It was regarded as a way of life.

Further, the constitution within the framework of which the ordinary process of administration and passing of decrees went on, was always regarded as the work of a special man or body of men, the lawgivers.

If we study Greek history, we find that the position of the legislator corresponds to that assigned to him by Plato and Aristotle.

All Greek states, except those perversions which Aristotle criticises as being "above law," worked under rigid constitutions, and the constitution was only changed when the whole people gave a commission to a lawgiver to draw up a new one.

Such was the position of the AEsumnetes, whom Aristotle describes in Book III.
chap, xiv., in earlier times, and of the pupils of the Academy in the fourth century.