Ἄρχων χρότιος
ruler in the flesh
Translated by William Hutton25 Mar 2002Vetting: high6 revisions
Translation
[Meaning] supreme-ruler, leader. "Time [is the] ruler of pains."1
[Someone says that]2 it is necessary for the ruler to perform all his duties for the sake of the ruled. But Hegias3 deemed it right not only for the ruler to have the best interests of the ruled at heart, but also for them to have his [best interests at heart], since the impulse toward good in everything is stronger toward itself than toward something else. But Isidoros says that the ruler qua ruler does [not]4 heed a ruler, even if he has some concern for himself, as if he himself were one of the ruled that need to have their interests protected. For strictly speaking a ruler has need of nothing. But qua person, a practitioner of an art might need [something]; for instance a doctor might need the doctor's art if he got sick. But the doctor's art would never get sick; nor indeed would the doctor standing in line with the doctor's art, nor the ruler who is seen to be in line with the science of ruling. One must try to say more rationally that things are not only said to be directed toward something but also are directed toward each other: the ruler is both said to be and is directed toward to the ruled, and the ruled are both said to be and are directed toward the ruler; so that if ruling benefits the ruled at all, its benefit will be directed toward those for whom ruling is intended.
Apis the Egyptian is said to have been the first to bring the doctor's art to Greece.5
[Someone says that]2 it is necessary for the ruler to perform all his duties for the sake of the ruled. But Hegias3 deemed it right not only for the ruler to have the best interests of the ruled at heart, but also for them to have his [best interests at heart], since the impulse toward good in everything is stronger toward itself than toward something else. But Isidoros says that the ruler qua ruler does [not]4 heed a ruler, even if he has some concern for himself, as if he himself were one of the ruled that need to have their interests protected. For strictly speaking a ruler has need of nothing. But qua person, a practitioner of an art might need [something]; for instance a doctor might need the doctor's art if he got sick. But the doctor's art would never get sick; nor indeed would the doctor standing in line with the doctor's art, nor the ruler who is seen to be in line with the science of ruling. One must try to say more rationally that things are not only said to be directed toward something but also are directed toward each other: the ruler is both said to be and is directed toward to the ruled, and the ruled are both said to be and are directed toward the ruler; so that if ruling benefits the ruled at all, its benefit will be directed toward those for whom ruling is intended.
Apis the Egyptian is said to have been the first to bring the doctor's art to Greece.5