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This was the advice which Megabyzus gave, and after him Darius came
forward, and spoke as follows: "All that Megabyzus said against
democracy was well said, I think; but about oligarchy he did not
speak advisedly; for take these three forms of government -
democracy, oligarchy, and monarchy - and let them each be at their
best, I maintain that monarchy far surpasses the other two. What
government can possibly be better than that of the very best man in the
whole state? The counsels of such a man are like himself, and so he
governs the mass of the people to their heart's content; while at the
same time his measures against evil-doers are kept more secret than in
other states. Contrariwise, in oligarchies, where men vie with each
other in the service of the commonwealth, fierce enmities are apt to
arise between man and man, each wishing to be leader, and to carry his
own measures; whence violent quarrels come, which lead to open
strife, often ending in bloodshed. Then monarchy is sure to follow;
and this too shows how far that rule surpasses all others. Again, in
a democracy, it is impossible but that there will be malpractices:
these malpractices, however, do not lead to enmities, but to close
friendships, which are formed among those engaged in them, who must
hold well together to carry on their villainies. And so things go on
until a man stands forth as champion of the commonalty, and puts down
the evil-doers. Straightway the author of so great a service is
admired by all, and from being admired soon comes to be appointed
king; so that here too it is plain that monarchy is the best
government. Lastly, to sum up all in a word, whence, I ask, was
it that we got the freedom which we enjoy? - did democracy give it
us, or oligarchy, or a monarch? As a single man recovered our
freedom for us, my sentence is that we keep to the rule of one. Even
apart from this, we ought not to change the laws of our forefathers
when they work fairly; for to do so is not well."
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