THE cause then of there being many polities is this, that of every city there are a great number of parts. For, in the first place, we see indeed that all cities are composed of families; and in the next place, again of this multitude, some must necessarily be rich, others poor, and others in the middle station between these. And of both the rich and the poor, some will be used to arms, but others not. We see, likewise, that of the people, some are husbandmen, others are engaged in traffic, and others in sordid occupations. There is also a difference between the nobles in their wealth, and in the magnitude of their possessions, as, for instance, in the number of horses they breed; for this cannot be done without opulence. Hence, in ancient times, those cities whose strength consisted in horses, became through this oligarchies. But they used their horses against their neighbouring enemies; such as the Eretrians, the Chalcidians, and the Magnetians, who lived near the river Meander, and many other cities in Asia. Again, besides the difference in wealth, there is that which subsists according to family, or according to virtue; and if there is any other difference of this kind which forms a part of the city, it has been mentioned in what has been said concerning an aristocracy. For this we consider, of how many necessary parts a city consists. For of these parts, sometimes indeed, all of them partake of the polity, sometimes a few, and sometimes many. Hence it is evident, that there are necessarily many polities, differing in species from each other; for these parts of them are specifically different. For a polity indeed is the order or orderly distribution of the governors. But all polities distribute this order, either according to the power of those who partake of it, or according to a certain common equality which there is between them, I mean such as an equality in poverty or riches, or something which is common both to the rich and the poor. It is necessary, therefore, that there should be as many polities as there are orders, according to the excesses and differences of the parts. But there appear to be especially two; just as of the winds it is said, that some are northern and others southern, and that the others are declinations from these. Thus also of polities there are principally two, that in which the people govern, and an oligarchy. For an aristocracy is considered as a species of oligarchy, as being also a government of the few; and what is called a polity is admitted to be a democracy; just as in the winds, the west pertains to the north, and the east to the south. The like also takes place, as some say, in harmonies. For in these it is admitted that there are two species, the Dorian and the Phrygian; but with respect to the other compositions, they are called by the former or the latter of these names. It is especially usual, therefore, thus to conceive respecting polities. But it is better and more conformable to truth, to distinguish them as we have done, so as that all other polities are the degenerations of the two species above-mentioned, or of one form of government which is beautifully constituted, i.e. a kingly government; some polities indeed, being the degenerations of a well-tempered harmony, but others of the best polity. For the more robust and despotic governments are oligarchic; but the remiss and soft are democratic.
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