The number of our citizens shall be 5040-this will be a convenient number;and these shall be owners of the land and protectors of the allotment.The houses and the land will be divided in the same way,so that every man may correspond to a lot.Let the whole number be first divided into two parts,and then into three;and the number is further capable of being divided into four or five parts,or any number of parts up to ten.Every legislator ought to know so much arithmetic as to be able to tell what number is most likely to be useful to all cities;and we are going to take that number which contains the greatest and most regular and unbroken series of divisions.The whole of number has every possible division,and the number 5040can be divided by exactly fifty-nine divisors,and ten of these proceed without interval from one to ten:this will furnish numbers for war and peace,and for all contracts and dealings,including taxes and divisions of the land.These properties of number should be ascertained at leisure by those who are bound by law to know them;for they are true,and should be proclaimed at the foundation of the city,with a view to use.Whether the legislator is establishing a new state or restoring an old and decayed one,in respect of Gods and temples-the temples which are to be built in each city,and the Gods or demi-gods after whom they are to be called-if he be a man of sense,he will make no change in anything which the oracle of Delphi,or Dodona,or the God Ammon,or any ancient tradition has sanctioned in whatever manner,whether by apparitions or reputed inspiration of Heaven,in obedience to which mankind have established sacrifices in connection with mystic rites,either originating on the spot,or derived from Tyrrhenia or Cyprus or some other place,and on the strength of which traditions they have consecrated oracles and images,and altars and temples,and portioned out a sacred domain for each of them.The least part of all these ought not to be disturbed by the legislator;but he should assign to the several districts some God,or demi-god,or hero,and,in the distribution of the soil,should give to these first their chosen domain and all things fitting,that the inhabitants of the several districts may meet at fixed times,and that they may readily supply their various wants,and entertain one another with sacrifices,and become friends and acquaintances;for there is no greater good in a state than that the citizens should be known to one another.When not light but darkness and ignorance of each other's characters prevails among them,no one will receive the honour of which he is deserving,or the power or the justice to which he is fairly entitled:
wherefore,in every state,above all things,every man should take heed that he have no deceit in him,but that he be always true and simple;and that no deceitful person take any advantage of him.
The next move in our pastime of legislation,like the withdrawal of the stone from the holy line in the game of draughts,being an unusual one,will probably excite wonder when mentioned for the first time.And yet,if a man will only reflect and weigh the matter with care,he will see that our city is ordered in a manner which,if not the best,is the second best.Perhaps also some one may not approve this form,because he thinks that such a constitution is ill adapted to a legislator who has not despotic power.The truth is,that there are three forms of government,the best,the second and the third best,which we may just mention,and then leave the selection to the ruler of the settlement.Following this method in the present instance,let us speak of the states which are respectively first,second,and third in excellence,and then we will leave the choice to Cleinias now,or to any one else who may hereafter have to make a similar choice among constitutions,and may desire to give to his state some feature which is congenial to him and which he approves in his own country.
The first and highest form of the state and of the government and of the law is that in which there prevails most widely the ancient saying,that "Friends have all things in common."Whether there is anywhere now,or will ever be,this communion of women and children and of property,in which the private and individual is altogether banished from life,and things which are by nature private,such as eyes and ears and hands,have become common,and in some way see and hear and act in common,and all men express praise and blame and feel joy and sorrow on the same occasions,and whatever laws there are unite the city to the utmost-whether all this is possible or not,Isay that no man,acting upon any other principle,will ever constitute a state which will be truer or better or more exalted in virtue.
Whether such a state is governed by Gods or sons of Gods,one,or more than one,happy are the men who,living after this manner,dwell there;and therefore to this we are to look for the pattern of the state,and to cling to this,and to seek with all our might for one which is like this.The state which we have now in hand,when created,will be nearest to immortality and the only one which takes the second place;and after that,by the grace of God,we will complete the third one.And we will begin by speaking of the nature and origin of the second.