Each passage weighs which form of government is best. Herodotus stages a debate among three Persians over rule by the many, the few and one. Pericles praises Athenian democracy; Plato looks to philosopher-kings; Aristotle ranks kingship first and timocracy last of the good forms. Josephus’s Moses and Plutarch’s Lycurgus prefer a rule of law or a balance of powers, with kings restrained. Dante asks for laws and a king to enforce them, and for the sword kept apart from the crosier.
Chosen by hand, not counted: a passage is here when it is plainly about the topic, and the list is not every mention. Each is shown in the order the books were written, and each links to the section it is in.
Otanes argues for rule by the many; Megabyzus and Darius answer for the few and for one.
… On the one hand Otanes urged that they should resign the government into the hands of the whole body of the Persians, and his words were as follows: "To me it seems best that no single one of us should henceforth be ruler, for that is neither pleasant nor profitable. … Book 3 →Pericles praises the Athenian democracy: equal justice, office by merit, and freedom under law.
… Our constitution does not copy the laws of neighbouring states; we are rather a pattern to others than imitators ourselves. Its administration favours the many instead of the few; this is why it is called a democracy. If we look to the laws, they afford equal justice to all in their private differences; … Book 2 →Socrates says cities will have no rest from their evils until philosophers are kings.
… I said: ‘Until philosophers are kings, or the kings and princes of this world have the spirit and power of philosophy, and political greatness and wisdom meet in one, and those commoner natures who pursue either to the exclusion of the other are compelled to stand aside, cities will never have rest from their evils,—nor the human race, as I believe,—and then only will this our State have a possibility of life and … Book 5 →Aristotle names kingship, aristocracy and timocracy, with their corruptions, and judges kingship best.
… Of Political Constitutions there are three kinds; and equal in number are the deflections from them, being, so to say, corruptions of them. The former are Kingship, Aristocracy, and that which recognises the principle of wealth, which it seems appropriate to call Timocracy (I give to it the name of a political constitution because people commonly do so). Of these the best is Monarchy, and Timocracy the worst. … Book 8 →Moses tells Israel that aristocracy under the laws is best, and sets limits on any future king.
… Aristocracy, and the way of living under it, is the best constitution: and may you never have any inclination to any other form of government; and may you always love that form, and have the laws for your governors, and govern all your actions according to them; for you need no supreme governor but God. But if you shall desire a king, let him be one of your own nation; … Book 4 →Lycurgus sets up a senate at Sparta to hold the balance between kings and people.
… Amongst the many changes and alterations which Lycurgus made, the first and of greatest importance was the establishment of the senate, which, having a power equal to the kings' in matters of great consequence, and, as Plato expresses it, allaying and qualifying the fiery genius of the royal office, gave steadiness and safety to the commonwealth. … Life 3 →Marco Lombardo says men need laws and a king, and blames the joining of sword and crosier.
… Hence it behoved laws for a rein to place, Behoved a king to have, who at the least Of the true city should discern the tower. The laws exist, but who sets hand to them? No one; because the shepherd who precedes Can ruminate, but cleaveth not the hoof; Wherefore the people that perceives its guide Strike only at the good for which it hankers, Feeds upon that, and farther seeketh not. … Purgatorio 16 →