LAWS

第57章

Astotheinitiationofprivatesuits,letthemannerofdecidingcausesbetweenallcitizensbethesameasincasesinwhichanyfreemanisdisobedienttothestateinminormatters,ofwhichthepenaltyisnotstripes,imprisonment,ordeath。Butasregardsattendanceatchorusesorprocessionsorothershows,andasregardspublicservices,whetherthecelebrationofsacrificeinpeace,orthepaymentofcontributionsinwar-inallthesecases,firstcomesthenecessityofprovidingremedyfortheloss;andbythosewhowillnotobey,thereshallbesecuritygiventotheofficerswhomthecityandthelawempowertoexactthesumdue;andiftheyforfeittheirsecurity,letthegoodswhichtheyhavepledgedbe,andthemoneygiventothecity;butiftheyoughttopayalargersum,theseveralmagistratesshallimposeuponthedisobedientasuitablepenalty,andbringthembeforethecourt,untiltheyarewillingtodowhattheyareordered。

Nowastatewhichmakesmoneyfromthecultivationofthesoilonly,andhasnoforeigntrade,mustconsiderwhatitwilldoabouttheemigrationofitsownpeopletoothercountries,andthereceptionofstrangersfromelsewhere。Aboutthesemattersthelegislatorhastoconsider,andhewillbeginbytryingtopersuademenasfarashecan。Theintercourseofcitieswithoneanotherisapttocreateaconfusionofmanners;strangers,arealwayssuggestingnoveltiestostrangers。Whenstatesarewellgovernedbygoodlawsthemixturecausesthegreatestpossibleinjury;butseeingthatmostcitiesarethereverseofwell-ordered,theconfusionwhicharisesinthemfromthereceptionofstrangers,andfromthecitizensthemselvesrushingoffintoothercities,whenanyoneeitheryoungorolddesirestotravelanywhereabroadatwhatevertime,isofnoconsequence。Ontheotherhand,therefusalofstatestoreceiveothers,andfortheirowncitizensnevertogotootherplaces,isanutterimpossibility,andtotherestoftheworldislikelytoappearruthlessanduncivilized;itisapractiseadoptedbypeoplewhouseharshwords,suchasxenelasiaorbanishmentofstrangers,andwhohaveharshandmoroseways,asmenthink。Andtobethoughtornottobethoughtwellofbytherestoftheworldisnolightmatter;forthemanyarenotsofarwrongintheirjudgmentofwhoarebadandwhoaregood,astheyareremovedfromthenatureofvirtueinthemselves。Evenbadmenhaveadivineinstinctwhichguessesrightly,andverymanywhoareutterlydepravedformcorrectnotionsandjudgmentsofthedifferencesbetweenthegoodandbad。Andthegeneralityofcitiesarequiterightinexhortingustovalueagoodreputationintheworld,forthereisnotruthgreaterandmoreimportantthanthis-thathewhoisreallygood(Iamspeakingofthemanwhowouldbeperfect)seeksforreputationwith,butnotwithout,therealityofgoodness。AndourCretancolonyoughtalsotoacquirethefairestandnoblestreputationforvirtuefromothermen;andthereiseveryreasontoexpectthat,iftherealityanswerstotheidea,shewillbeforeofthefewwell-orderedcitieswhichthesunandtheotherGodsbehold。

Wherefore,inthematterofjourneystoothercountriesandthereceptionofstrangers,weenactasfollows:-Inthefirstplace,letnoonebeallowedtogoanywhereatallintoaforeigncountrywhoislessthanfortyyearsofage;andnooneshallgoinaprivatecapacity,butonlyinsomepublicone,asaherald,oronanembassy;oronasacredmission。Goingabroadonanexpeditionorinwar,nottobeincludedamongtravelsoftheclassauthorizedbythestate。ToApolloatDelphiandtoZeusatOlympiaandtoNemeaandtotheIsthmus,-citizensshouldbesenttotakepartinthesacrificesandgamestherededicatedtotheGods;andtheyshouldsendasmanyaspossible,andthebestandfairestthatcanbefound,andtheywillmakethecityrenownedatholymeetingsintimeofpeace,procuringaglorywhichshallbetheconverseofthatwhichisgainedinwar;

andwhentheycomehometheyshallteachtheyoungthattheinstitutionsofotherstatesareinferiortotheirown。Andtheyshallsendspectatorsofanothersort,iftheyhavetheconsentoftheguardians,beingsuchcitizensasdesiretolookalittlemoreatleisureatthedoingsofothermen;andthesenolawshallhinder。Foracitywhichhasnoexperienceofgoodandbadmenorintercoursewiththem,canneverbethoroughly,andperfectlycivilized,nor,again,canthecitizensofacityproperlyobservethelawsbyhabitonly,andwithoutanintelligentunderstandingofthem。Andtherealwaysareintheworldafewinspiredmenwhoseacquaintanceisbeyondprice,andwhospringupquiteasmuchinill-orderedasinwell-orderedcities。Thesearetheywhomthecitizensofawellorderedcityshouldbeeverseekingout,goingforthoverseaandoverlandtofindhimwhoisincorruptible-thathemayestablishmorefirmlyinstitutionsinhisownstatewhicharegoodalready;andamendwhatisdeficient;forwithoutthisex

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