Kings and statesmen

Use in the book

The first political description belongs to opinion: Socrates restates the companion's resolution of a city as political opinion (314c). Later “the statesmen and the kingly men” are identified as those who know how to rule cities (317a). Their writings, which people call laws, are then described as writings of kings and good men. Goodness and competence are central to the identification; it is not a blanket endorsement of whatever any reigning monarch writes.

At 317c the adjective qualifies the law itself: what is right is kingly law. This places basilikos within the argument's normative restriction. The following distribution sequence then asks whose laws are best for human souls and gives the answer “the king's” (318a). These connections build a demanding conception of kingly rule: it is knowledgeable, right, and beneficial to its appropriate recipients.

The transition to Minos and Rhadamanthys seeks good kings of old who can occupy this conceptual role (318c–d). Their status is not simply settled by the shared title. The companion accepts Rhadamanthys as just while reporting Minos as harsh and unjust, and Socrates must mount a defense. Later Rhadamanthys' knowledge is limited to service within the kingly craft, especially judging, rather than the whole of it (320b–c). Thus the work both joins and differentiates persons within kingly administration.

It remains necessary to distinguish the dialogue's account from a general constitutional argument for monarchy. Socrates does not compare procedures of royal and non-royal government or show that hereditary office supplies knowledge. The kingly designation identifies the best governing competence within the analogy and then supplies the terms in which Minos is praised. Whether that praise successfully establishes the requisite competence is a question the reader must still assess.

Places to read

1. 314cΔόξαν, ὡς ἔοικε, λέγεις πολιτικὴν τὸν νόμον — “Political” first qualifies the opinion proposed as law
2. 317aοἱ πολιτικοί τε καὶ οἱ βασιλικοί — Statesmen and kingly men are named as those who know how to rule cities
3. 317a–b2βασιλέων τε καὶ ἀνδρῶν ἀγαθῶν συγγράμματα — Kingship and goodness accompany the attribution of the writings
4. 317cτὸ μὲν ὀρθὸν νόμος ἐστὶ βασιλικός — Kingly law is restricted to what is right
5. 318aοὐχ οἱ τοῦ βασιλέως — The best laws for human souls are assigned to the king
6. 318dἀγαθοὶ βασιλῆς — Socrates asks for good kings among the Cretans
7. 320cὑπηρεσίαν τῇ βασιλικῇ — Rhadamanthys' education is in service to the kingly craft

Translation in this edition

“Kingly” keeps the adjective distinct from the noun “king” and from an anachronistic assumption that “royal” merely denotes court status. “Statesmen” and “statesmen's writings” preserve the substantive use of politikos. The edition does not silently substitute “philosophers” for any of these expressions.

Kingly men — βασιλικός (basilikos)

βασιλικός (basilikos)

Kingly men. Men characterized as kingly in the identification of those who know how to govern cities. The qualification depends on the competence under discussion. Attested: βασιλικοί (317a). Kings and statesmen.

Kingly — βασιλικός (basilikos)

βασιλικός (basilikos)

Kingly. Qualifying genuine law: a correct civic writing is kingly law; an incorrect one fails to be law despite its appearance. Attested: βασιλικός (317c). Kings and statesmen.

Kings — βασιλεύς (basileus) · βασιλέων (317a).

βασιλεύς (basileus)

Kings. The kings whose writings, joined with those of good men, are identified as the political writings people call laws. The argument is normatively restricted. Attested: βασιλέων (317a). Kings and statesmen.

King — βασιλεύς (basileus)

βασιλεύς (basileus)

King. The practitioner to whom the best laws for human souls are assigned at the end of the distribution-and-herding sequence. Attested: βασιλέως (318a). Kings and statesmen.

Kings — βασιλεύς (basileus) · βασιλῆς (318d).

βασιλεύς (basileus)

Kings. The form in the question about good ancient Cretan kings, answered by naming Minos and Rhadamanthys. Attested: βασιλῆς (318d). Kings and statesmen.

Statesmen — πολιτικός (politikos)

πολιτικός (politikos)

Statesmen. Men identified as knowing how to rule cities. The substantive plural names practitioners rather than an abstract discipline called political science. Attested: πολιτικοί (317a). Kings and statesmen.

Statesmen’s — πολιτικός (politikos)

πολιτικός (politikos)

Statesmen’s. Pertaining to civic practitioners; the adjective qualifies their writings, which ordinary people call laws. Attested: Πολιτικὰ (317a). Kings and statesmen.

Say so (contextual phrase)

318a: φάθι. This imperative follows Socrates' question whether the king's laws are best for human souls. The companion answers Φημὶ δή, “I say so.” The push toward assent is unusually explicit. It is part of the dialogue's manner and helps locate the inference being secured; it is not additional evidence that the kingly craft's psychic contents have already been explained. See Kings and statesmen.