LAWS

第30章

Ath。Thebrideandbridegroomshouldconsiderthattheyaretoproduceforthestatethebestandfairestspecimensofchildrenwhichtheycan。Nowallmenwhoareassociatedanyactionalwayssucceedwhentheyattendandgivetheirmindtowhattheyaredoing,butwhentheydonotgivetheirmindorhavenomind,theyfail;whereforeletthebridegroomgivehismindtothebrideandtothebegettingofchildren,andthebrideinlikemannergivehermindtothebridegroom,andparticularlyatthetimewhentheirchildrenarenotyetborn。Andletthewomenwhomwehavechosenbetheoverseersofsuchmatters,andlettheminwhatevernumber,largeorsmall,andatwhatevertimethemagistratesmaycommand,assembleeverydayinthetempleofEileithyiaduringathirdpartoftheday,andbeingthereassembled,lettheminformoneanotherofanyonewhomtheysee,whethermanorwoman,ofthosewhoarebegettingchildren,disregardingtheordinancesgivenatthetimewhenthenuptialsacrificesandceremonieswereperformed。Letthebegettingofchildrenandthesupervisionofthosewhoarebegettingthemcontinuetenyearsandnolonger,duringthetimewhenmarriageisfruitful。Butifanycontinuewithoutchildrenuptothistime,letthemtakecounselwiththeirkindredandwiththewomenholdingtheofficeofoverseerandbedivorcedfortheirmutualbenefit。If,however,anydisputearisesaboutwhatisproperandfortheinterestofeitherparty,theyshallchoosetenoftheguardiansofthelawandabidebytheirpermissionandappointment。Thewomenwhopresideoverthesemattersshallenterintothehousesoftheyoung,andpartlybyadmonitionsandpartlybythreatsmakethemgiveovertheirfollyanderror:iftheypersist,letthewomengoandtelltheguardiansofthelaw,andtheguardiansshallpreventthem。Butiftheytoocannotpreventthem,theyshallbringthematterbeforethepeople;andletthemwriteuptheirnamesandmakeoaththattheycannotreformsuchandsuchanone;andlethimwhoisthuswrittenup,ifhecannotinacourtoflawconvictthosewhohaveinscribedhisname,bedeprivedoftheprivilegesofacitizeninthefollowingrespects:-lethimnotgotoweddingsnortothethanksgivingsafterthebirthofchildren;andifhego,letanyonewhopleasesstrikehimwithimpunity;andletthesameregulationsholdaboutwomen:letnotawomanbeallowedtoappearabroad,orreceivehonour,orgotonuptialandbirthdayfestivals,ifsheinlikemannerbewrittenupasactingdisorderlyandcannotobtainaverdict。Andif,whentheythemselveshavedonebegettingchildrenaccordingtothelaw,amanorwomanhaveconnectionwithanothermanorwomanwhoarestillbegettingchildren,letthesamepenaltiesbeinflicteduponthemasuponthosewhoarestillhavingafamily;andwhenthetimeforprocreationhaspassedletthemanorwomanwhorefrainsinsuchmattersbeheldinesteem,andletthosewhodonotrefrainbeheldinthecontraryofesteem-thatistosay,disesteem。Now,ifthegreaterpartofmankindbehavemodestly,theenactmentsoflawmaybelefttoslumber;but,iftheyaredisorderly,theenactmentshavingbeenpassed,letthembecarriedintoexecution。

Toeverymanthefirstyearisthebeginningoflife,andthetimeofbirthoughttobewrittendowninthetemplesoftheirfathersasthebeginningofexistencetoeverychild,whetherboyorgirl。Leteveryphratriahaveinscribedonawhitedwallthenamesofthesuccessivearchonsbywhomtheyearsarereckoned。Andneartothemletthelivingmembersofthephratriabeinscribed,andwhentheydepartlifeletthembeerased。Thelimitofmarriageableagesforawomanshallbefromsixteentotwentyyearsatthelongest-foraman,fromthirtytothirty-fiveyears;andletawomanholdofficeatforty,andamanatthirtyyears。Letamangoouttowarfromtwentytosixtyyears,andforawoman,ifthereappearanyneedtomakeuseofherinmilitaryservice,letthetimeofservic

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