The City of the Sun | Page 8

all their muscles are strengthened alike. Their feet are always bare, and
so are their heads as far as the seventh ring. Afterward they lead them
to the offices of the trades, such as shoemaking, cooking,
metal-working, carpentry, painting, etc. In order to find out the bent of
the genius of each one, after their seventh year, when they have already
gone through the mathematics on the walls, they take them to the
readings of all the sciences; there are four lectures at each read- ing,
and in the course of four hours the four in their order ex- plain
everything.
For some take physical exercise or busy themselves with pub- lic
services or functions, others apply themselves to reading. Leaving these
studies all are devoted to the more abstruse sub- jects, to mathematics,
to medicine, and to other sciences. There are continual debate and
studied argument among them, and after a time they become
magistrates of those sciences or me- chanical arts in which they are the

most proficient; for every- one follows the opinion of his leader and
judge, and goes out to the plains to the works of the field, and for the
purpose of becoming acquainted with the pasturage of the dumb
animals. And they consider him the more noble and renowned who has
dedicated himself to the study of the most arts and knows how to
practise them wisely. Wherefore they laugh at us in that we consider
our workmen ignoble, and hold those to be noble who have mastered
no pursuit, but live in ease and are so many slaves given over to their
own pleasure and lasciviousness; and thus, as it were, from a school of
vices so many idle and wicked fellows go forth for the ruin of the State.
The rest of the officials, however, are chosen by the four chiefs, Hoh,
Pon, Sin and Mor, and by the teachers of that art over which they are fit
to preside. And these teachers know well who is most suited for rule.
Certain men are proposed by the magistrates in council, they
themselves not seeking to become candidates, and he opposes who
knows anything against those brought forward for election, or, if not,
speaks in favor of them. But no one attains to the dignity of Hoh except
him who knows the histories of the nations, and their customs and
sacrifices and laws, and their form of government, whether a republic
or a monarchy. He must also know the names of the lawgivers and the
inventors in science, and the laws and the history of the earth and the
heavenly bodies. They think it also necessary that he should understand
all the mechanical arts, the physical sciences, astrology and
mathematics. Near- ly every two days they teach our mechanical art.
They are not allowed to overwork themselves, but frequent practice and
the paintings render learning easy to them. Not too much care is given
to the cultivation of languages, as they have a goodly number of
interpreters who are grammarians in the State. But beyond everything
else it is necessary that Hoh should understand metaphysics and
theology; that he should know thoroughly the derivations, foundations,
and demonstrations of all the arts and sciences; the likeness and
difference of things; necessity, fate, and the harmonies of the universe;
power, wis- dom, and the love of things and of God; the stages of life
and its symbols; everything relating to the heavens, the earth, and the
sea; and the ideas of God, as much as mortal man can know of him. He
must also be well read in the prophets and in as- trology. And thus they

know long beforehand who will be Hoh. He is not chosen to so great a
dignity unless he has at- tained his thirty-fifth year. And this office is
perpetual, be- cause it is not known who may be too wise for it or who
too skilled in ruling.
G.M. Who indeed can be so wise? If even anyone has a knowledge of
the sciences it seems that he must be unskilled in ruling.
Capt. This very question I asked them and they replied thus: "We,
indeed, are more certain that such a very learned man has the
knowledge of governing, than you who place ig- norant persons in
authority, and consider them suitable merely because they have sprung
from rulers or have been chosen by a powerful faction. But our Hoh, a
man really the most capable to rule, is for all that never cruel nor
wicked, nor a tyrant, inas- much as he possesses so much wisdom. This,
moreover, is not unknown to you, that the same argument cannot apply
among you, when you consider that man the most learned who knows
most of grammar, or logic, or