These officers, however, have the command and the charge of affairs as with us; yet this is consistent with their position, for here to obey is considered nobler than to command.

In the fleet the rowers are the highest class; next come the fighting-men; and lowest of all are the officers.

War arises from motives as peculiar as those which give rise to private feuds; as, for instance, where one nation tries to force a province upon another; where they try to make each other greater; where they try to benefit unduly each other's commerce; where one may have a smaller fleet or army than has been agreed on, or where an ambassador has been presented with gifts, or received too great honor or attention.
In such a country as this, where riches are disliked and despised, I could not imagine how people could be induced to engage in trade.
This, however, was soon explained.

The laborers and artisans have to perform their daily work, so as to enable the community to live and move and have its being.

Their impelling motive is the high one of benefiting others most directly.