state to be entrusted? For many a government is only a victorious faction
which has a monopoly of power, and refuses any share to the conquered,
lest when they get into office they should remember their wrongs. Such
governments are not polities, but parties; nor are any laws good which are
made in the interest of particular classes only, and not of the whole. And
in our state I mean to protest against making any man a ruler because he
is rich, or strong, or noble. But those who are obedient to the laws, and
who win the victory of obedience, shall be promoted to the service of the
Gods according to the degree of their obedience. When I call the ruler the
servant or minister of the law, this is not a mere paradox, but I mean to
say that upon a willingness to obey the law the existence of the state
depends. 'Truly, Stranger, you have a keen vision.' Why, yes; every man
when he is old has his intellectual vision most keen. And now shall we
call in our colonists and make a speech to them? Friends, we say to them,
God holds in His hand the beginning, middle, and end of all things, and He
moves in a straight line towards the accomplishment of His will. Justice
always bears Him company, and punishes those who fall short of His laws.
He who would be happy follows humbly in her train; but he who is lifted up
with pride, or wealth, or honour, or beauty, is soon deserted by God, and,
being deserted, he lives in confusion and disorder. To many he seems a
great man; but in a short time he comes to utter destruction. Wherefore,
seeing these things, what ought we to do or think? 'Every man ought to
follow God.' What life, then, is pleasing to God? There is an old saying
that 'like agrees with like, measure with measure,' and God ought to be
our measure in all things. The temperate man is the friend of God because
he is like Him, and the intemperate man is not His friend, because he is
not like Him. And the conclusion is, that the best of all things for a
good man is to pray and sacrifice to the Gods; but the bad man has a
polluted soul; and therefore his service is wasted upon the Gods, while
the good are accepted of them. I have told you the mark at which we ought