But the legislator should
consider also its relation to neighboring nations, and to all who
are outside of it. The government must be organized with a view to
military strength; and of this he has said not a word. And so with
respect to property: there should not only be enough to supply the
internal wants of the state, but also to meet dangers coming from
without. The property of the state should not be so large that more
powerful neighbors may be tempted by it, while the owners are unable
to repel the invaders; nor yet so small that the state is unable to
maintain a war even against states of equal power, and of the same
character. Phaleas has not laid down any rule; but we should bear in
mind that abundance of wealth is an advantage. The best limit will
probably be, that a more powerful neighbor must have no inducement
to go to war with you by reason of the excess of your wealth, but only
such as he would have had if you had possessed less. There is a
story that Eubulus, when Autophradates was going to besiege
Atarneus, told him to consider how long the operation would take,
and then reckon up the cost which would be incurred in the time.
'For,' said he, 'I am willing for a smaller sum than that to leave
Atarneus at once.' These words of Eubulus made an impression on
Autophradates, and he desisted from the siege.
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