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Ifmanexchangeseithermoneyformoney，oranythingwhateverforanythingelse，eitherwithorwithoutlife，lethimgiveandreceivethemgenuineandunadulterated，inaccordancewiththelaw。Andletushaveapreludeaboutallthissortofroguery，likethepreludesofourotherlaws。Everymanshouldregardadulterationasofoneandthesameclasswithfalsehoodanddeceit，concerningwhichthemanyaretoofondofsayingthatatpropertimesandplacesthepracticemayoftenberight。Buttheyleavetheoccasion，andthewhen，andthewhere，undefinedandunsettled，andfromthiswantofdefinitenessintheirlanguagetheydoagreatdealofharmtothemselvesandtoothers。Nowalegislatoroughtnottoleavethematterundetermined；
heoughttoprescribesomelimit，eithergreaterorless。Letthisbetheruleprescribed：-NooneshallcalltheGodstowitness，whenhesaysordoesanythingfalseordeceitfulordishonest，unlesshewouldbethemosthatefulofmankindtothem。Andheismosthatefultothemtakesafalseoath，andpaysnoheedtotheGods；andinthenextdegree，hewhotellsafalsehoodinthepresenceofhissuperiors。Nowbettermenarethesuperiorsofworsemen，andingeneraleldersarethesuperiorsoftheyoung；whereforealsoparentsarethesuperiorsoftheiroffspring，andmenofwomenandchildren，andrulersoftheirsubjects；forallmenoughttoreverenceanyonewhoisinanypositionofauthority，andespeciallythosewhoareinstateoffices。AndthisisthereasonwhyIhavespokenofthesematters。
Foreveryonewhoisguiltyofadulterationintheagoratellsafalsehood，anddeceives，andwhenheinvokestheGods，accordingtothecustomsandcautionsofthewardensoftheagora，hedoesbutswearwithoutanyrespectforGodorman。Certainly，itisanexcellentrulenotlightlytodefilethenamesoftheGods，afterthefashionofmeningeneral，whocarelittleaboutpietyandpurityintheirreligiousactions。Butifamanwillnotconformtothisrule，letthelawbeasfollows：-Hewhosellsanythingintheagorashallnotasktwopricesforthatwhichhesells，butheshallaskoneprice，andifhedonotobtainthis，heshalltakeawayhisgoods；andonthatdayheshallnotvaluethemeitheratmoreorless；
andthereshallbenopraisingofanygoods，oroathtakenaboutthem。
Ifapersondisobeysthiscommand，anycitizenwhoispresent，notbeinglessthanthirtyyearsofage，maywithimpunitychastiseandbeattheswearer，butifinsteadofobeyingthelawshetakesnoheed，heshallbeliabletothechargeofhavingbetrayedthem。Ifamansellsanyadulteratedgoodsandwillnotobeytheseregulations，hewhoknowsandcanprovethefact，anddoesproveitinthepresenceofthemagistrates，ifhebeaslaveorametic，shallhavetheadulteratedgoods；butifhebeacitizen，anddonotpursuethecharge，heshallbecalledarogue，anddeemedtohaverobbedtheGodsoftheagora；orifheprovesthecharge，heshalldedicatethegoodstotheGodsoftheagora。Hewhoisprovedtohavesoldanyadulteratedgoods，inadditiontolosingthegoodsthemselves，shallbebeatenwithstripes-astripeforadrachma，accordingtothepriceofthegoods；andtheheraldshallproclaimintheagoratheoffenceforwhichheisgoingtobebeaten。Thewardenoftheagoraandtheguardiansofthelawshallobtaininformationfromexperiencedpersonsabouttherogueriesandadulterationsofthesellers，andshallwriteupwhattheselleroughtandoughtnottodoineachcase；
andlettheminscribetheirlawsonacolumninfrontofthecourtofthewardensoftheagora，thattheymaybeclearinstructorsofthosewhohavebusinessintheagora。Enoughhasbeensaidinwhathasprecededaboutthewardensofthecity，andifanythingseemstobewanting，letthemcommunicatewiththeguardiansofthelaw，andwritedowntheomission，andplaceonacolumninthecourtofthewardensofthecitytheprimaryandsecondaryregulationswhicharelaiddownforthemabouttheiroffice。
Afterthepracticesofadulterationnaturallyfollowthepracticesofretailtrade。Concerningthese，wewillfirstofallgiveawordofcounselandreason，andthelawshallcomeafterwards。Retailtradeinacityisnotbynatureintendedtodoanyharm，butquitethecontrary；forisnotheabenefactorwhoreducestheinequalitiesandincommensurabilitiesofgoodstoequalityandcommonmeasure？
Andthisiswhatthepowerofmoneyaccomplishes，andthemerchantmaybesaidtobeappointedforthispurpose。Thehirelingandthetavern-keeper，andmanyotheroccupations，someofthemmoreandotherslessseemly-alikehavethisobject；-theyseektosatisfyourneedsandequalizeourpossessions。Letusthenendeavourtoseewhathasbroughtretailtradeintoill-odour，andwherein，liesthedishonourandunseemlinessofit，inorderthatifnotentirely，wemayyetpartially，curetheevilbylegislation。Toeffectthisisnoeasymatter，andrequiresagreatd
