next, the laws by which in each case their civic life is governed; furthermore, freedom
 of speech and the privilege which is openly granted to friends to rebuke and to enemies to
 attack each other’s faults; besides, a number of the poets of earlier times Especially the “gnomic” poets mentioned in 43. have
 left precepts which direct them how to live; so that, from all these influences, they may
 reasonably be expected to become better men. Kings, however, have no such help; on the contrary, they, who more than other men should
 be thoroughly trained, live all their lives, from the time when they are placed in
 authority, without admonition; for the great majority of people do not come in contact
 with them, and those who are of their society consort with them to gain their favor.
 Indeed, although they are placed in authority over vast wealth and mighty affairs, they
 have brought it about because of their misuse of these advantages that many debate whether
 it were best to choose the life of men in private station who are reasonably prosperous,
 or the life of princes. For when men look at their honors, their wealth, and their powers, they all think that
 those who are in the position of kings are the equals of the gods; but when they reflect
 on their fears and their dangers, and when, as they review the history of monarchs, they
 see instances where they have been slain by those from whom they least deserved that fate,
 other instances where they have been constrained to sin against those nearest and dearest
 to them, and still others where they have experienced both of these calamities, then they
 reverse their judgement and conclude that it is better to live in any fashion whatsoever
 than, at the price of such misfortunes, to rule over all Asia . And the cause of this inconsistency and confusion is that men believe that the office of
 king is, like that of priest, The priestly office in
 Greece demanded care in the administration of
 ritual, but, apart from this, no special competence; it was often hereditary and
 sometimes filled by lot. one which any man can fill, whereas it is the most
 important of human functions and demands the greatest wisdom. Now as to each particular
 course of action, it is the business of those who are at the time associated with a king
 to advise him how he may handle it in the best way possible, and how he may both preserve
 what is good and prevent disaster; but as regards a king’s conduct in general, I shall
 attempt to set forth the objects at which he should aim and the pursuits to which he
 should devote himself.