§6.3.1τῶν μὲν γὰρ Ἑλληνικῶν πολιτευμάτων ὅσα πολλάκις μὲν ηὔξηται, πολλάκις δὲ τῆς εἰς τἀναντία μεταβολῆς ὁλοσχερῶς πεῖραν εἴληφε, ῥᾳδίαν εἶναι συμβαίνει καὶ τὴν ὑπὲρ τῶν προγεγονότων ἐξήγησιν καὶ τὴν ὑπὲρ τοῦ μέλλοντος ἀπόφασιν· §6.3.2τό τε γὰρ ἐξαγγεῖλαι τὰ γινωσκόμενα ῥᾴδιον, τό τε προειπεῖν ὑπὲρ τοῦ μέλλοντος στοχαζόμενον ἐκ τῶν ἤδη γεγονότων εὐμαρές. §6.3.3περὶ δὲ τῆς Ῥωμαίων οὐδʼ ὅλως εὐχερὲς οὔτε περὶ τῶν παρόντων ἐξηγήσασθαι διὰ τὴν ποικιλίαν τῆς πολιτείας, οὔτε περὶ τοῦ μέλλοντος προειπεῖν διὰ τὴν ἄγνοιαν τῶν προγεγονότων περὶ αὐτοὺς ἰδιωμάτων καὶ κοινῇ καὶ κατʼ ἰδίαν. §6.3.4διόπερ οὐ τῆς τυχούσης ἐπιστάσεως προσδεῖται καὶ θεωρίας, εἰ μέλλοι τις τὰ διαφέροντα καθαρίως ἐν αὐτῇ συνόψεσθαι. §6.3.5συμβαίνει δὴ τοὺς πλείστους τῶν βουλομένων διδασκαλικῶς ἡμῖν ὑποδεικνύειν περὶ τῶν τοιούτων τρία γένη λέγειν πολιτειῶν, ὧν τὸ μὲν καλοῦσι βασιλείαν, τὸ δʼ ἀριστοκρατίαν, τὸ δὲ τρίτον δημοκρατίαν. §6.3.6δοκεῖ δέ μοι πάνυ τις εἰκότως ἂν ἐπαπορῆσαι πρὸς αὐτούς, πότερον ὡς μόνας ταύτας ἢ καὶ νὴ Δίʼ ὡς ἀρίστας ἡμῖν εἰσηγοῦνται τῶν πολιτειῶν.
For in the case of those Greek constitutions which have often grown and often experienced a complete change to the opposite, it happens that both the explanation of the past and the decision about the future are easy. For it is easy to report what is known, and it is simple to predict the future by conjecturing from what has already happened. But regarding that of the Romans, it is by no means easy either to explain the present state because of the complexity of the constitution, or to predict the future because of the ignorance of the past peculiarities concerning them, both in public and in private. Therefore, it requires no ordinary attention and contemplation, if one is to clearly perceive the distinguishing features in it. Now, most of those who wish to instruct us systematically on such matters happen to say that there are three kinds of constitutions, of which they call one kingship, another aristocracy, and the third democracy. But it seems to me that one might very reasonably raise a further question to them, whether they introduce these to us as the only constitutions, or indeed, by Zeus, as the best. For in both cases they seem to me to be ignorant.
§6.3.7κατʼ ἀμφότερα γὰρ ἀγνοεῖν μοι δοκοῦσι. δῆλον γὰρ ὡς ἀρίστην μὲν ἡγητέον πολιτείαν τὴν ἐκ πάντων τῶν προειρημένων ἰδιωμάτων συνεστῶσαν· §6.3.8τούτου γὰρ τοῦ μέρους οὐ λόγῳ μόνον, ἀλλʼ ἔργῳ πεῖραν εἰλήφαμεν, Λυκούργου συστήσαντος πρώτου κατὰ τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον τὸ Λακεδαιμονίων πολίτευμα. §6.3.9καὶ μὴν οὐδʼ ὡς μόνας ταύτας προσδεκτέον· καὶ γὰρ μοναρχικὰς καὶ τυραννικὰς ἤδη τινὰς τεθεάμεθα πολιτείας, αἳ πλεῖστον διαφέρουσαι βασιλείας παραπλήσιον ἔχειν τι ταύτῃ δοκοῦσιν· §6.3.10ᾗ καὶ συμψεύδονται καὶ συγχρῶνται πάντες οἱ μόναρχοι καθʼ ὅσον οἷοί τʼ εἰσὶ τῷ τῆς βασιλείας ὀνόματι. §6.3.11καὶ μὴν ὀλιγαρχικὰ πολιτεύματα καὶ πλείω γέγονε, δοκοῦντα παρόμοιον ἔχειν τι τοῖς ἀριστοκρατικοῖς, ἃ πλεῖστον ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν διεστᾶσιν. §6.3.12ὁ δʼ αὐτὸς λόγος καὶ περὶ
For it is clear that we must consider that constitution to be the best which is composed of all the aforementioned features. For of this kind we have had experience not in theory only, but in fact, Lycurgus having first set up the constitution of the Lacedaemonians in this manner. And indeed, we must not accept these as the only ones; for we have already observed certain monarchical and tyrannical constitutions, which, while differing greatly from kingship, seem to bear some resemblance to it. in which respect indeed all monarchs, as far as they are able, falsely assume and make use of the name of kingship. Moreover, there have also been many oligarchic constitutions, which seem to have some resemblance to aristocratic ones, though they differ from them, so to speak, as much as possible. And the same argument applies also to...