I will
hereafter explain what is the proper treatment of slaves, and why it
is expedient that liberty should be always held out to them as the
reward of their services.
XI
We have already said that the city should be open to the land and to
the sea, and to the whole country as far as possible. In respect of
the place itself our wish would be that its situation should be
fortunate in four things. The first, health- this is a necessity:
cities which lie towards the east, and are blown upon by winds
coming from the east, are the healthiest; next in healthfulness are
those which are sheltered from the north wind, for they have a
milder winter. The site of the city should likewise be convenient both
for political administration and for war. With a view to the latter it
should afford easy egress to the citizens, and at the same time be
inaccessible and difficult of capture to enemies. There should be a
natural abundance of springs and fountains in the town, or, if there
is a deficiency of them, great reservoirs may be established for the
collection of rainwater, such as will not fail when the inhabitants
are cut off from the country by by war. Special care should be taken
of the health of the inhabitants, which will depend chiefly on the
healthiness of the locality and of the quarter to which they are
exposed, and secondly, on the use of pure water; this latter point
is by no means a secondary consideration.
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