Distributio ojfficiorum ex politica conditU'
The Harmony of Ordered Service
Ancient wisdom taught that a flourishing society relies on individuals faithfully fulfilling their unique roles within a unified, charitable whole.
the custom of the ancients. The philosophers of the nations, by teaching justice—what is called politics—through precepts and character, by whose merit the commonwealth of men subsists and thrives, wanted everyone to be content with their own affairs and pursuits, prescribing for each individual—for city-dwellers and suburbanites, for farmers and country folk alike—their own places and studies. The concern of the individual and the collective served the public good. Everyone received the fruits of nature, labor, and industry according to their merit. No one usurped what belonged to another, and an undivided spirit of charity remained in all. The primary place in the city was given to the Areopagus. From there, as the logic of each office required, the rights of those offices flowed like streams of health and life, arranged in proper order for every profession.
The Dignity of Vocation
True nobility is found in avoiding the distractions of vanity and focusing one's efforts on the weightier duties appropriate to one's calling.
Furthermore, the art or office of hunting is barely permitted near the suburbs, since hunters—like farmers and other country residents—are kept far away from the cities and the company of the nobility. It is entirely wrong for nobler minds to be dishonored by lesser pursuits, or for those destined for arduous and weightier responsibilities to be distracted by the occupations of pleasure or vanity. This is why they considered hunting to be a legitimate skill or duty if practiced properly, but if not, they judged it to be mere frivolity or even a crime, punishing by edict those who pursued it outside of their proper station.
Read the original Latin
tione ueterum. Philosophi gentium, iustitiam, quae politica dicitur, praeceptis et moribus informantes, cuius merito respublica hominum subsistit et uiget, unumquemque suis rebus et studiis uoluerunt esse contentum, urbanis et suburbanis, colonis quoque uel rusticis sua singulis loca et studia praescribentes. Sollicitudo singulorum et omnium utilitati publicae seruiebat. Naturae, laboris, et industriae fructum unusquisque recipiebat ex merito. Nemo quod esset alterius usurpabat, manente in omnibus indiuiduo caritatis affectu. Primus quidem et medius urbis locus Ariopago cessit, unde ad singulas professiones, prout ratio cuiusque officii exigebat, dispositione congrua institutas, officiorum iura quasi quidam salutis et uitae riuuli diriuarentur. Porro in his uenandi ars uel officium uix permittitur accedere ad suburbanos, cum uenatores ut agricolae ceterique incolae rurum ab urbibus nobiliorUmque cetu longius arceantur. Omnino enim iniquum est nobiliora ingenia studiis dehonestari minoribus, et eos, quos ardua et grauiora manent officia, uoluptatis aut uanitatis occupationibus agitari.
Vnde si licenter exerceatur uenatio, artjficiuni uel officium;( si contra, leuitatem eam esse aut maleficium censuerunt, edicto punientes eos, qui eam contra officium usurparent.
Policraticus companion
Study the argument weekly; pray the tradition daily
Pair the outline with the Chosen Portion app, which serves short daily portions from the same royal devotional tradition — free on iOS.
John of Salisbury argued that rulers must keep the law of God before their eyes daily; Chosen Portion gives modern readers that same daily discipline in five minutes a morning.
- 8 weeks, one book per week, with the 3-4 key chapters flagged in each
- Discussion questions usable for a reading group from week one
- A daily 5-minute companion portion in the app alongside your weekly study