下载辰思小说免费APP
Letthecitizensatoncedistributetheirlandandhouses，andnottillthelandincommon，sinceacommunityofgoodsgoesbeyondtheirproposedorigin，andnurture，andeducation。Butinmakingthedistribution，lettheseveralpossessorsfeelthattheirparticularlotsalsobelongtothewholecity；andseeingthattheearthistheirparent，letthemtendhermorecarefullythanchildrendotheirmother。Forsheisagoddessandtheirqueen，andtheyarehermortalsubjects。SuchalsoarethefeelingswhichtheyoughttoentertaintotheGodsanddemi-godsofthecountry。Andinorderthatthedistributionmayalwaysremain，theyoughttoconsiderfurtherthatthepresentnumberoffamiliesshouldbealwaysretained，andneitherincreasednordiminished。Thismaybesecuredforthewholecityinthefollowingmanner：-Letthepossessorofalotleavetheoneofhischildrenwhoishisbestbeloved，andoneonly，tobetheheirofhisdwelling，andhissuccessorinthedutyofministeringtotheGods，thestateandthefamily，aswellthelivingmembersofitasthosewhoaredepartedwhenhecomesintotheinheritance；butofhisotherchildren，ifhehavemorethanone，heshallgivethefemalesinmarriageaccordingtothelawtobehereafterenacted，andthemalesheshalldistributeassonstothosecitizenswhohavenochildrenandaredisposedtoreceivethem；orifthereshouldbenonesuch，andparticularindividualshavetoomanychildren，maleorfemale，ortoofew，asinthecaseofbarrenness-inallthesecasesletthehighestandmosthonourablemagistracycreatedbyusjudgeanddeterminewhatistobedonewiththeredundantordeficient，anddeviseameansthatthenumberof5040housesshallalwaysremainthesame。Therearemanywaysofregulatingnumbers；fortheyinwhomgenerationisaffluentmaybemadetorefrain，and，ontheotherhand，specialcaremaybetakentoincreasethenumberofbirthsbyrewardsandstigmas，orwemaymeettheevilbytheeldermengivingadviceandadministeringrebuketotheyounger-inthiswaytheobjectmaybeattained。Andifafteralltherebeverygreatdifficultyabouttheequalpreservationofthe5040houses，andtherebeanexcessofcitizens，owingtothetoogreatloveofthosewholivetogether，andweareatourwits’end，thereisstilltheolddeviceoftenmentionedbyusofsendingoutacolony，whichwillpartfriendswithus，andbecomposedofsuitablepersons。If，ontheotherhand，therecomeawavebearingadelugeofdisease，oraplagueofwar，andtheinhabitantsbecomemuchfewerthantheappointednumberbyreasonofbereavement，weoughtnottointroducecitizensofspuriousbirthandeducation，ifthiscanbeavoided；
butevenGodissaidnottobeabletofightagainstnecessity。
Whereforeletussupposethis“highargument“ofourstoaddressusinthefollowingterms：-Bestofmen，ceasenottohonouraccordingtonaturesimilarityandequalityandsamenessandagreement，asregardsnumberandeverygoodandnoblequality。And，aboveall，observetheaforesaidnumber5040throughoutlife；inthesecondplace，donotdisparagethesmallandmodestproportionsoftheinheritanceswhichyoureceivedinthedistribution，bybuyingandsellingthemtooneanother。ForthenneitherwilltheGodwhogaveyouthelotbeyourfriend，norwillthelegislator；andindeedthelawdeclarestothedisobedientthatthesearethetermsuponwhichhemayormaynottakethelot。Inthefirstplace，theearthasheisinformedissacredtotheGods；andinthenextplace，priestsandpriestesseswillofferupprayersoverafirst，andsecond，andevenathirdsacrifice，thathewhobuysorsellsthehousesorlandswhichhehasreceived，maysufferthepunishmentwhichhedeserves；andthesetheirprayerstheyshallwritedowninthetemples，ontabletsofcypress-wood，fortheinstructionofposterity。Moreovertheywillsetawatchoverallthesethings，thattheymaybeobserved；-themagistracywhichhasthesharpesteyesshallkeepwatchthatanyinfringementofthesecommandsmaybediscoveredandpunishedasoffencesbothagainstthelawandtheGod。Howgreatisthebenefitofsuchanordinancetoallthosecities，whichobeyandareadministeredaccordingly，nobadmancaneverknow，astheoldproverbsays；but
