714–715
Athenian
Ath. So these enactments will thus and herein always constitute justice.
Clinias
Clin. That is, at any rate, what the argument asserts.
Athenian
Ath. Yes, for this is one of those agreed claims concerning government.Cp. Plat. Laws 690b.
15
Clinias
Clin. What claims?
Athenian
Ath. Those which we dealt with before,—claims as to who should govern whom. It was shown that parents should govern children, the older the younger, the high-born the low-born, and (if you remember) there were many other claims, some of which were conflicting. The claim before us is one of these, and we said thatCp. Plat. Laws 690b, with the footnote.—to quote Pindar—the law marches with nature when it justifies the right of might.
Clinias
Clin. Yes, that is what was said then.
Athenian
Ath. Consider now, to which class of men should we entrust our State. For the condition referred to is one that has already occurred in States thousands of times.
Clinias
Clin. What condition?