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more than thirty. And let there be allotted to them severally every month the
various districts, in order that they may all acquire knowledge and experience
of the whole country. The term of service for commanders and for watchers
shall continue during two years. After having had their stations allotted to
them, they will go from place to place in regular order, making their round
from left to right as their commanders direct them; (when I speak of going to
the right, I mean that they are to go to the east). And at the commencement of
the second year, in order that as many as possible of the guards may not only
get a knowledge of the country at any one season of the year, but may also
have experience of the manner in which different places are affected at
different seasons of the year, their then commanders shall lead them again
towards the left, from place to place in succession, until they have completed
the second year. In the third year other wardens of the country shall be chosen
and commanders of the watch, five for each division, who are to be the
superintendents of the bands of twelve. While on service at each station, their
attention shall be directed to the following points:—In the first place, they
shall see that the country is well protected against enemies; they shall trench
and dig wherever this is required, and, as far as they can, they shall by
fortifications keep off the evil–disposed, in order to prevent them from doing
any harm to the country or the property; they shall use the beasts of burden
and the labourers whom they find on the spot: these will be their instruments
whom they will superintend, taking them, as far as possible, at the times when
they are not engaged in their regular business. They shall make every part of
the country inaccessible to enemies, and as accessible as possible to friends;
there shall be ways for man and beasts of burden and for cattle, and they shall
take care to have them always as smooth as they can; and shall provide
against the rains doing harm instead of good to the land, when they come
down from the mountains into the hollow dells; and shall keep in the overflow
by the help of works and ditches, in order that the valleys, receiving and
drinking up the rain from heaven, and providing fountains and streams in the
fields and regions which lie underneath, may furnish even to the dry places
plenty of good water. The fountains of water, whether of rivers or of springs,
shall be ornamented with plantations and buildings for beauty; and let them
bring together the streams in subterraneous channels, and make all things
plenteous; and if there be a sacred grove or dedicated precinct in the
neighbourhood, they shall conduct the water to the actual temples of the
Gods, and so beautify them at all seasons of the year. Everywhere in such
places the youth shall make gymnasia for themselves, and warm baths for the
aged, placing by them abundance of dry wood, for the benefit of those
labouring under disease—there the weary frame of the rustic, worn with toil,
will receive a kindly welcome, far better than he would at the hands of a not
over–wise doctor.
1438
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book The Complete Plato"
The Complete Plato
- Title
- The Complete Plato
- Author
- Plato
- Date
- ~347 B.C.
- Language
- English
- License
- PD
- Size
- 21.0 x 29.7 cm
- Pages
- 1612
- Keywords
- Philosophy, Antique, Philosophie, Antike, Dialogues, Metaphysik, Metaphysics, Ideologie, Ideology, Englisch
- Categories
- Geisteswissenschaften
- International