In the next place we shall show the manner in which what is called a polity is produced, besides a democracy and an oligarchy, and how it ought to be established. But at the same time it will be evident what are the boundaries of a democracy and an oligarchy. For the division of these must be assumed; and afterwards from these a polity must be composed, by taking some part of each, and employing it as a rule. There are three boundaries, however, of the composition and mixture. For either the laws of each of these are to be assumed, as, for instance, in judicial affairs. For in oligarchies the rich incur a penalty, if they do not decide in courts of justice; but the poor are not paid for their attendance. In democracies, on the contrary, the poor are paid for their attendance, and the rich are not fined for their neglect. That, however, which is common to, and the medium between these, pertains to both; and hence it is political or belongs to a polity; for it is mixed from both. This, therefore, is one mode of conjunction; but another mode consists in assuming the medium between those things that are enjoined by both. Thus, for instance, in a democracy, the right to vote in the public assembly is either confined by no census or annual revenue at all, or limited by a very small one; but in an oligarchy it is confined by a very great census. Neither, however, is common, but the medium between the revenue of each of these. The third mode is compounded of two ordinances; partly from the oligarchic, and partly from the democratic law. I say, for instance, it seems to be democratic, that the magistracies should be chosen by lot, but oligarchic, that they should be elected by vote. And it is democratic, indeed, that they should not be chosen by a census; but oligarchic that they should. To take something from both, therefore, will be aristocratical and political; from an oligarchy, indeed, the election of magistrates by vote; but from a democracy, the not electing them from their annual revenue. Such, therefore, is the mode of the mixture. But the proof of a democracy and oligarchy being well mixed is, when the same polity may be called a democracy and an oligarchy. For it is evident that those who speak of it in this manner are induced to it, because these polities are well blended together. The medium, also, between these suffers this; for each of the extremes is apparent in the medium; which happens to be the case with respect to the polity of the Lacedæmonians. For many endeavour to show that it is a democracy, since many particulars in it are arranged in a democratic order; as for instance, in the first place, in the education of their children. For the children of the rich are nurtured after a similar manner with those of the poor, and the education of the former is such as may be obtained by the latter. And the same method is adopted in the following age, when they become men. For there is no distinction between a poor and a rich man. Hence, both have the same provision at the public tables; and the rich have such clothing as any poor man may be able to procure. Again, with respect to two of the greatest magistracies, one of these is elected by the people, and of the other the people partake; for they elect the senators, but partake of the office of the ephori. Others consider it as an oligarchy, because it has many things which are oligarchic; such as electing all the magistrates by vote, and none by lot; and there being but few that are the lords of death and exile, and many other such-like particulars. It is necessary, however, in a polity which is well mingled, that both a democracy and an oligarchy should be apparent in it, and that it should be neither of these. It is likewise requisite that it should be preserved through itself, and not by external aid; and that its preservation through itself, should not be in consequence of having many externally that wish well to it; for this may happen to a depraved polity; but should arise from no part of the city being desirous in short of any other polity. We have, therefore, now shown after what manner a polity ought to be established, and similarly, what are called aristocracies.
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