and governments, and the changes which may be desirable in them. 'If,'
replies the Spartan, 'our new discussion is likely to be as good as the
last, I would think the longest day too short for such an employment.'

Let us imagine the time when Lacedaemon, and Argos, and Messene were all
subject, Megillus, to your ancestors. Afterwards, they distributed the
army into three portions, and made three cities--Argos, Messene,
Lacedaemon. 'Yes.' Temenus was the king of Argos, Cresphontes of Messene,
Procles and Eurysthenes ruled at Lacedaemon. 'Just so.' And they all swore
to assist any one of their number whose kingdom was subverted. 'Yes.' But
did we not say that kingdoms or governments can only be subverted by
themselves? 'That is true.' Yes, and the truth is now proved by facts:
there were certain conditions upon which the three kingdoms were to assist
one another; the government was to be mild and the people obedient, and
the kings and people were to unite in assisting either of the two others
when they were wronged. This latter condition was a great security.
'Clearly.' Such a provision is in opposition to the common notion that the
lawgiver should make only such laws as the people like; but we say that he
should rather be like a physician, prepared to effect a cure even at the
cost of considerable suffering. 'Very true.' The early lawgivers had
another great advantage--they were saved from the reproach which attends a
division of land and the abolition of debts. No one could quarrel with the
Dorians for dividing the territory, and they had no debts of long
standing. 'They had not.' Then what was the reason why their legislation
signally failed? For there were three kingdoms, two of them quickly lost
their original constitution. That is a question which we cannot refuse to
answer, if we mean to proceed with our old man's game of enquiring into
laws and institutions. And the Dorian institutions are more worthy of
consideration than any other, having been evidently intended to be a
protection not only to the Peloponnese, but to all the Hellenes against