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，becausemorerevenuewillaccruetohimfromthemthanfromhisownart；butleteverymaninthestatehaveoneart，andgethislivingbythat。Letthewardensofthecitylabourtomaintainthislaw，andifanycitizeninclinetoanyotherartthanthestudyofvirtue，letthempunishhimwithdisgraceandinfamy，untiltheybringhimbackintohisownrightcourse；andifanystrangerprofesstwoarts，letthemchastisehimwithbondsandmoneypenalties，andexpulsionfromthestate，untiltheycompelhimtobeoneonlyandnotmany。
Butastouchingpaymentsforhire，andcontractsofwork，orincaseanyonedoeswrongtoanyofthecitizensortheydowrongtoanyother，uptofiftydrachmae，letthewardensofthecitydecidethecase；butifgreateramountbeinvolved，thenletthepubliccourtsdecideaccordingtolaw。Letnoonepayanydutyeitherontheimportationorexportationofgoods；andastofrankincenseandsimilarperfumes，usedintheserviceoftheGods，whichcomefromabroad，andpurpleandotherdyeswhicharenotproducedinthecountry，orthematerialsofanyartwhichhavetobeimported，andwhicharenotnecessary-nooneshouldimportthem；noragain，shouldanyoneexportanythingwhichiswantedinthecountry。Ofallthesethingslettherebeinspectorsandsuperintendents，takenfromtheguardiansofthelaw；andtheyshallbethetwelvenextinordertothefiveseniors。Concerningarms，andallimplementswhichareformilitarypurposes，iftherebeneedofintroducinganyart，orplant，ormetal，orchainsofanykind，oranimalsforuseinwar，letthecommandersofthehorseandthegeneralshaveauthorityovertheirimportationandexportation；thecityshallsendthemoutandalsoreceivethem，andtheguardiansofthelawshallmakefitandproperlawsaboutthem。Butlettherebenoretailtradeforthesakeofmoney-making，eitherintheseoranyotherarticles，inthecityorcountryatall。
Withrespecttofoodandthedistributionoftheproduceofthecountry，therightandproperwayseemstobenearlythatwhichisthecustomofCrete；forallshouldberequiredtodistributethefruitsofthesoilintotwelveparts，andinthiswayconsumethem。Letthetwelfthportionofeachasforinstanceofwheatandbarley，towhichtherestofthefruitsoftheearthshallbeadded，aswellastheanimalswhichareforsaleineachofthetwelvedivisionsbedividedindueproportionintothreeparts；onepartforfreemen，anotherfortheirservants，andathirdforcraftsmenandingeneralforstrangers，whethersojournerswhomaybedwellinginthecity，andlikeothermenmustlive，orthosewhocomeonsomebusinesswhichtheyhavewiththestate，orwithsomeindividual。Letonlythisthirdpartofallnecessariesberequiredtobesold；outoftheothertwo-thirdsnooneshallbecompelledtosell。Andhowwilltheybebestdistributed？Inthefirstplace，weseeclearlythatthedistributionwillbeofequalsinonepointofview，andinanotherpointofviewofunequals。
Cle。Whatdoyoumean？
Ath。Imeanthattheearthofnecessityproducesandnourishesthevariousarticlesoffood，sometimesbetterandsometimesworse。
Cle。Ofcourse。
Ath。Suchbeingthecase，letnooneofthethreeportionsbegreaterthaneitheroftheothertwo-neitherthatwhichisassignedtomastersortoslaves，noragainthatofthestranger；butletthedistributiontoallbeequalandalike，andleteverycitizentakehistwoportionsanddistributethemamongslavesandfreemen，hehavingpowertodeterminethequantityandquality。Andwhatremainsheshalldistributebymeasureandnumbamongtheanimalswhohavetobesustainedfromtheearth，takingthewholenumberofthem。
Inthesecondplace，ourcitizensshouldhaveseparatehousesdulyordered，andthiswillbetheorderproperformenlikethem。Thereshallbetwelvehamlets，oneinthemiddleofeachtwelfthportion，andineachhamlettheyshallfirstsetapartamarket-place，andthetemplesoftheGods，andoftheirattendantdemigods；andiftherebeanylocaldeitiesoftheMagnetes，orholyseatsofotherancientdeities，whosememoryhasbeenpreserved，totheseletthempaytheirancienthonours。ButHestia，andZeus，andAthenewillhavetempleseverywheretogetherwiththeGodwhopresidesineachofthetwelvedistricts。Andthefirsterectionofhousesshallbearoundthesetemples，wherethegroundishighest，inordertoprovidethesafestandmostdefensibleplaceofretreatfortheguards。Alltherestofthecountrytheyshallsettleinthefollowingmanner：-Theyshallmakethirteendivisionsofthecraftsmen；oneofthemtheyshallestablishinthecity，andthis，again，theyshallsubdivideintotwelvelesserdivisions，amongthetwelvedistrictsofthecity，andtheremaindershallbedistributedinthecountryroundabout；andineachvillagetheyshallsettlevariousclassesofcraftsmen，withaviewtotheconvenienceofthehusbandmen。Andthechiefofficersofthewardensofthecountryshallsuperintendallthesematters，andseehowmanyofthem，andwhichclassofthem，eachplacerequires；
