A'OTES, BOOK 222. I I. 129
juJices or interests of oligarchy or democracy.' Compare infra
c. 11. $6 20, 21.ag61tv bv Xu'toeat ai TLY' +LV rinopLw, Tdxa 62 K&V (;x{Sttav. 11. I.
'rhis passage has been thought corrupt. Tvo conjectures have
hell proposed, I) rinoplau for dnopiav (but the sense which would
giycn to ttnopia is not natural or idiomatic), and 2) the omission
or Xitn6ar or h;tu6ar Kai, the latter words being thought to be sug-
rested by the mention of dnopiau, or to be a corruption of LA{~CIQV.
'I'here is a want of order in the thoujht, but the same disorder
occurs in a parallel expression (c. 12. $ z), Z'p ybp TO^' d~opiav
$lhouo+iav BO~LTLK{U. The text may therefore be accepted.Gnmp Kal TGU pi KUX& rohs KQAO~S (6rm+ptiu) $am ai rA yrypapplua 11. 4.
Tixvps TGV dX+&, ovvijx6ar ~b Sttmappdva x~pis tis b, inti
~r,pprup;v~u yc K~XXLOU Z'xtrv roc yrypnpphov rov6l p'6v rbv @&'aXpiiv,
;ripuv 6i r1uos trrrpou piprov.
The combination of qualities in the multitude is compared to
tlit. combination of qualities in the individual : e. g. in a statue or
picture of which the features taken separately may be far excelled by
otliers, but when combined make a better portrait, because they are
aJapted to one another. Thus
the multitude may be supposed to have a generalized excellence,
and to be superior as a whole. This rather doubtful principle is
not of universal application [$ 51. We must presuppose the many
10 be good citizens and good men (infra c. 15. $ 9).
Contrast the opposite view of Piato (Rep. vi. 403 A, B), in which
he describes the multitude under the figure of a great beast, a view
l\hich is modified by his apology for them in Rep. vi. 498-500.
Compare the saying of Goe:he : ' Nothing can be more certain
than that this great Public, which is so honoured and so despised,
is almost always in a state of self-delusion about details, but never
or hardly ever about the broad truth (das Ganze).'
yet we may also make the opposite reflection, that a few wise men
they meet and act together are apt to fall short of the average
intelligence of mankind : 3. Ministry of All the Talents may have
less Sense than any man in it-a coalition may never coalesce-
(Cp. Plat. Rep. iv. 420 C, D, ff.)VOL. 11. K