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[359a] I am able, however, to give you and the settlers advice which may seem to be, as Hesiod1 says, “Trivial when uttered by me, but hard to be understanded.” For they are mistaken if they believe that a constitution could ever be well established by any kind of legislation whatsoever without the existence of some authority2 in the State which supervises the daily life both of slaves and freemen, to see that it is both temperate and manly. And this condition might be secured if you already possess men who are worthy of such authority.

1 A fragment (229) of Hesiod, otherwise unknown: cf. Hes. WD 483-484.

2 f. Plat. Laws 962b, Plat. L. 7.326c, Plat. L. 7.326d.

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