§5.1310aὥστε φθείροντες τοῖς καθʼ ὑπεροχὴν νόμοις φθείρουσι τὰς πολιτείας.
So, while destroying them with laws of excess, they destroy the constitutions.
ἁμαρτάνουσι δὲ καὶ ἐν ταῖς δημοκρατίαις καὶ ἐν ταῖς ὀλιγαρχίαις, ἐν μὲν ταῖς δημοκρατίαις οἱ δημαγωγοί, ὅπου τὸ πλῆθος κύριον τῶν νόμων· δύο γὰρ ποιοῦσιν ἀεὶ τὴν πόλιν, μαχόμενοι τοῖς εὐπόροις, δεῖ δὲ τοὐναντίον αἰεὶ δοκεῖν λέγειν ὑπὲρ εὐπόρων, ἐν δὲ ταῖς ὀλιγαρχίαις ὑπὲρ τοῦ δήμου τοὺς ὀλιγαρχικούς, καὶ τοὺς ὅρκους ἐναντίους ἢ νῦν ὀμνύναι τοὺς ὀλιγαρχικούς· νῦν μὲν γὰρ ἐν ἐνίαις ὀμνύουσι
"καὶ τῷ δήμῳ κακόνους ἔσομαι καὶ βουλεύσω ὅ τι ἂν ἔχω κακόν"
, χρὴ δὲ καὶ ὑπολαμβάνειν καὶ ὑποκρίνεσθαι τοὐναντίον, ἐπισημαινομένους ἐν τοῖς ὅρκοις ὅτι
"οὐκ ἀδικήσω τὸν δῆμον"
. μέγιστον δὲ πάντων τῶν εἰρημένων πρὸς τὸ διαμένειν τὰς πολιτείας, οὗ νῦν ὀλιγωροῦσι πάντες, τὸ παιδεύεσθαι πρὸς τὰς πολιτείας.
But errors are committed both in democracies and in oligarchies: in democracies, by the demagogues, where the multitude is sovereign over the laws; for they always make the city into two, fighting against the wealthy, whereas they ought on the contrary always to seem to speak on behalf of the wealthy; and in oligarchies the oligarchs ought to speak on behalf of the people, and the oligarchs ought to swear oaths opposite to those they swear now; for now in some states they swear: "And I will be malevolent to the people and will plot whatever evil I can," whereas they ought both to assume and to pretend the opposite, declaring in their oaths that: "I will not wrong the people." But the greatest of all the mentioned things for the preservation of constitutions, which all now neglect, is to be educated in accordance with the constitutions.
ὄφελος γὰρ οὐθὲν τῶν ὠφελιμωτάτων νόμων καὶ συνδεδοξασμένων ὑπὸ πάντων τῶν πολιτευομένων, εἰ μὴ ἔσονται εἰθισμένοι καὶ πεπαιδευμένοι ἐν τῇ πολιτείᾳ, εἰ μὲν οἱ νόμοι δημοτικοί, δημοτικῶς, εἰ δʼ ὀλιγαρχικοί, ὀλιγαρχικῶς.
For there is no benefit in the most useful laws, even if they have been approved by all those in the government, if they are not habituated and educated in the constitution: if the laws are democratic, democratically; if oligarchic, oligarchically.
εἴπερ γὰρ ἔστιν ἐφʼ ἑνὸς ἀκρασία, ἔστι καὶ ἐπὶ πόλεως.
For if there is lack of self-control in one individual, there is also in a city.
ἔστι δὲ τὸ πεπαιδεῦσθαι πρὸς τὴν πολιτείαν οὐ τοῦτο, τὸ ποιεῖν οἷς χαίρουσιν οἱ ὀλιγαρχοῦντες ἢ οἱ δημοκρατίαν βουλόμενοι, ἀλλʼ οἷς δυνήσονται οἱ μὲν ὀλιγαρχεῖν οἱ δὲ δημοκρατεῖσθαι.
And to be educated in accordance with the constitution is not to do what the oligarchs or those wishing for democracy enjoy, but what will enable the former to govern oligarchically and the latter to live under democracy.
νῦν δʼ ἐν μὲν ταῖς ὀλιγαρχίαις οἱ τῶν ἀρχόντων υἱοὶ τρυφῶσιν, οἱ δὲ τῶν ἀπόρων γίγνονται γεγυμνασμένοι καὶ πεπονηκότες, ὥστε καὶ βούλονται μᾶλλον καὶ δύνανται νεωτερίζειν·
But now in oligarchies the sons of the rulers live in luxury, while those of the poor become trained and hardworking, so that they are both more willing and more able to revolt.
