YOUNG SOCRATES: What do you mean?

STRANGER: I am speaking of the three forms of government, which I

mentioned at the beginning of this discussion--monarchy, the rule of the

few, and the rule of the many.

YOUNG SOCRATES: True.

STRANGER: If we divide each of these we shall have six, from which the

true one may be distinguished as a seventh.

YOUNG SOCRATES: How would you make the division?

STRANGER: Monarchy divides into royalty and tyranny; the rule of the

few into aristocracy, which has an auspicious name, and oligarchy; and

democracy or the rule of the many, which before was one, must now be

divided.

YOUNG SOCRATES: On what principle of division?

STRANGER: On the same principle as before, although the name is now

discovered to have a twofold meaning. For the distinction of ruling with

law or without law, applies to this as well as to the rest.

YOUNG SOCRATES: Yes.

104

Statesman