27. Ἐπεὶ δὲ κ.τ.λ. The First Book ends. καὶ πρῶτον ἐπισκεψώμεθα περὶ τῶν ἀποφηναμένων περὶ τῆς πολιτείας τῆς ἀρίστης. The Second begins by premising that Aristotle's aim is to inquire what form of political union is best for those most favourably circumstanced–a fact which had not been stated before—and then proceeds to argue that this involves a preliminary review of ‘other constitutions than that to be propounded by Aristotle’ (τὰς ἄλλαρ πολιτείας), whether actual working constitutions (termed κύριαι in 2. 12. 1274 b 27) held to be well-ordered, or schemes in good repute put forward by individual inquirers. The two passages are evidently not in strict sequence. The opening paragraph of the Second Book is not perhaps absolutely inconsistent with the closing words of the First, inasmuch as all that is said at the close of the latter book is that those who have put forward views with regard to the best constitution will be first dealt with, but it appears to ignore them. In c. 12. 1273 b 27 sqq. the plan of the book is still further extended to include a notice of οἱ ἀποφηνάμενοί τι περὶ πολιτείας generally, and even of who were the authors of laws only and not of constitutions.