνωνται τοιοῦτοι, τοῦ νομοθέτου τοῦτʼ ἔργον ἴδιόν ἐστιν.
It is clear, then, that it is better for properties to be private, but to make them common in use; but how they are to become such, this is the proper work of the legislator.
ἔτι δὲ καὶ πρὸς ἡδονὴν ἀμύθητον ὅσον διαφέρει τὸ νομίζειν ἴδιόν τι.
Furthermore, even for pleasure, it makes an unspeakable difference to think of something as one's own.