178 ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book 11. 



That there is a difference of natural parts among men, and that 

 all men by nature are not fit for all things (for, non omnia pojjumus 

 omnes, as the poet fays,) is what I think undeniable. And it is equal- 

 ly certain, that of the firft and fuperior clafs of men, mentioned by 

 Hefiod, the governors are by God and nature deftined to be. Theie 

 muft in all countries be very few in number ; for it is with men as 

 with other animals, the excellency of the fpecies is confined to a 

 few individuals, and their race. And if it were otherwife, man would 

 be an exception to a rule, which we find to hold univerlally, among 

 the animals that we are beft acquainted with, and whofe nature we 

 have fludied, fuch as horfes, oxen, and dogs. 1 he fecond clafs of men 

 is more numerous ; and thefe are the men who are capable of being 

 governed as free men, that is, not by terror or compulfion, but by 

 perfuafion, being able to judge of what is right or wrong when it 

 is fet before them. But the third clafs is the moft numerous of 

 all in every nation ; and they muft be governed by fear and dread 

 of punifhment, that is like flaves ; and as they are fo numerous in 

 every country, it is for this reafon Ariftotle has faid, that a great 

 part of mankind are by nature doomed to be flaves; and that, there- 

 fore, there is nothing contrary to nature in the ftate of flavery *: And 

 I will add that there is many a man, who could hardly have a worfe 

 mafter than himfelf. Thus it appears, that Hefiod's way of clafTing 

 men, not only points out to us thofe who are fit to govern, but alfo 



thofe 



X,ff6>^K y tcv xuxtitet 'ts i'J iivtiTi Tnlnffi- 

 '0( h xi fttiT uvrtt »08>i fiTit' af>}i*v axttint 



Opera et Dies. v. 293. et fequett. 

 Homer very well defcribes the men of the firft clafs, by faying that they fee t« »-{«r* 

 x»t titiocu. Of fuch men the head of Janus with two faces, the one looking hefure 

 and the other behind, is a very good emblem. 



• De Republica, Lib. i. Cap. 5. and following. 



