Plutarch's Morals: Vol. V.
Of the three sorts of Government, Monar∣chy, Democracy, Oligarchy.
AS I was considering with my self to bring forth and propose to the Judgment of this wor∣thy Company the Discourse, I held yesterday in your Presence, methoughts, I heard Politi∣cal Vertue, I know not whether in the Illusion of a Dream, or in a true and real Vision, say thus to me:
There is first then one Point to be discours'd, which, as it is precedent to what we have hereafter to say, so it depends on what we have already said before. Now this is, what sort of Policy and Government is best: for as there are many Sorts of Lives in particular Men, so also are there in People and States; and the Life of a People or State is its Policy and Government. 'Tis therefore necessary to declare, which is the best, that a Statesman may choose it from among the rest, or, if that is impossible for him to do, he may at least take that, which has the nearest Resemblance to the best.
Now there is one Signification of this Word Policy, which imports as much as Burgess-ship, that is a Parti∣cipation in the Rights and Priviledges, belonging to a Town, City, or Borough: as when we say, that the Megarians by an Edict of their City presented Alexander the Great with their Policy, that is, their Burgess-ship, and that, Alexander laughing at the Offer they made him of it, they answer'd him, that they had never de∣creed that Honor to any but Hercules, and now to him∣self. This he wondring to hear, accepted their Pre∣sent, thinking it honorable, inasmuch as it was rare. The Life also of a political Person, who is concern'd in the Government of the Commonweal, is call'd Policy, as when we praise the Policy of Pericles or Bias, that is, the manner of their Government, and on the contrary, blame that of Hyperbolus and Cleon. Some moreover there are, who call a great and memorable Action, perform'd in the Administration of the Com∣monweal, a Policy, such as is the Distribution of Money, the Suppressing of a War, the Introduction of some Page 377 notable Decree, worthy to be kept in perpetual Memory. In which Signification 'tis a common manner of speak∣ing to say, This Man to day has done a Policy, if he has peradventure effected some remarkable Matter in the Government of the State.
Besides all these Significations there is yet another, that is, the Order and State by which a Commonweal is govern'd, and by which Affairs are manag'd and ad∣ministred. According to which we say, that there are three sorts of Policy, or publick Government, to wit, Monarchy, which is Regality or Kingship; Oligarchy, which is the Government by Peers and Nobles; and Democracy, which is a popular, or, as we term it, a free State. Now all these are mention'd by Herodotus in his third Book, where he compares them one with another. And these seem to be the most general of all: for that all other Sorts are, as it were, the Depravation or Cor∣ruption of these, either by Defect, or Excess, as it is in the first Consonances of Musick, when the Strings are either too streight or too slack.
Now these Three Sorts of Government have been distributed amongst the Nations, that have had the greatest Empire, or greater than any other. Thus the Persians enjoy'd Regality or Kingship, because their King had full and absolute Power in all things, without being lyable to render an Account to any one. The Spartans had a Council, consisting of a small Number, and those the best and most considerable Persons in the City, who dispatcht all Affairs. The Athenians main∣tain'd popular Government, free and exempt from any other Mixture. In which Administration when there are any Faults, their Transgressions and Exorbitancies are styl'd Tyrannies, Oppressions of the Stronger, un∣bridled Licentiousness of the Multitude. That is, when the Prince, who has the Royalty, permits himself to outrage whom ever he pleases, and will not suffer any Page 378 Remonstrance to be made him concerning it, he be∣comes a Tyrant: When a few Lords or Senators, in whose Hands the Government is, arrive at that Arro∣gance as to contemn all others, they turn Oppressors: And when a popular State breaks forth into Disobe∣dience and Levelling, it runs into Anarchy and un∣measurable Liberty: and in a word, all of them toge∣ther will be Rashness and Folly.
Even then as a skilful Musician will make use of all sorts of Instruments, and play on every one of them, accommodating himself in such manner, as its Quality can bear, and as shall be fit to make it yield the sweet∣est Sound; but yet, if he will follow Plato's Counsel, he will lay-aside Fiddles, many string'd Virginals, Psal∣teries, and Harps, preferring before all other the Lute and Bandore. In like manner, an able Statesman will dextrously manage the Laconick, and Lycurgian Seignory, or Oligarchy, fitting and accommodating his Compani∣ons, who are of equal Authority with him, and by little and little drawing and reducing them to be ma∣nag'd by himself: he will also carry himself discreetly in a Popular State, as if he had to deal with an Instru∣ment of many and differently sounding Strings, one while letting down and remitting some things, and a∣gain extending others, as he shall see his Opportunity, and find it most convenient for the Government, to which he will vigorously apply himself, well knowing, when and how he ought to resist and contradict; but yet, if he might be permitted to make his Choice from amongst all sorts of Government, as from so many Musical Instruments, he would not, if Plato's Advice might be taken, choose any other but Monarchy, or Regal Authority, as being that, which is indeed only able to support that most perfect and most lofty Note of Ver∣tuè, without suffering him, either by Force, or by Grace and Favor, to frame himself for Advantage Page 379 and Gain. For all other sorts of Government, do in a manner as much rule a Statesman, as he does them, no less carrying him, than they are carry'd by him; forasmuch as he has no certain Power over those, from whom he has his Authority; but is very often con∣strain'd to cry out in these Words of the Poet Aeschylus, which King Demetrius, surnam'd the Town-taker, often alledg'd against Fortune, after he had lost his King∣dom;
