It now remains that we should speak concerning a tyranny, not that there is much to be said about it, but that it may form a part of this treatise; since we admit that this is a certain part of polities. A kingdom, therefore, we have discussed in the beginning of this treatise, when we inquired into the nature of what is especially called kingly government, and considered whether it is disadvantageous or useful to cities, and what it should be, and whence, and how it is established. But we divided a tyranny into two species, when we directed our attention to a kingdom, because there is something analogous between a tyranny and a kingdom, in consequence of both these governments subsisting according to law. For among some of the Barbarians, monarchs are elected possessing absolute power; and formerly among the ancient Greeks, certain monarchs were chosen after this manner, whom they called asumnetes. These, however, have certain differences with respect to each other. But in consequence of subsisting according to law, their authority was kingly, and also because they were the monarchs of a willing people; and their power was tyrannic, because they governed despotically, and according to their own will. There is also a third species of tyranny, which appears to be most eminently tyrannical, and is the very opposite to kingly power. But it is necessary that a tyranny of this kind should be the government of a monarch, who is not accountable for his conduct, and who rules over his equals, and those who are better than himself, with a view to his own advantage, and not the good of the governed. Hence, he rules by compulsion; for no freeman will willingly endure such a government. These, therefore, are the species of a tyranny, and they are such and so many through the above-mentioned causes.
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