Dialogue

 1 Intro|    philosophers or gods (compare Laws).~The Statesman has lost
 2 Intro|          allusion is made in the Laws to the Republic, we see
 3 Intro|         a region beyond; for the laws he would substitute the
 4 Intro| circumstances. ‘Then why have we laws at all?’ I will answer that
 5 Intro|      obliged to lay down general laws, and cannot enact what is
 6 Intro| prohibited from altering his own laws? The common people say:
 7 Intro|          then let him impose new laws. But is a physician only
 8 Intro|      other? ‘Certainly.’ For the laws are based on some experience
 9 Intro|        or rich, can be makers of laws. And so, the nearest approach
10 Intro|    contrary to their own written laws and national customs. When
11 Intro|      they meet together and make laws. And do we wonder, when
12 Intro|    democracy which neglects, the laws. The government of one is
13 Intro|          science which makes the laws, is higher than that which
14 Intro|          together; these are the laws of intermarriage, and of
15 Intro|         in the Third Book of the Laws. Some discrepancies may
16 Intro|      good and wise tyrant of the Laws, whose will is better than
17 Intro|        in comparing unchangeable laws with a personal governor.
18 Intro|        sides from which positive laws may be attacked:—either
19 Intro|         the Statesman, as in the Laws, we have three forms of
20 Intro|          of a monarchy ruling by laws.~The divine foundations
21 Intro|  incapable of education (compare Laws). Plato is strongly of opinion
22 Intro|      authority of a ruler impose laws for which a nation is unprepared.
23 Intro|       are interferences with the laws of nature; the idea is inconceivable
24 Intro|          the introduction of new laws or modes of industry. A
25 Intro|     wisdom of the perfect ruler.~Laws should be just, but they
26 Intro|          of their acts. Too many laws may be the sign of a corrupt
27 Intro|       which have the validity of laws. Even equity, which is the
28 Intro|  appearance on the scene: in the Laws Plato appears to have forgotten
29 Intro|        them in a single passage (Laws).~VI. The Statesman is naturally
30 Intro|     between the Republic and the Laws, and is also related to
31 Intro|      thought and language to the Laws. There is the same decline
32 Intro|        over-civility; and in the Laws is contained the pattern
33 Intro|      woof, are also found in the Laws. Both expressly recognize
34 Intro|         Athenian Stranger in the Laws.~VII. There would have been
35 Intro|       had been compared with the Laws rather than with the Republic,
36 Intro|       with the Republic, and the Laws had been received, as they
37 Intro|        But the comparison of the Laws proves that this repetition
38 Intro|     between the Republic and the Laws, and in near connexion with
39 Intro|       writings of Plato from the Laws. And the Theaetetus, Parmenides,
40 State|    whether rigidly observing the laws or not, and whether the
41 State|     their subjects, with written laws or without written laws,
42 State|          laws or without written laws, and whether they are poor
43 State|          to their ruling without laws—the expression has a harsh
44 State|          good government without laws.~YOUNG SOCRATES: Certainly.~
45 State|         are we compelled to make laws at all? The reason of this
46 State|       STRANGER: He will lay down laws in a general form for the
47 State|     STRANGER: And if he who gave laws, written or unwritten, determining
48 State|        one knows how the ancient laws may be improved, he must
49 State|          art, or a breach of the laws of health? Nothing could
50 State|         or poor, with or without laws, with the will of the citizens
51 State|      others must use the written laws of this—in no other way
52 State|         anything contrary to the laws, and any infringement of
53 State|     presume to be wiser than the laws; and as touching healing
54 State|    anybody may learn the written laws and the national customs.
55 State|   appoint as the guardian of the laws some one elected by a show
56 State|         caring nothing about the laws, were to act contrary to
57 State|      STRANGER: To go against the laws, which are based upon long
58 State|    SOCRATES: True.~STRANGER: The laws would be copies of the true
59 State|        art without regard to the laws, when he is of opinion that
60 State|      number of men, having fixed laws, in acting contrary to them
61 State|    contrary to their own written laws and national customs.~YOUNG
62 State|       they are regardless of the laws, oligarchy.~YOUNG SOCRATES:
63 State|        the best by violating the laws, while in reality appetite
64 State|         obliged to meet and make laws, and endeavour to approach
65 State|         by good prescriptions or laws, is the best of all the
66 State|       all, and has charge of the laws, and of all matters affecting