§6.18.1τοιαύτης δʼ οὔσης τῆς ἑκάστου τῶν μερῶν δυνάμεως εἰς τὸ καὶ βλάπτειν καὶ συνεργεῖν ἀλλήλοις, πρὸς πάσας συμβαίνει τὰς περιστάσεις δεόντως ἔχειν τὴν ἁρμογὴν αὐτῶν, ὥστε μὴ οἷόν τʼ εἶναι ταύτης εὑρεῖν ἀμείνω πολιτείας σύστασιν. §6.18.2ὅταν μὲν γάρ τις ἔξωθεν κοινὸς φόβος ἐπιστὰς ἀναγκάσῃ σφᾶς συμφρονεῖν καὶ συνεργεῖν ἀλλήλοις, τηλικαύτην καὶ τοιαύτην συμβαίνει γίνεσθαι τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ πολι §6.18.3τεύματος ὥστε μήτε παραλείπεσθαι τῶν δεόντων μηδέν, ἅτε περὶ τὸ προσπεσὸν ἀεὶ πάντων ὁμοῦ ταῖς ἐπινοίαις ἁμιλλωμένων, μήτε τὸ κριθὲν ὑστερεῖν τοῦ καιροῦ, κοινῇ καὶ κατʼ ἰδίαν ἑκάστου συνεργοῦντος πρὸς τὴν τοῦ προκειμένου συντέλειαν. §6.18.4διόπερ ἀνυπόστατον συμβαίνει γίνεσθαι καὶ παντὸς ἐφικνεῖσθαι τοῦ κριθέντος τὴν ἰδιότητα τοῦ πολιτεύματος. §6.18.5ὅταν γε μὴν πάλιν ἀπολυθέντες τῶν ἐκτὸς φόβων ἐνδιατρίβωσι ταῖς εὐτυχίαις καὶ περιουσίαις ταῖς ἐκ τῶν κατορθωμάτων, ἀπολαύοντες τῆς εὐδαιμονίας, καὶ ὑποκολακευόμενοι καὶ ῥᾳθυμοῦντες τρέπωνται πρὸς ὕβριν καὶ πρὸς ὑπερηφανίαν, ὃ δὴ φιλεῖ γίνεσθαι, §6.18.6τότε καὶ μάλιστα συνιδεῖν ἔστιν αὐτὸ παρʼ αὑτοῦ ποριζόμενον τὸ πολίτευμα τὴν βοήθειαν. §6.18.7ἐπειδὰν γὰρ ἐξοιδοῦν τι τῶν μερῶν φιλονεικῇ καὶ πλέον τοῦ δέοντος ἐπικρατῇ, δῆλον ὡς οὐδενὸς αὐτοτελοῦς ὄντος κατὰ τὸν ἄρτι λόγον, ἀντισπᾶσθαι δὲ καὶ παραποδίζεσθαι δυναμένης τῆς ἑκάστου προθέσεως ὑπʼ ἀλλήλων, οὐδὲν ἐξοιδεῖ τῶν μερῶν οὐδʼ ὑπερφρονεῖ. §6.18.8πάντα γὰρ ἐμμένει τοῖς ὑποκειμένοις τὰ μὲν κωλυόμενα τῆς ὁρμῆς, τὰ δʼ ἐξ ἀρχῆς δεδιότα τὴν ἐκ τοῦ πέλας ἐπίστασιν. [ξοδ. υρβ. φολ. 66 εχξ. αντ. π. 177. ] §6.18.9ὁ δὲ δικτάτωρ ταύτην ἔχει τὴν διαφορὰν τῶν ὑπάτων· τῶν μὲν γὰρ ὑπάτων ἑκατέρῳ δώδεκα πελέκεις ἀκολουθοῦσι, τούτῳ δʼ εἴκοσι καὶ τέτταρες, κἀκεῖνοι μὲν ἐν πολλοῖς προσδέονται τῆς συγκλήτου πρὸς τὸ συντελεῖν τὰς ἐπιβολάς, οὗτος δʼ ἔστιν αὐτοκράτωρ στρατηγός, οὗ κατασταθέντος παραχρῆμα διαλύεσθαι συμβαίνει πάσας τὰς ἀρχὰς ἐν τῇ Ῥώμῃ πλὴν τῶν δημάρχων.
\nSince the power of each of the parts is of such a nature as both to injure and to cooperate with one another, their combination happens to be suitably adapted to all circumstances, so that it is impossible to find a better system of constitution than this.\n\nFor whenever some common fear from without comes upon them and compels them to be of one mind and to cooperate with one another, the power of the state happens to become so great and of such a quality\n\nthat nothing of what is necessary is left undone, since all together are always vying with their intellects to meet the emergency, nor does what has been decided fall behind the occasion, as everyone, both in public and in private, cooperates for the completion of the task before them.\n\nTherefore, the peculiar character of the constitution happens to become irresistible and to achieve everything that has been decided upon.\n\nBut, on the other hand, when they are freed from external fears and pass their time in the good fortune and abundance resulting from their successes, enjoying their prosperity, and, becoming flattered and idle, turn to insolence and arrogance, as is indeed wont to happen,\n\nthen most of all one can perceive the constitution providing the remedy from its own resources.\n\nFor whenever any one of the parts swells and becomes contentious and dominates more than is proper, it is clear that, since no part is self-sufficient according to the argument just now, and the purpose of each can be counteracted and obstructed by the others, none of the parts swells too much or becomes arrogant.\n\nFor all things remain within the established limits, some being checked in their impulse, and others from the beginning fearing the intervention of their neighbor. [ξοδ. υρβ. φολ. 66 εχξ. αντ. π. 177.]\n\nBut the dictator has the following difference from the consuls: while twelve axes follow each of the consuls, twenty-four follow him, and while the consuls often stand in need of the senate to carry out their undertakings, he is a general with absolute power, upon whose appointment all the magistracies in Rome are immediately suspended except for the tribunes.
οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ περὶ μὲν τούτων ἐν ἄλλοις ἀκριβεστέραν ποιησόμεθα τὴν διαστολήν. [πολψβ. ιιι, 87, 7. ]
However, we shall make a more precise distinction regarding these matters in another place. [πολψβ. ιιι, 87, 7.]