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Ath。OCleinias，amanwhenheisabouttodieisanintractablecreature，andisapttouselanguagewhichcausesagreatdealofanxietyandtroubletothelegislator。
Cle。Inwhatway？
Ath。Hewantstohavetheentirecontrolofallhisproperty，andwilluseangrywords。
Cle。Suchaswhat？
Ath。OyeGods，hewillsay，howmonstrousthatIamnotallowedtogive，ornottogivemyowntowhomIwill-lesstohimwhohasbeenbadtome，andmoretohimwhohasbeengoodtome，andwhosebadnessandgoodnesshavebeentestedbymeintimeofsicknessorinoldageandineveryothersortoffortune!
Cle。WellStranger，andmayhenotveryfairlysayso？
Ath。Inmyopinion，Cleinias，theancientlegislatorsweretoogood-natured，andmadelawswithoutsufficientobservationorconsiderationofhumanthings。
Cle。Whatdoyoumean？
Ath。Imean，myfriendthattheywereafraidofthetestator’sreproaches，andsotheypassedalawtotheeffectthatamanshouldbeallowedtodisposeofhispropertyinallrespectsasheliked；butyouandI，ifIamnotmistaken，willhavesomethingbettertosaytoourdepartingcitizens。
Cle。What？
Ath。Omyfriends，wewillsaytothem，hardisitforyou，whoarecreaturesofaday，toknowwhatisyours-hardtoo，astheDelphicoraclesays，toknowyourselvesatthishour。NowI，asthelegislator，regardyouandyourpossessions，notasbelongingtoyourselves，butasbelongingtoyourwholefamily，bothpastandfuture，andyetmoredoregardbothfamilyandpossessionsasbelongingtothestate；wherefore，ifsomeonestealsuponyouwithflattery，whenyouaretossedontheseaofdiseaseoroldage，andpersuadesyoutodisposeofyourpropertyinawaythatisnotforthebest，Iwillnot，ifIcanhelp，allowthis；butIwilllegislatewithaviewtothewhole，consideringwhatisbestbothforthestateandforthefamily，esteemingasIoughtthefeelingsofanindividualatalowerrate；andIhopethatyouwilldepartinpeaceandkindnesstowardsus，asyouaregoingthewayofallmankind；andwewillimpartiallytakecareofallyourconcerns，notneglectinganyofthem，ifwecanpossiblyhelp。Letthisbeourpreludeandconsolationtothelivinganddying，Cleinias，andletthelawbeasfollows：
Hewhomakesadispositioninatestament，ifhebethefatherofafamily，shallfirstofallinscribeashisheiranyoneofhissonswhomhemaythinkfit；andifhegivesanyofhischildrentobeadoptedbyanothercitizen，lettheadoptionbeinscribed。Andifhehasasonremainingoverandabovewhohasnotbeenadopteduponanylot，andwhomaybeexpectedtobesentouttoacolonyaccordingtolaw，tohimhisfathermaygiveasmuchashepleasesoftherestofhisproperty，withtheexceptionofthepaternallotandthefixturesonthelot。Andifthereareothersons，lethimdistributeamongthemwhatthereismorethanthelotinsuchportionsashepleases。Andifoneofthesonshasalreadyahouseofhisown，heshallnotgivehimofthemoney，norshallhegivemoneytoadaughterwhohasbeenbetrothed，butifsheisnotbetrothedhemaygivehermoney。Andifanyofthesonsordaughtersshallbefoundtohaveanotherlotoflandinthecountry，whichhasaccruedafterthetestamenthasbeenmade，theyshallleavethelotwhichtheyhaveinheritedtotheheirofthemanwhohasmadethewill。Ifthetestatorhasnosons，butonlydaughters，lethimchoosethehusbandofanyoneofhisdaughterswhomhepleases，andleaveandinscribehimashissonandheir。Andifamanhavelosthisson，whenhewasachild，andbeforehecouldbereckonedamonggrown-upmen，whetherhisownoranadoptedson，letthetestatormakementionofthecircumstanceandinscribewhomhewilltobehissecondsoninhopeofbetterfortune。Ifthetestatorhasnochildrenatall，hemayselectandgivetoanyonewhomhepleasesthetenthpartofthepropertywhichhehasacquired；butlethimnotbeblamedifhegivesalltheresttohisadoptedson，andmakesafriendofhimaccordingtothelaw。Ifthesonsofamanrequireguardians，and：thefatherwhenhediesleavesawillappointingguardians，thosehavebeennamedbyhim，whoevertheyareandwhatevertheirnumberbe，iftheyareableandwillingtotakechargeofthechildren，shallberecognizedaccordingtotheprovisionsofthewill。Butifhediesandhasmadenowill，orawillinwhichhehasappointednoguardians，thenthenextofkin，twoonthefather’sandtwoonthemother’sside，andoneofthefriendsofthedeceased，shallhavetheauthorityofguardians，whomtheguardiansofthelawshallappointwhentheorphansrequireguardians。Andthefifteeneldestguardiansofthelawshallhavethewholecareandchargeoftheorph