ἐν δὲ ταῖς δημοκρατίαις ταῖς μάλιστα εἶναι δοκούσαις δημοκρατικαῖς τοὐναντίον τοῦ συμφέροντος καθέστηκεν, αἴτιον δὲ τούτου ὅτι κακῶς ὁρίζονται τὸ ἐλεύθερον.
On the other hand, in democracies which seem to be most democratic, the opposite of what is beneficial is established, and the cause of this is that they define freedom badly.
δύο γάρ ἐστιν οἷς ἡ δημοκρατία δοκεῖ ὡρίσθαι, τῷ τὸ πλεῖον εἶναι κύριον καὶ τῇ ἐλευθερίᾳ·
For there are two things by which democracy seems to be defined: the majority being sovereign, and freedom.
τὸ μὲν γὰρ δίκαιον ἴσον δοκεῖ εἶναι, ἴσον δʼ ὅ τι ἂν δόξῃ τῷ πλήθει, τοῦτʼ εἶναι κύριον, ἐλεύθερον δὲ τὸ ὅ τι ἂν βούληταί τις ποιεῖν·
For justice is thought to be equality, and equality is that whatever the multitude decides is sovereign, and freedom is to do whatever one wishes.
ὥστε ζῇ ἐν ταῖς τοιαύταις δημοκρατίαις ἕκαστος ὡς βούλεται, καὶ εἰς ὃ χρῄζων, ὡς φησὶν Εὐριπίδης·
So in such democracies each lives as he wishes, and "towards whatever he desires," as Euripides says.
τοῦτο δʼ ἐστὶ φαῦλον· οὐ γὰρ δεῖ οἴεσθαι δουλείαν εἶναι τὸ ζῆν πρὸς τὴν πολιτείαν, ἀλλὰ σωτηρίαν.
But this is bad; for one ought not to think that living in accordance with the constitution is slavery, but salvation.
ἐξ ὧν μὲν οὖν αἱ πολιτεῖαι μεταβάλλουσι καὶ φθείρονται, καὶ διὰ τίνων σῴζονται καὶ διαμένουσιν, ὡς ἁπλῶς εἰπεῖν τοσαῦτά ἐστιν.
From what causes, then, constitutions change and are destroyed, and by what means they are preserved and continue, to speak simply, are these.
λείπεται δʼ ἐπελθεῖν καὶ περὶ μοναρχίας, ἐξ ὧν τε φθείρεται καὶ διʼ ὧν σῴζεσθαι πέφυκεν.
It remains to go through monarchy also, from what causes it is destroyed and by what means it is by nature preserved.
§5.1310bσχεδὸν δὲ παραπλήσια τοῖς εἰρημένοις περὶ τὰς πολιτείας ἐστὶ καὶ τὰ συμβαίνοντα περὶ τὰς βασιλείας καὶ τὰς τυραννίδας.
And almost similar to what has been said about constitutions are the things that happen about kingships and tyrannies.
ἡ μὲν γὰρ βασιλεία κατὰ τὴν ἀριστοκρατίαν ἐστίν, ἡ δὲ τυραννὶς ἐξ ὀλιγαρχίας τῆς ὑστάτης σύγκειται καὶ δημοκρατίας· διὸ δὴ καὶ βλαβερωτάτη τοῖς ἀρχομένοις ἐστίν, ἅτε ἐκ δυοῖν συγκειμένη κακῶν καὶ τὰς παρεκβάσεις καὶ τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἔχουσα τὰς παρʼ ἀμφοτέρων τῶν πολιτειῶν.
For kingship is in accordance with aristocracy, while tyranny is composed of the extreme oligarchy and democracy; therefore it is indeed most harmful to the subjects, since it is composed of two evils and has the deviations and errors of both constitutions.
ὑπάρχει δʼ ἡ γένεσις εὐθὺς ἐξ ἐναντίων ἑκατέρᾳ τῶν μοναρχιῶν· ἡ μὲν γὰρ βασιλεία πρὸς βοήθειαν τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ δήμου τοῖς ἐπιεικέσι γέγονεν, καὶ καθίσταται βασιλεὺς ἐκ τῶν ἐπιεικῶν καθʼ ὑπεροχὴν ἀρετῆς ἢ πράξεων τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀρετῆς, ἢ καθʼ ὑπεροχὴν τοιούτου γένους, ὁ δὲ τύραννος ἐκ τοῦ δήμου καὶ τοῦ πλήθους ἐπὶ τοὺς γνωρίμους, ὅπως ὁ δῆμος ἀδικῆται μηδὲν ὑπʼ αὐτῶν.
And the origin of each of the monarchies is immediately from opposites; for kingship arose for assistance to the decent from the people, and a king is established from the decent in accordance with superiority of virtue or deeds from virtue, or in accordance with superiority of such a family, while the tyrant is from the people and the multitude against the notables, so that the people may suffer no wrong from them.
