Dios Rome, Vol. 4 | Page 2

met with merited
misfortune. [-3-] This being so, any one might reproach us quite as
much, even if we had nothing of the sort in mind at the beginning and
were to begin to devise it only now. For to let the situation get the
better of us and not restrain ourselves and not make a right use of the
gifts of Fortune is much worse than for a man to do wrong through
ill-luck. The latter sort are often compelled by their very disasters and
in consideration of their own need of profit to behave against their will
in an irregular way: the others voluntarily abandon self-control even if
to do so is contrary to their own interests. And when men neither have

any love of simplicity in their souls nor are able to show moderation in
regard to the blessings bestowed upon them, how could one expect that
they would either rule well over others or behave themselves uprightly
in trouble? Let us make our decision on the basis that we are in neither
of the classes mentioned and do not desire to act in any way
unreasonably, but will choose whatever course after deliberation
appears to us best. I shall speak quite frankly, for I could not for my
part express myself in any other way, and I am aware that you do not
enjoy hearing lies mingled with flattery.
[-4-] "Equality before the law has a pleasant name and its results are a
triumph of justice. If you take men who have received the same nature,
are of kindred race to one another, have been brought up under the
same institutions, have been trained in laws that are alike, and yield in
common the service of their bodies and of their minds to the same State,
is it not just that they should have all other things, too, in common? Is it
not best that they should secure no superior honors except as a result of
excellence? Equality of birth strives for equality of possessions, and if
it attains it is glad, but if it misses is displeased. And human nature
everywhere, because it is sprung from the gods and is to return to the
gods, gazes upward and is not content to be ruled forever by the same
person, nor will it endure to share in the toils, the dangers, the
expenditures, and be deprived of partnership in higher matters. Or, if it
is forced to submit to such conditions, it hates the power which has
applied coercion and if it obtains an opportunity takes vengeance on
what it hates. All men think they ought to rule, and for this reason
submit to being ruled in turn. They do not wish to be defrauded, and
therefore do not insist on defrauding others. They are pleased with
honors bestowed by their peers, and approve the penalties inflicted by
their laws. If they conduct their government on these lines, and believe
that profits and the opposite shall be shared in common, they wish no
harm to happen to any one of the citizens and devoutly hope that all
good things may fall to the lot of all of them. If one of them himself
possesses any excellence, he makes it known without hesitation,
practices it enthusiastically, and exhibits it very gladly: or, if he sees it
in another, he readily advances it, is eager to increase it, and honors it
most brilliantly. On the other hand if any one deteriorates, everybody
hates him. If one meets misfortune, everybody pities him. Each person

regards the loss or shame that such cause to be a common detriment to
the city.
[-5-] "This is the constitution of democracies. Under tyrannies exactly
the opposite conditions are found. It is useless to go at length into all of
the details, but the chief feature is that no one is willing to seem to
know or possess anything good, because the whole ruling power
generally becomes hostile to him in such a case. Every one else takes
the tyrant's behavior as a standard of life, and pursues whatever objects
he may hope to gain through him by taking advantage of his neighbor
while incurring no danger himself. Consequently the majority of the
people have an eye only to their own interests and hate all other citizens:
they esteem their neighbor's good fortune as a personal loss, and his
misfortunes as a personal gain.
"Such being the state of the case, I do not see what could possibly
incite you to become sole ruler. Besides the fact that that system is
disagreeable to democracies, it would be far more unpleasant still to
yourself. You surely see how the City and its affairs are even now in a
state of turmoil. It is difficult, also, to overthrow