683
Megillus
Meg. I can assure you, Stranger, that if some god were to promise us that, in making this second attempt to investigate legislation, we shall listen to a discourse that is no worse and no shorter than that we have just been listening to, I for one would go a long way to hear it; indeed, this would seem quite a short day, although it is, as a matter of fact, close on midsummer.
Athenian
Ath. So it seems that we must proceed with our enquiry.
Megillus
Meg. Most certainly.
Athenian
Ath. Let us, then, place ourselves in imagination at that epoch when Lacedaemon, together with Argos and Messene and the adjoining districts, had become completely subject, Megillus, to your forefathers. They determined next, according to the tradition, to divide their host into three parts, and to establish three States,—Argos, Messene and Lacedaemon.
5
Athenian
Ath. And Temenus became King of Argos, Cresphontes of Messene, and Proclus and Eurysthenes of Lacedaemon.
Athenian
Ath. And all the men of that time swore that they would assist these kings if anyone should try to wreck their kingdoms.
Megillus
Meg. Quite so.
10
Athenian
Ath. Is the dissolution of a kingdom, or of any government that has ever yet been dissolved, caused by any other agency than that of the rulers themselves? Or, though we made this assertion a moment ago when we happened upon this subject, have we now forgotten it?Cp.Plat. Laws 682d, 682e.
Megillus
Meg. How could we possibly have forgotten?