747–751
Clinias
Clin. Your discourse, Stranger, is most excellent, and I must do as you advise.
Athenian
Ath. Well then, after all that has now been said, you will next come, I suppose, to the task of appointing magistrates for your State.
Clinias
Clin. That is so.
Athenian
Ath. In this there are two branches of civic organization involved,— first, the appointment of magistracies and magistrates, with the fixing of the right number required and the proper method of appointment; and next the assignment to each magistracy of such and so many laws as are in each case appropriate.Cp. Plat. Laws 735a. But before we make our selection, let us pause for a moment, and make a statement concerning it of a pertinent kind.
Clinias
Clin. What statement is that?
Athenian
Ath. It is this:— It is a fact clear to everyone that, the work of legislation being a great one, the placing of unfit officers in charge of well-framed laws in a well-equipped State not only robs those laws of all their value and gives rise to widespread ridicule, but is likely also to prove the most fertile source of damage and danger in such States.
5
Clinias
Clin. Undoubtedly.