Strona 493 z 1391

Niebuhr has asked a trifling question, which may be briefly

noticed in this place-Was Plato a good citizen? If by this is

meant, Was he loyal to Athenian institutions?-he can hardly be

said to be the friend of democracy: but neither is he the friend

of any other existing form of government; all of them he regarded

as 'states of faction' (Laws); none attained to his ideal of a

voluntary rule over voluntary subjects, which seems indeed more

nearly to describe democracy than any other; and the worst of

them is tyranny. The truth is, that the question has hardly any

meaning when applied to a great philosopher whose writings are

not meant for a particular age and country, but for all time and

all mankind. The decline of Athenian politics was probably the

motive which led Plato to frame an ideal State, and the Republic

may be regarded as reflecting the departing glory of Hellas. As

well might we complain of St.