But what are to be included
under the term 'offices'? That is a question not quite so easily
answered. For a political community requires many officers; and not
every one who is chosen by vote or by lot is to be regarded as a
ruler. In the first place there are the priests, who must be
distinguished from political officers; masters of choruses and
heralds, even ambassadors, are elected by vote. Some duties of
superintendence again are political, extending either to all the
citizens in a single sphere of action, like the office of the
general who superintends them when they are in the field, or to a
section of them only, like the inspectorships of women or of youth.
Other offices are concerned with household management, like that of
the corn measurers who exist in many states and are elected
officers. There are also menial offices which the rich have executed
by their slaves. Speaking generally, those are to be called offices to
which the duties are assigned of deliberating about certain measures
and ofjudging and commanding, especially the last; for to command is
the especial duty of a magistrate. But the question is not of any
importance in practice; no one has ever brought into court the meaning
of the word, although such problems have a speculative interest.
What kinds of offices, and how many, are necessary to the
existence of a state, and which, if not necessary, yet conduce to
its well being are much more important considerations, affecting all
constitutions, but more especially small states.
Pages:
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196