For
all who have obtained this honor have benefited, or had in their power
to benefit, states and nations; some, like Codrus, have prevented
the state from being enslaved in war; others, like Cyrus, have given
their country freedom, or have settled or gained a territory, like the
Lacedaemonian, Macedonian, and Molossian kings. The idea of a king
is to be a protector of the rich against unjust treatment, of the
people against insult and oppression. Whereas a tyrant, as has often
been repeated, has no regard to any public interest, except as
conducive to his private ends; his aim is pleasure, the aim of a king,
honor. Wherefore also in their desires they differ; the tyrant is
desirous of riches, the king, of what brings honor. And the guards
of a king are citizens, but of a tyrant mercenaries.
That tyranny has all the vices both of democracy and oligarchy is
evident. As of oligarchy so of tyranny, the end is wealth; (for by
wealth only can the tyrant maintain either his guard or his luxury).
Both mistrust the people, and therefore deprive them of their arms.
Both agree too in injuring the people and driving them out of the city
and dispersing them. From democracy tyrants have borrowed the art of
making war upon the notables and destroying them secretly or openly,
or of exiling them because they are rivals and stand in the way of
their power; and also because plots against them are contrived by
men of this dass, who either want to rule or to escape subjection.
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