LAWS

第40章

butifastrangerispassingalongtheroad,anddesirestoeat,lethimtakeofthe“choice“grapesforhimselfandasinglefollowerwithoutpayment,asatributeofhospitality。Thelawhoweverforbidsstrangersfromsharinginthesortwhichisnotusedforeating;andifanyone,whetherhebemasterorslave,takesoftheminignorance,lettheslavebebeaten,andthefreemandismissedwithadmonitions,andinstructedtotakeoftheotherautumnalfruitswhichareunfitformakingraisinsandwine,orforlayingbyasdriedfigs。Astopears,andapples,andpomegranates,andsimilarfruits,thereshallbenodisgraceintakingthemsecretly;

buthewhoiscaught,ifhebeoflessthanthirtyyearsofage,shallbestruckandbeatenoff,butnotwounded;andnofreemanshallhaveanyrightofsatisfactionforsuchblows。Ofthesefruitsthestrangermaypartake,justashemayofthefruitsofautumn。Andifanelder,whoismorethanthirtyyearsofage,eatofthemonthespot,lethim,likethestranger,beallowedtopartakeofallsuchfruits,buthemustcarryawaynothing。If,however,hewillnotobeythelaw,lethimrunriskoffailinginthecompetitionofvirtue,incaseanyonetakesnoticeofhisactionsbeforethejudgesatthetime。

Wateristhegreatestelementofnutritioningardens,butiseasilypolluted。Youcannotpoisonthesoil,orthesoil,orthesun,ortheair,whichareotherelementsofnutritioninplants,ordivertthem,orstealthem;butallthesethingsmayverylikelyhappeninregardtowater,whichmustthereforebeprotectedbylaw。Andletthisbethelaw:-Ifanyoneintentionallypollutesthewaterofanother,whetherthewaterofaspring,orcollectedinreservoirs,eitherbypoisonoussubstances,orbydiggingorbytheft,lettheinjuredpartybringthecausebeforethewardensofthecity,andclaiminwritingthevalueoftheloss;iftheaccusedbefoundguiltyofinjuringthewaterbydeleterioussubstances,lethimnotonlypaydamages,butpurifythestreamorthecisternwhichcontainsthewater,insuchmannerasthelawsoftheinterpretersorderthepurificationtobemadebytheoffenderineachcase。

Withrespecttothegatheringinofthefruitsofthesoil,letaman,ifhepleases,carryhisownfruitsthroughanyplaceinwhichheeitherdoesnoharmtoanyone,orhimselfgainsthreetimesasmuchashisneighbourloses。Nowofthesethingsthemagistratesshouldbecognisant,asofallotherthingsinwhichamanintentionallydoesinjurytoanotherortothepropertyofanother,byfraudorforce,intheusewhichhemakesofhisownproperty。Allthesemattersamanshouldlaybeforethemagistrates,andreceivedamages,supposingtheinjurytobenotmorethanthreeminae;orifhehaveachargeagainstanotherwhichinvolvesalargeramount,lethimbringhissuitintothepubliccourtsandhavetheevil-doerpunished。Butifanyofthemagistratesappeartoadjudgethepenaltieswhichheimposesinanunjustspirit,lethimbeliabletopaydoubletotheinjuredparty。Anyonemaybringtheoffencesofmagistrates,inanyparticularcase,beforethepubliccourts。Thereareinnumerablelittlemattersrelatingtothemodesofpunishment,andapplicationsforsuits,andsummonsesandthewitnessestosummonses-forexample,whethertwowitnessesshouldberequiredforasummons,orhowmany-andallsuchdetails,whichcannotbeomittedinlegislation,butarebeneaththewisdomofanagedlegislator。Theselessermatters,astheyindeedareincomparisonwiththegreaterones,letayoungergenerationregulatebylaw,afterthepatternswhichhavepreceded,andaccordingtotheirownexperienceoftheusefulnessandnecessityofsuchlaws;andwhentheyaredulyregulatedlettherebenoalteration,butletthecitizensliveintheobservanceofthem。

Nowofartisans,lettheregulationsbeasfollows:-Inthefirstplace,letnocitizenorservantofacitizenbeoccupiedinhandicraftarts;forhewhoistosecureandpreservethepublicorderofthestate,hasanartwhichrequiresmuchstudyandmanykindsofknowledge,anddoesnotadmitofbeingmadeasecondaryoccupation;

andhardlyanyhumanbeingiscapableofpursuingtwoprofessionsortwoartsrightly,orofpractisingonearthimself,andsuperintendingsomeoneelsewhoispractisinganother。Letthis,then,beourfirstprincipleinthestate:-Noonewhoisasmithshallalsobeacarpenter,andifhebeacarpenter,heshallnotsuperintendthesmith’sartratherthanhisown,underthepretextthatinsuperintendingmanyservantswhoareworkingforhim,heislikelytosuperintendthembetter,becausemorerevenuewillaccruetohimfromthe

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