I12 ARISTO TLE 'S POLITICS.
TLV~ rahy, and 5 I I.
himself with the statesman or politician of whom he is speaking.In the words rbu TOXL~LK~U Aristotle identifies&rfpov 8voo tv $ ?rXrio, cp. vii. 9. 8 8 and 10. $ 13.- 6, 7. &h TQV ah& KQTOLKO~VTU rb aiirdv r&rov, sdrrpov Zos hu $ zi, y&
saiirb rSv X~TOLKO&TW, 4v ai+ ctvar +artov rdhv, Kahrp dri riv piv
qJtJsrpopivov TSV 82 ~LVO~;U~U, Oump ai norapoh tiPBapsv X+lv rubE
ahois xai xpjuas shs ahis, xaimp ciri 703 p& ilriyrvopiuov vdpros, 707 8
hr.$LOIvros, $ ~03s plv Mpbrrovr Gariou tbar TO& abrois Sd *v roradqv
aiziav, njv ai ?ro'xrv irlpav ; dirap ydp 2mr Koivovia TLS 4 rdXis K.T.X.
From the digression into which he has fallen respecting the size
of the state, Aristotle returns to the original question, What makes
the identity of the state? He answers in an alternative : Shall ne
say that the identity of the state depends upon the race, although
the individuals of the race die and are born-like a river which
remains the same although the waters come and go? Or is
not the truer view that the form or idea of the state makes the
state the same or different, whether the race remain or not?
This latter alternative he accepts, illustrating his meaning by
the simile of a chorus ($ 7), which may be Tragic or Comic,
although the members of it are the same; and of musical
harmony (9 8) in Tvhich the same notes are combined in different
modes.
This is the conclusion which hristotle intends to draw from the
words rhp ydp Juri KOLVOVL'I ris 4 dts K.T.X., and is clearly the
general drift of the passage. But the alternatives 6XXh riv.. I
2ripav create an obscurity, because Aristotle begins by opposing
the continuance of the race to the transitoriness of the individuals
who are always going and coming, when he is really intending to
oppose the idea of the state to both of them, $6 7, 9.
' For the same reason as the rivers; '
Le. because there is an unbroken succession of citizens as of
waters.
The argument is neither clearly expressed nor altogether satisfac-
tory. For I) the identity of a state consists in many things, such
as race, religion, language, as well as government, and therefore
cannot be precisely defined; 2) it is always changing for better or
alir qu roiahqv airiav.