r ideal form. For with the
exception of the community of women and property, he supposes everything
to be the same in both states; there is to be the same education; the
citizens of both are to live free from servile occupations, and there
are to be common meals in both. The only difference is that in the Laws
the common meals are extended to women, and the warriors number about
5000, but in the Republic only 1000.'

(2) by Plato in the Laws (Book v.), from the side of the Republic:--

'The first and highest form of the state and of the government and of
the law is that in which there prevails most widely the ancient saying
that "Friends have all things in common." Whether there is now, or ever
will be, this communion of women and children and of property, in which
the private and individual is altogether banished from life, and things
which are by nature private, such as eyes and ears and hands, have
become common, and all men express praise and blame, and feel joy
and sorrow, on the same occasions, and the laws unite the city to the
utmost,--whether all this is possible or not, I say that no man, acting
upon any other principle, will ever constitute a state more exalted in
virtue, or truer or better than this. Such a state, whether inhabited
by Gods or sons of Gods, will make them blessed who dwell therein; and
therefore to this we are to look for the pattern of the state, and to
cling to this, and, as far as possible, to seek for one which is like
this. The state which we have now in hand, when created, will be nearest
to immortality and unity in the next degree; and after that, by the
grace of God, we will complete the third one. And we will begin by
speaking of the nature and origin of the second.'

The comparatively short work called the Statesman or Politicus in its
style and manner is more akin to the Laws, while in its idealism
it rather resembles the Republic. As far as we can judge by various
indications of language and thought, it must be later than the one and
of course earlier than the other. In both the Republic and Statesman a
close connection is maintained between Politics and Dialectic. In the
Statesman, enquiries into the principles of Method are interspersed with
discussions about Politics. The comparative advantages of the rule of
law and of a person are considered, and the decision given in favour of
a person (Arist. Pol.). But much may be said on the other side, nor is
the opposition necessary;