[556a]
foster the drone and pauper element in the state.”
“They do indeed multiply it,” he said. “And
they are not willing to quench the evil as it bursts into flame either by
way of a law prohibiting a man from doing as he likes with his own,1 or in this way, by a second law that does away with such
abuses.” “What law?” “The law that
is next best, and compels the citizens to pay heed to virtue.2 For if a law commanded that
most voluntary contracts3 should be at the
contractor's risk,
1 Cf. on 552 A, Laws 922 E-923 A.
2 Cf. Protag. 327 Dἀναγκάζουσα ἀρετῆς ἐπιμελεῖσθαι, Symp. 185 B, and for ἐπιμελεῖσθαι Cf. What Plato Said, p. 464, on Apol. 29 D-E.
3 For refusing to enforce monetary contracts Cf. Laws 742 C, 849 E, 915 E, and Newman ii. p. 254 on Aristot.Pol. 1263 b 21.
Plato. Plato in Twelve Volumes, Vols. 5 & 6 translated by Paul Shorey. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1969.
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