BOOK III - CHAPTER XVII

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_ Probably what we have said may be true of some persons, but not of
others; for some men are by nature formed to be under the government
of a master; others, of a king; others, to be the citizens of a free
state, just and useful; but a tyranny is not according to nature, nor
the other perverted forms of government; for they are contrary to it.
But it is evident from what has been said, that among equals it is
neither advantageous nor [1288a] right that one person should be lord
over all where there are no established laws, but his will is the law;
or where there are; nor is it right that one who is good should have
it over those who are good; or one who is not good over those who are
not good; nor one who is superior to the rest In worth, except in a
particular manner, which shall be described, though indeed it has been
already mentioned. But let us next determine what people are best
qualified for a kingly government, what for an aristocratic, and what
for a democratic. And, first, for a kingly; and it should be those who
are accustomed by nature to submit the civil government of themselves
to a family eminent for virtue: for an aristocracy, those who are
naturally framed to bear the rule of free men, whose superior virtue
makes them worthy of the management of others: for a free state, a
war-like people, formed by nature both to govern and be governed by
laws which admit the poorest citizen to share the honours of the
commonwealth according to his worth. But whenever a whole family or
any one of another shall happen so far to excel in virtue as to exceed
all other persons in the community, the n it is right that the kingly
power should be in them, or if it is an individual who does so, that
he should be king and lord of all; for this, as we have just
mentioned, is not only correspondent to that principle of right which
all founders of all states, whether aristocracies, oligarchies, or
democracies, have a regard to (for in placing the supreme power they
all think it right to fix it to excellence, though not the same); but
it is also agreeable to what has been already said; as it would not be
right to kill, or banish, or ostracise such a one for his superior
merit. Nor would it be proper to let him have the supreme power only
in turn; for it is contrary to nature that what is highest should ever
be lowest: but this would be the case should such a one ever be
governed by others. So that there can nothing else be done but to
submit, and permit him continually to enjoy the supreme power. And
thus much with respect to kingly power in different states, and
whether it is or is not advantageous to them, and to what, and in what
manner. _

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