3.
“In all sciences and arts the end is a good, and the greatest good and in the highest degree a
good in the most authoritative of allthis
is the political science of which the good is justice, in
other words, the common interest. All men think justice to be a sort of equality; and to a certain
extent they agree in the philosophical distinctions which have been laid down by us about Ethics.
For they admit that justice is a thing and has a relation to persons, and that equals ought to have
equality. But there still remains a question: equality or inequality of what? Here is a difficulty
which calls for political speculation. For very likely some persons will say that offices of state
ought to be unequally distributed according to superior excellence, in whatever respect, of the
citizen, although there is no other difference between him and the rest of the community; for that
those who differ in any one respect have different rights and claims. But, surely, if this is true, the
complexion or height of a man,or any other advantage, will be a reason for his obtaining a greater
share of political rights. The error here lies upon the surface, and may be illustrated from the
other arts and sciences. When a number of flute players are equal in their art, there is no reason
why those of them who are better born should have better flutes given to them; for they will not
play any better on the flute, and the superior instrument should be reserved for him who is the
superior artist. If what I am saying is still obscure, it will be made clearer as we proceed. For if
there were a superior fluteplayer
who was far inferior in birth and beauty, although either of
these may be a greater good than the art of fluteplaying,
and may excel fluteplaying
in a greater
ratio than he excels the others in his art, still he ought to have the best flutes given to him, unless
the advantages of wealth and birth contribute to excellence in fluteplaying,
which they do not.
Moreover, upon this principle any good may be compared with any other. For if a given height
may be measured wealth and against freedom, height in general may be so measured. Thus if A
excels in height more than B in virtue, even if virtue in general excels height still more, all goods
will be commensurable; for if a certain amount is better than some other, it is clear that some
other will be equal. But since no such comparison can be made, it is evident that there is good
reason why in politics men do not ground their claim to office on every sort of inequality any more
than in the arts. For if some be slow, and others swift, that is no reason why the one should have
little and the others much; it is in gymnastics contests that such excellence is rewarded.
Whereas the rival claims of candidates for office can only be based on the possession of
elements which enter into the composition of a state. And therefore the noble, or freeborn,
or
rich, may with good reason claim office; for holders of offices must be freemen and taxpayers: a
state can be no more composed entirely of poor men than entirely of slaves. But if wealth and
freedom are necessary elements, justice and valor are equally so; for without the former
qualities a state cannot exist at all,without the latter not well.”
3.
“In all sciences and arts the end is a good, and the greatest good and in the highest degree a
good in the most authoritative of allthis
is the political science of which the good is justice, in
other words, the common interest. All men think justice to be a sort of equality; and to a certain
extent they agree in the philosophical distinctions which have been laid down by us about Ethics.
For they admit that justice is a thing and has a relation to persons, and that equals ought to have
equality. But there still remains a question: equality or inequality of what? Here is a difficulty
which calls for political speculation. For very likely some persons will say that offices of state
ought to be unequally distributed according to superior excellence, in whatever respect, of the
citizen, although there is no other difference between him and the rest of the community; for that
those who differ in any one respect have different rights and claims. But, surely, if this is true, the
complexion or height of a man,or any other advantage, will be a reason for his obtaining a greater
share of political rights. The error here lies upon the surface, and may be illustrated from the
other arts and sciences. When a number of flute players are equal in their art, there is no reason
why those of them who are better born should have better flutes given to them; for they will not
play any better on the flute, and the superior instrument should be reserved for him who is the
superior artist. If what I am saying is still obscure, it will be made clearer as we proceed. For if
there were a superior fluteplayer
who was far inferior in birth and beauty, although either of
these may be a greater good than the art of fluteplaying,
and may excel fluteplaying
in a greater
ratio than he excels the others in his art, still he ought to have the best flutes given to him, unless
the advantages of wealth and birth contribute to excellence in fluteplaying,
which they do not.
Moreover, upon this principle any good may be compared with any other. For if a given height
may be measured wealth and against freedom, height in general may be so measured. Thus if A
excels in height more than B in virtue, even if virtue in general excels height still more, all goods
will be commensurable; for if a certain amount is better than some other, it is clear that some
other will be equal. But since no such comparison can be made, it is evident that there is good
reason why in politics men do not ground their claim to office on every sort of inequality any more
than in the arts. For if some be slow, and others swift, that is no reason why the one should have
little and the others much; it is in gymnastics contests that such excellence is rewarded.
Whereas the rival claims of candidates for office can only be based on the possession of
elements which enter into the composition of a state. And therefore the noble, or freeborn,
or
rich, may with good reason claim office; for holders of offices must be freemen and taxpayers: a
state can be no more composed entirely of poor men than entirely of slaves. But if wealth and
freedom are necessary elements, justice and valor are equally so; for without the former
qualities a state cannot exist at all,without the latter not well.”
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