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Book III
Athenian Stranger. Enough of this. And what, then, is to be regarded as the
origin of government? Will not a man be able to judge of it best from a point
of view in which he may behold the progress of states and their transitions to
good or evil?
Cleinias. What do you mean?
Athenian. I mean that he might watch them from the point of view of time,
and observe the changes which take place in them during infinite ages.
Cleinias. How so?
Athenian. Why, do you think that you can reckon the time which has
elapsed since cities first existed and men were citizens of them?
Cleinias. Hardly.
Athenian. But are sure that it must be vast and incalculable?
Cleinias. Certainly.
Athenian. And have not thousands and thousands of cities come into being
during this period and as many perished? And has not each of them had every
form of government many times over, now growing larger, now smaller, and
again improving or declining?
Cleinias. To be sure.
Athenian. Let us endeavour to ascertain the cause of these changes; for that
will probably explain the first origin and development of forms of
government.
Cleinias. Very good. You shall endeavour to impart your thoughts to us,
and we will make an effort to understand you.
Athenian. Do you believe that there is any truth in ancient traditions?
Cleinias. What traditions?
Athenian. The traditions about the many destructions of mankind which
have been occasioned by deluges and pestilences, and in many other ways,
and of the survival of a remnant?
Cleinias. Every one is disposed to believe them.
Athenian. Let us consider one of them, that which was caused by the
1368
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Buch The Complete Plato"
The Complete Plato
- Titel
- The Complete Plato
- Autor
- Plato
- Datum
- ~347 B.C.
- Sprache
- englisch
- Lizenz
- PD
- Abmessungen
- 21.0 x 29.7 cm
- Seiten
- 1612
- Schlagwörter
- Philosophy, Antique, Philosophie, Antike, Dialogues, Metaphysik, Metaphysics, Ideologie, Ideology, Englisch
- Kategorien
- Geisteswissenschaften
- International