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sacred and fortunate. In our opinion, nothing can be more right than the
selection of the number 5040, which may be divided by all numbers from one
to twelve with the single exception of eleven, and that admits of a very easy
correction; for if, turning to the dividend (5040), we deduct two families, the
defect in the division is cured. And the truth of this may be easily proved
when we have leisure. But for the present, trusting to the mere assertion of
this principle, let us divide the state; and assigning to each portion some God
or son of a God, let us give them altars and sacred rites, and at the altars let us
hold assemblies for sacrifice twice in the month—twelve assemblies for the
tribes, and twelve for the city, according to their divisions; the first in honour
of the Gods and divine things, and the second to promote friendship and
“better acquaintance,” as the phrase is, and every sort of good fellowship with
one another. For people must be acquainted with those into whose families
and whom they marry and with those to whom they give in marriage; in such
matters, as far as possible, a man should deem it all important to avoid a
mistake, and with this serious purpose let games be instituted in which youths
and maidens shall dance together, seeing one another and being seen naked, at
a proper age, and on a suitable occasion, not transgressing the rules of
modesty.
The directors of choruses will be the superintendents and regulators of
these games, and they, together with the guardians of the law, will legislate in
any matters which we have omitted; for, as we said, where there are numerous
and minute details, the legislator must leave out something. And the annual
officers who have experience, and know what is wanted, must make
arrangements and improvements year by year, until such enactments and
provisions are sufficiently determined. A ten years experience of sacrifices
and dances, if extending to all particulars, will be quite sufficient; and if the
legislator be alive they shall communicate with him, but if he be dead then the
several officers shall refer the omissions which come under their notice to the
guardians of the law, and correct them, until all is perfect; and from that time
there shall be no more change, and they shall establish and use the new laws
with the others which the legislator originally gave them, and of which they
are never, if they can help, to change aught; or, if some necessity overtakes
them, the magistrates must be called into counsel, and the whole people, and
they must go to all the oracles of the Gods; and if they are all agreed, in that
case they may make the change, but if they are not agreed, by no manner of
means, and any one who dissents shall prevail, as the law ordains.
Whenever any one over twenty–five years of age, having seen and been
seen by others, believes himself to have found a marriage connection which is
to his mind, and suitable for the procreation of children, let him marry if he be
still under the age of five–and–thirty years; but let him first hear how he
1447
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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