What I didn't understand until decades out of college is Plato and Aristotle weren't thinking about government in the abstract, they were thinking about the REALITY of decades long Peloppenisian War and wondering "How the fck did we let that happen?"

Then, like now, the rich sent the young to ravage the countrysides while many became opportunistic raiders, etc.,etc. Things got out of conrol which we are watching in real-time today.

Nice piece!