Plato, Republic

[568a] he must employ after destroying his former associates.” “But such are indeed those he does make use of,” he said. “And these companions admire him,” I said, “and these new citizens are his associates, while the better sort hate and avoid him.” “Why should they not?” “Not for nothing,¹” said I, “is tragedy in general esteemed wise, and Euripides beyond other tragedians.²” “Why, pray?” “Because among other utterances of pregnant thought³ he said, [568b] ‘Tyrants are wise by converse with the wise.⁴’ He meant evidently that these associates of the tyrant are the wise.” “Yes, he and the other poets,” he said, “call the tyrant's power ‘likest God's’⁵ and praise it in many other ways.” “Wherefore,” said I, “being wise as they are, the poets of tragedy will pardon us and those whose politics resemble ours for not admitting them⁶ into our polity, since they hymn the praises of tyranny.” “I think,” he said, “that the subtle minds⁷ [568c] among them will pardon us.” “But going about to other cities, I fancy, collecting crowds and hiring fine, loud, persuasive voices,⁸ they draw the polities towards tyrannies or democracies.” “Yes, indeed.” “And, further, they are paid and honored for this, chiefly, as is to be expected, by tyrants, and secondly by democracy.⁹ But the higher they go, breasting constitution hill, the more their honor fails, [568d] as it were from lack of breath¹⁰ unable to proceed.” “Quite so.”

“But this,” said I, “is a digression.¹¹ Let us return to that fair, multitudinous, diversified and ever-changing bodyguard of the tyrant and tell how it will be supported.” “Obviously,” he said, “if there are sacred treasures in the city he will spend these as long as they last and the property of those he has destroyed, thus requiring smaller contributions from the populace.” [568e] “But what when these resources fail¹²?” “Clearly,” he said, “his father's estate will have to support him and his wassailers, his fellows and his she-fellows.” “I understand,” I said, “that the people which begot the tyrant¹³ will have to feed him and his companions.” “It cannot escape from that,” he said. “And what have you to say,” I said, “in case the people protests and says that it is not right that a grown-up son should be supported by his father, but the reverse,