distributing the materials.

The materials of a commonwealth are the people, and the
people of Oceana were distributed by casting them into certain
divisions, regarding their quality, their age, their wealth, and
the places of their residence or habitation, which was done by
the ensuing orders.

The first order "distributes the people into freemen or
citizens and servants, while such; for if they attain to liberty,
that is, to live of themselves, they are freemen or citizens."

This order needs no proof, in regard of the nature of
servitude, which is inconsistent with freedom, or participation
of government in a commonwealth.

The second order "distributes citizens into youth and elders
(such as are from eighteen years of age to thirty, being
accounted youth; and such as are of thirty and upward, elders),
and establishes that the youth shall be the marching armies, and
the elders the standing garrisons of this nation."

A commonwealth, whose arms are in the hands of her
servants, had need be situated, as is elegantly said of Venice by
Contarini, out of the reach of their clutches; witness the danger
run by that of Carthage in the rebellion of Spendius and Matho.
But though a city, if one swallow makes a summer, may thus chance
to be safe, yet shall it never be great; for if Carthage or
Venice acquired any fame in their arms, it is known to have
happened through the mere virtue of their captains, and not of