φανερὸν δʼ ἐκ τῶν συμβεβηκότων.
This is clear from what has happened.
σχεδὸν γὰρ οἱ πλεῖστοι τῶν τυράννων γεγόνασιν ἐκ δημαγωγῶν ὡς εἰπεῖν, πιστευθέντες ἐκ τοῦ διαβάλλειν τοὺς γνωρίμους.
For almost most of the tyrants have arisen from demagogues, so to speak, having been trusted because of their slandering the notables.
αἱ μὲν γὰρ τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον κατέστησαν τῶν τυραννίδων, ἤδη τῶν πόλεων ηὐξημένων, αἱ δὲ πρὸ τούτων ἐκ τῶν βασιλέων παρεκβαινόντων τὰ πάτρια καὶ δεσποτικωτέρας ἀρχῆς ὀρεγομένων, αἱ δὲ ἐκ τῶν αἱρετῶν ἐπὶ τὰς κυρίας ἀρχάς (τὸ γὰρ ἀρχαῖον οἱ δῆμοι καθίστασαν πολυχρονίους τὰς δημιουργίας καὶ τὰς θεωρίας), αἱ δʼ ἐκ τῶν ὀλιγαρχιῶν, αἱρουμένων ἕνα τινὰ κύριον ἐπὶ τὰς μεγίστας ἀρχάς.
For some of the tyrannies were established in this manner, when the cities had already grown, while those before these arose from kings deviating from traditional ways and desiring a more despotic rule, and others from those elected to the sovereign offices (for in ancient times the people established the magistrates and the embassies for long terms), and others from oligarchies, choosing some one person sovereign over the greatest offices.
πᾶσι γὰρ ὑπῆρχε τοῖς τρόποις τούτοις τὸ κατεργάζεσθαι ῥᾳδίως, εἰ μόνον βουληθεῖεν, διὰ τὸ δύναμιν προϋπάρχειν τοῖς μὲν βασιλικῆς ἀρχῆς τοῖς δὲ τὴν τῆς τιμῆς·
For in all these ways it was easy for them to accomplish it easily, if only they wished, because power pre-existed, for some that of kingly office, for others that of honor.
οἷον Φείδων μὲν περὶ Ἄργος καὶ ἕτεροι τύραννοι κατέστησαν βασιλείας ὑπαρχούσης, οἱ δὲ περὶ τὴν Ἰωνίαν καὶ Φάλαρις ἐκ τῶν τιμῶν, Παναίτιος δʼ ἐν Λεοντίνοις καὶ Κύψελος ἐν Κορίνθῳ καὶ Πεισίστρατος Ἀθήνησι καὶ Διονύσιος ἐν Συρακούσαις καὶ ἕτεροι τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον ἐκ δημαγωγίας.
For example, Pheidon at Argos and other tyrants were established when kingship already existed, while those in Ionia and Phalaris from offices of honor, and Panaetius in Leontini and Cypselus in Corinth and Peisistratus at Athens and Dionysius at Syracuse and others in the same manner from demagogy.
καθάπερ οὖν εἴπομεν, ἡ βασιλεία τέτακται κατὰ τὴν ἀριστοκρατίαν.
Therefore, just as we said, kingship is ordered in accordance with aristocracy.
κατʼ ἀξίαν γάρ ἐστιν, ἢ κατʼ ἰδίαν ἀρετὴν ἢ κατὰ γένος, ἢ κατʼ εὐεργεσίας, ἢ κατὰ ταῦτά τε καὶ δύναμιν.
For it is according to worth, either according to personal virtue or family, or according to benefits, or according to these and power.
ἅπαντες γὰρ εὐεργετήσαντες ἢ δυνάμενοι τὰς πόλεις ἢ τὰ ἔθνη εὐεργετεῖν ἐτύγχανον τῆς τιμῆς ταύτης, οἱ μὲν κατὰ πόλεμον κωλύσαντες δουλεύειν, ὥσπερ Κόδρος, οἱ δʼ ἐλευθερώσαντες, ὥσπερ Κῦρος, ἢ κτίσαντες ἢ κτησάμενοι χώραν, ὥσπερ οἱ Λακεδαιμονίων βασιλεῖς καὶ Μακεδόνων καὶ Μολοττῶν.
For all who had benefited or were able to benefit cities or nations obtained this honor, some having prevented them from being enslaved in war, like Codrus, others having liberated them, like Cyrus, or having founded or acquired land, like the kings of the Lacedaemonians and Macedonians and Molossians.
βούλεται δʼ ὁ βασιλεὺς εἶναι φύλαξ,
And the king wishes to be a guardian,