§6.1317bτούτου γὰρ στοχάζεσθαί φασι πᾶσαν δημοκρατίαν)·
for they say that every democracy aims at this).
ἐλευθερίας δὲ ἓν μὲν τὸ ἐν μέρει ἄρχεσθαι καὶ ἄρχειν.
And of freedom, one element is to be ruled and to rule in turn.
καὶ γὰρ τὸ δίκαιον τὸ δημοτικὸν τὸ ἴσον ἔχειν ἐστὶ κατὰ ἀριθμὸν ἀλλὰ μὴ κατʼ ἀξίαν, τούτου δʼ ὄντος τοῦ δικαίου τὸ πλῆθος ἀναγκαῖον εἶναι κύριον, καὶ ὅ τι ἂν δόξῃ τοῖς πλείοσι, τοῦτʼ εἶναι τέλος καὶ τοῦτʼ εἶναι τὸ δίκαιον· φασὶ γὰρ δεῖν ἴσον ἔχειν ἕκαστον τῶν πολιτῶν·
For democratic justice is to have equality according to number but not according to merit, and this justice being so, it is necessary that the multitude is sovereign, and whatever seems good to the majority, this is the end and this is justice; for they say that each of the citizens must have an equal share.
ὥστε ἐν ταῖς δημοκρατίαις συμβαίνει κυριωτέρους εἶναι τοὺς ἀπόρους τῶν εὐπόρων· πλείους γάρ εἰσι, κύριον δὲ τὸ τοῖς πλείοσι δόξαν.
So it happens in democracies that the needy are more sovereign than the wealthy; for they are more, and that which seems good to the majority is sovereign.
ἓν μὲν οὖν τῆς ἐλευθερίας σημεῖον τοῦτο, ὃν τίθενται πάντες οἱ δημοτικοὶ τῆς πολιτείας ὅρον·
This, then, is one sign of freedom, which all democrats set as the definition of the constitution.
ἓν δὲ τὸ ζῆν ὡς βούλεταί τις.
And another is to live as one wants.
τοῦτο γὰρ τῆς ἐλευθερίας ἔργον εἶναί φασιν, εἴπερ τοῦ δουλεύοντος τὸ ζῆν μὴ ὡς βούλεται.
For they say this is the function of freedom, if indeed it is the mark of a slave not to live as he wants.
τῆς μὲν οὖν δημοκρατίας ὅρος οὗτος δεύτερος· ἐντεῦθεν δʼ ἐλήλυθε τὸ μὴ ἄρχεσθαι, μάλιστα μὲν ὑπὸ μηθενός, εἰ δὲ μή, κατὰ μέρος, καὶ συμβάλλεται ταύτῃ πρὸς τὴν ἐλευθερίαν τὴν κατὰ τὸ ἴσον.
This, then, is the second definition of democracy; and from this has come the claim not to be ruled, preferably by no one, but if not, in turn, and in this way it contributes to freedom based on equality.
τούτων δʼ ὑποκειμένων καὶ τοιαύτης οὔσης τῆς ἀρχῆς τὰ τοιαῦτα δημοτικά· τὸ αἱρεῖσθαι τὰς ἀρχὰς πάντας ἐκ πάντων, τὸ ἄρχειν πάντας μὲν ἑκάστου ἕκαστον δʼ ἐν μέρει πάντων, τὸ κληρωτὰς εἶναι τὰς ἀρχὰς ἢ πάσας ἢ ὅσαι μὴ ἐμπειρίας δέονται καὶ τέχνης, τὸ μὴ ἀπὸ τιμήματος μηθενὸς εἶναι τὰς ἀρχὰς ἢ ὅτι μικροτάτου, τὸ μὴ δὶς τὸν αὐτὸν ἄρχειν μηδεμίαν ἢ ὀλιγάκις ἢ ὀλίγας ἔξω τῶν κατὰ πόλεμον, τὸ ὀλιγοχρονίους εἶναι τὰς ἀρχὰς ἢ πάσας ἢ ὅσας ἐνδέχεται, τὸ δικάζειν πάντας καὶ ἐκ πάντων, καὶ περὶ πάντων, ἢ περὶ τῶν πλείστων καὶ τῶν μεγίστων καὶ τῶν κυριωτάτων, οἷον περὶ εὐθυνῶν καὶ πολιτείας καὶ τῶν ἰδίων συναλλαγμάτων, τὸ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν κυρίαν εἶναι πάντων ἢ τῶν μεγίστων, ἀρχὴν δὲ μηδεμίαν μηθενὸς ἢ ὅτι ὀλιγίστων, ἢ τῶν μεγίστων βουλὴν κυρίαν (τῶν δʼ ἀρχῶν δημοτικώτατον βουλή, ὅπου μὴ μισθοῦ εὐπορία πᾶσιν· ἐνταῦθα γὰρ ἀφαιροῦνται καὶ ταύτης τῆς ἀρχῆς τὴν δύναμιν· εἰς αὑτὸν γὰρ ἀνάγει τὰς κρίσεις πάσας ὁ δῆμος εὐπορῶν μισθοῦ, καθάπερ εἴρηται πρότερον ἐν τῇ μεθόδῳ τῇ πρὸ ταύτης), ἔπειτα τὸ μισθοφορεῖν μάλιστα μὲν πάντας, ἐκκλησίαν δικαστήρια ἀρχάς, εἰ δὲ μή, τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὰ δικαστήρια καὶ τὴν βουλὴν καὶ τὰς ἐκκλησίας τὰς κυρίας, ἢ τῶν ἀρχῶν ἃς ἀνάγκη συσσιτεῖν μετʼ ἀλλήλων.
And these things being assumed, and the principle being such, the following are democratic: that all offices are elected by all from all, that all rule over each, and each in turn over all, that offices are allocated by lot, either all of them or as many as do not require experience and skill, that offices do not require any property qualification, or only the smallest possible, that the same person does not hold any office twice, or only rarely, or only a few offices except those concerning war, that offices are of short duration, either all of them or as many as possible, that all judge, and from all, and about all things, or about most things and the greatest and most sovereign, such as about audits of accounts, the constitution, and private contracts, that the assembly is sovereign over all things or the greatest things, and no office is sovereign over anything or over only the fewest things, or the council is sovereign over the greatest things (and of offices, the council is the most democratic, where there is no abundance of pay for all; for there they take away the power even of this office; for the people, having abundance of pay, refers all judgements to itself, just as has been stated before in the inquiry before this one), then, to receive pay, preferably all—assembly, courts, offices—but if not, the offices, the courts, the council, and the sovereign assemblies, or of the offices those which must dine together.
ἔτι ἐπειδὴ ὀλιγαρχία καὶ γένει καὶ πλούτῳ καὶ παιδείᾳ ὁρίζεται, τὰ δημοτικὰ δοκεῖ τἀναντία τούτων εἶναι, ἀγένεια πενία βαναυσία·
Furthermore, since oligarchy is defined by birth, wealth, and education, democratic features seem to be the opposite of these: low birth, poverty, and vulgarity.
ἔτι δὲ τῶν ἀρχῶν τὸ μηδεμίαν ἀίδιον εἶναι,
Furthermore, of offices, that none is perpetual,