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That is most true, he said.

And what, I said, will be the best limit for our rulers to fix

when they are considering the size of the State and the amount of

territory which they are to include, and beyond which they will

not go?

What limit would you propose?

I would allow the State to increase so far as is consistent with

unity; that, I think, is the proper limit.

Very good, he said.

Here then, I said, is another order which will have to be

conveyed to our guardians: Let our city be accounted neither

large nor small, but one and self-sufficing.

And surely, said he, this is not a very severe order which we

impose upon them.