These, then, as the most necessary magistrates, ought to be
first mentioned: next to these are others no less necessary, but of
much higher rank, for they ought to be men of great skill and
fidelity. These are they who have the guard of the city, and provide
everything that is necessary for war; whose business it is, both in
war and peace, to defend the walls and the gates, and to take care to
muster and marshal the citizens. Over all these there are sometimes
more officers, sometimes fewer: thus in little cities there is only
one whom they call either general or polemarch; but where there are
horse and light-armed troops, and bowmen, and sailors, they sometimes
put distinct commanders over each of these; who again have others
under them, according to their different divisions; all of which join
together to make one military body: and thus much for this department.
Since some of the magistrates, if not all, have business with the
public money, it is necessary that there should be other officers,
whose employment should be nothing else than to take an account of
what they have, and correct any mismanagement therein. But besides all
these magistrates there is one who is supreme over them all, who very
often has in his own power the disposal of the public revenue and
taxes; who presides over the people when the supreme power is in them;
for there must be some magistrate who has a power to summon them
together, and to preside as head of the state.
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