andfixthemwheretheyarelikelytobeleasttroublesome，andmostusefultothehusbandman。Andthewardensofthecityshallseetosimilarmattersinthecity。
Nowthewardensoftheagoraoughttoseetothedetailsoftheagora。Theirfirstcare，afterthetempleswhichareintheagorahavebeenseento，shouldbetopreventanyonefromdoinganyindealingsbetweenmanandman；inthesecond；place，asbeinginspectorsoftemperanceandviolence，theyshouldchastisehimwhorequireschastisement。Touchingarticlesofgale，theyshouldfirstseewhetherthearticleswhichthecitizensareunderregulationstoselltostrangersaresoldtothem，asthelawordains。Andletthelawbeasfollows：-onthefirstdayofthemonth，thepersonsincharge，whoevertheyare，whetherstrangersorslaves，whohavethechargeonbehalfofthecitizens，shallproducetothestrangerstheportionwhichfallstothem，inthefirstplace，atwelfthportionofthecorn；-thestrangershallpurchasecornforthewholemonth，andothercereals，onthefirstmarketday；andonthetenthdayofthemonththeonepartyshallsell，andtheotherbuy，liquidssufficienttolastduringthewholemonth；andonthetwenty-thirddaythereshallbeasaleofanimalsbythosewhoarewillingtoselltothepeoplewhowanttobuy，andofimplementsandotherthingswhichhusbandmensellsuchasskinsandallkindsofclothing，eitherwovenormadeoffeltandothergoodsofthesamesort，andwhichstrangersarecompelledtobuyandpurchaseofothers。Astotheretailtradeinthesethings，whetherofbarleyorwheatsetapartformealandflour，oranyotherkindoffood，nooneshallsellthemtocitizensortheirslaves，norshallanyonebuyofacitizen；butletthestrangerselltheminthemarketofstrangers，toartisansandtheirslaves，makinganexchangeofwineandfood，whichiscommonlycalledretailtrade。Andbutchersshallofferforsalepartsofdismemberedanimalstothestrangers，andartisans，andtheirservants。Letanystrangerwholikesbuyfuelfromdaytodaywholesale，fromthosewhohavethecareofitinthecountry，andlethimselltothestrangersasmuchhepleasesandwhenhepleases。Astoothergoodsandimplementswhicharelikelytobewanted，theyshallsellthemincommonmarket，atanyplacewhichtheguardiansofthelawandthewardensofthemarketandcity，choosingaccordingtotheirjudgment，shalldetermine；atsuchplacestheyshallexchangemoneyforgoods，andgoodsformoney，neitherpartygivingcredittotheother；andhewhogivescreditmustbesatisfied，whetherheobtainhismoneynot，forinsuchexchangeshewillnotbeprotectedbylaw。Butwheneverpropertyhasbeenboughtorsold，greaterinquantityorvaluethanisallowedbythelaw，whichhasdeterminedwithinwhatlimitedamanmayincreaseanddiminishhispossessions，lettheexcessberegisteredinthebooksoftheguardiansofthelaw；
incaseofdiminution，lettherebeanerasuremade。Andletthesamerulebeobservedabouttheregistrationofthepropertyofthemetics。Anyonewholikesmaycomeandbeameticoncertainconditions；aforeigner，ifhelikes，andisabletosettle，maydwellintheland，buthemustpractiseanart，andnotabidemorethantwentyyearsfromthetimeatwhichhehasregisteredhimself；andheshallpaynosojourner’stax，howeversmall，exceptgoodconduct，noranyothertaxforbuyingandselling。Butwhenthetwentyyearshaveexpired，heshalltakehispropertywithhimanddepart。Andifinthecourseoftheseyearsheshouldchancetodistinguishhimselfbyanyconsiderablebenefitwhichheconfersonthestate，andhethinksthathecanpersuadethecouncilandassembly，eithertogranthimdelayinleavingthecountry，ortoallowhimtoremainforthewholeofhislife，lethimgoandpersuadethecity，andwhatevertheyassenttoathisinstanceshalltakeeffect。Forthechildrenofthemetics，beingartisans，andoffifteenyearsofage，letthetimeoftheirsojourncommenceaftertheirfifteenthyear；andletthemremainfortwentyyears，andthengowheretheylike；butanyofthemwhowishestoremain，maydoso，ifhecanpersuadethecouncilandassembly。Andifhedepart，lethimerasealltheentrieswhichhavebeenmadebyhimintheregisterkeptbythemagistrates。