法律篇

法律篇（古希腊语：Νόμοι，英语：Law）是柏拉图最后且是最长的对话录。对话的开头并不是‘什么是法律？’(这是美诺篇当中的问题)，而是‘谁有权力来制订法律？’

普遍认为这是柏拉图晚年的作品，写于他在西西里的独裁领导尝试失败后。这些事情是由第七封信中所记载的。

The Laws (Ancient Greek: Νόμοι) is Plato's last and longest dialogue. The conversation depicted in the work's twelve books begins with the question of who is given the credit for establishing a civilization's laws. Its musings on the ethics of government and law have frequently been compared to Plato's more widely read Republic. Some scholars see this as the work of Plato as an older man having failed in his effort to guide the rule of the tyrant Dionysius II of Syracuse. These events are alluded to in the Seventh Letter. The text is noteworthy as the only Platonic dialogue not to feature Socrates.

Setting

Characters

Unlike most of Plato's dialogues, Socrates does not appear in the Laws. The conversation is instead led by an Athenian Stranger

An Athenian "Stranger" (Ancient Greek: ξένος)

Cleinias of Knossos

Megillus of Sparta

Summary

The Athenian Stranger joins the other two on their religious pilgrimage from Knossos, on Crete, to the cave of Zeus on Mount Ida. The entire dialogue takes place during this journey, which mimics the action of Minos: said by the Cretans to have made their ancient laws, Minos walked this path every nine years in order to receive instruction from Zeus on lawgiving. It is also said to be the longest day of the year, allowing for the densely packed twelve books. The question asked at the beginning is not "What is law?" as one would expect. That is the question of the Platonic dialogue Minos. The dialogue rather proceeds from the question, "who it is that receives credit for creating laws." By the end of the third book Cleinias announces that he has in fact been given the responsibility of creating the laws for a new Cretan colony, and that he would like the Athenian stranger's assistance. The rest of the dialogue proceeds with the three old men, walking towards the cave and making laws for this new city which is called the city of Magnesia.

Books I–II: Purpose of government

While traveling from Knossos to the shrine of Zeus on Mount Ida, the Athenian begins by asking if the other two attribute their laws to a divine or a human origin. Both Clinias and Megillus say that their laws have a divine origin. The laws of Crete are said to come from Minos and Rhadamanthus, who consulted with Zeus.

Interpretations and themes

The questions of the Laws are quite numerous, including:

Divine revelation, divine law and law-giving

The role of intelligence in law-giving

The relations of philosophy, religion, and politics

The role of music, exercise and dance in education

Natural law and natural right

The dialogue uses primarily the Athenian and Spartan (Lacedaemonian) law systems as background for pinpointing a choice of laws, which the speakers imagine as a more or less coherent set for the new city they are talking about.