But
the light-armed and the naval element are wholly democratic; and
nowadays, where they are numerous, if the two parties quarrel, the
oligarchy are often worsted by them in the struggle. A remedy for this
state of things may be found in the practice of generals who combine a
proper contingent of light-armed troops with cavalry and
heavy-armed. And this is the way in which the poor get the better of
the rich in civil contests; being lightly armed, they fight with
advantage against cavalry and heavy being lightly armed, they fight
with advantage against cavalry and heavy infantry. An oligarchy
which raises such a force out of the lower classes raises a power
against itself. And therefore, since the ages of the citizens vary and
some are older and some younger, the fathers should have their own
sons, while they are still young, taught the agile movements of
light-armed troops; and these, when they have been taken out of the
ranks of the youth, should become light-armed warriors in reality. The
oligarchy should also yield a share in the government to the people,
either, as I said before, to those who have a property
qualification, or, as in the case of Thebes, to those who have
abstained for a certain number of years from mean employments, or,
as at Massalia, to men of merit who are selected for their worthiness,
whether previously citizens or not.
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