Laws
Plato (428–347 BC)
Plato's Laws in the Greek text edited by John Burnet, with R. G. Bury's English translation.
Book 1
Section 624
Section 625
Section 626
Section 627
Section 628
Section 629
Section 630
Section 631
Section 632
Section 633
Section 634
Section 635
Section 636
Section 637
Section 638
Section 639
Section 640
Section 641
Section 642
Section 643
Section 644
Section 645
Section 646
Section 647
Section 648
Section 649
Section 650
Book 2
Section 652
Section 653
Section 654
Section 655
Section 656
Section 657
Section 658
Section 659
Section 660
Section 661
Section 662
Section 663
Section 664
Section 665
Section 666
Section 667
Section 668
Section 669
Section 670
Section 671
Section 672
Section 673
Section 674
Book 3
Section 676
Section 677
Section 678
Section 679
Section 680
Section 681
Section 682
Section 683
Section 684
Section 685
Section 686
Section 687
Section 688
Section 689
Section 690
Section 691
Section 692
Section 693
Section 694
Section 695
Section 696
Section 697
Section 698
Section 699
Section 700
Section 701
Section 702
Book 4
Section 704
Ath. Come now, what is this State going to be, shall we suppose I am not asking for its present name or the name it will have to go by in the future; for this might be derived from the conditions of its settlement, or from some locality, or a river or spring or some local deity might bestow its sacred title on the new State. The point of my question about it is rather this,—is it to be an inland State, or situated on the sea-coast?
Clin. The State which I mentioned just now, Stranger, lies about eighty stades, roughly speaking, from the sea.
Ath. Well, has it harbors on the sea-board side, or is it quite without harbors?
Clin. It has excellent harbors on that side, Stranger, none better.
Ath. Dear me! how unfortunate! But what of the surrounding country? Is it productive in all respects, or deficient in some products?
Clin. There is practically nothing that it is deficient in.
Ath. Will there be any State bordering close on it?
Clin. None at all, and that is the reason for settling it. Owing to emigration from this district long ago, the country has lain desolate for ever so long.
Ath. How about plains, mountains and forests? What extent of each of these does it contain?
Clin. As a whole, it resembles in character the rest of Crete.
Ath. You would call it hilly rather than level?
Clin. Certainly.