Butifastrangerormeticsmiteonewhoisolderbytwentyyearsormore，thesamelawshallholdaboutthebystandersassisting，andhewhoisfoundguiltyinsuchasuit，ifhebeastrangerbutnotresident，shallbeimprisonedduringaperiodoftwoyears；andameticwhodisobeysthelawsshallbeimprisonedforthreeyears，unlessthecourtassignhimalongerterm。Andlethimwhowaspresentinanyofthesecasesanddidnotassistaccordingtolawbepunished，ifhebeofthehighestdass，bypayingafineofamina；orifhebeofthesecondclass，offiftydrachmas；orifofthethirdclass，byafineofthirtydrachmas；orifhebeofthefourthclass，byafineoftwentydrachmas；andthegeneralsandtaxiarchsandphylarchsandhipparchsshallformthecourtinsuchcases。
Lawsarepartlyframedforthesakeofgoodmen，inordertoinstructthemhowtheythayliveonfriendlytermswithoneanother，andpartlyforthesakeofthosewhorefusetobeinstructed，whosespiritcannotbesubdued，orsoftened，orhinderedfromplungingintoevil。ThesearethepersonswhocausethewordtobespokenwhichIamabouttoutter；forthemthelegislatorlegislatesofnecessity，andinthehopethattheremaybenoneedofhislaws。Hewhoshalldaretolayviolenthandsuponhisfatherormother，oranystillolderrelative，havingnofeareitherofthewrathoftheGodsabove，orofthepunishmentsthatarespokenofintheworldbelow，buttransgressesincontemptofancientanduniversaltraditionsasthoughheweretoowisetobelieveinthem，requiressomeextrememeasureofprevention。Nowdeathisnottheworstthatcanhappentomen；farworsearethepunishmentswhicharesaidtopursuethemintheworldbelow。Butalthoughtheyaremosttruetales，theyworkonsuchsoulsnoprevention；foriftheyhadanyeffecttherewouldbenoslayersofmothers，orimpioushandsliftedupagainstparents；andthereforethepunishmentsofthisworldwhichareinflictedduringlifeoughtnotinsuchcasestofallshort，ifpossible，oftheterrorsoftheworldbelow。Letourenactmentthenbeasfollows：-Ifamandaretostrikehisfatherorhismother，ortheirfathersormothers，hebeingatthetimeofsoundmind，thenletanyonewhoisathandcometotherescueashasbeenalreadysaid，andthemeticorstrangerwhocomestotherescueshallbecalledtothefirstplaceinthegames；butifhedonotcomeheshallsufferthepunishmentofperpetualexile。Hewhoisnotametic，ifhecomestotherescue，shallhavepraise，andifhedonotcome，blame。Andifaslavecometotherescue，lethimbemadefree，butifhedonotcometherescue，lethimreceive100strokesofthewhip，byorderofthewardensoftheagora，iftheoccurrencetakeplaceintheagora；orifsomewhereinthecitybeyondthelimitsoftheagora，anywardenofthecityisinresidenceshallpunishhim；orifinthecountry，thenthecommandersofthewardensofthecountry。Ifthosewhoarenearatthetimebeinhabitantsofthesameplace，whethertheybeyouths，ormen，orwomen，letthemcometotherescueanddenouncehimastheimpiousone；andhewhodoesnotcometotherescueshallfallunderthecurseofZeus，theGodofkindredandofancestors，accordingtolaw。Andifanyoneisfoundguiltyofassaultingaparent，lethiminthefirstplacebeforeverbanishedfromthecityintothecountry，andlethimabstainfromthetemples；andifhedonotabstain，thewardensofthecountryshallpunishhimwithblows，orinanywaywhichtheyplease，andifhereturnheshallbeputtodeath。Andifanyfreemaneatordrink，orhaveanyothersortofintercoursewithhim，oronlymeetinghimhavevoluntarilytouchedhim，heshallnotenterintoanytemple，norintotheagora，norintothecity，untilheispurified；forheshouldconsiderthathehasbecometaintedbyacurse。Andifhedisobeysthelaw，andpollutesthecityandthetemplescontrarytolaw，andoneofthemagistratesseeshimanddoesnotindicthim，whenhegivesinhisaccountthisomissionshallbeamostseriouscharge。
Ifaslavestrikeafreeman，whetherastrangeroracitizen，letanyonewhoispresentcometotherescue，orpaythepenaltyalreadymentioned；andletthebystandersbindhim，anddeliverhimuptotheinjuredperson，andhereceivinghimshallputhiminchains，andinflictonhimasmanystripesashepleases；buthavingpunishedhimhemustsurrenderhimtohismasteraccordingtolaw，andnotdeprivehimofhisproperty。Letthelawbeasfollows：-Theslavewhostrikesafreeman，notatthecommandofthemagistrates，hisownershallreceiveboundfromthemanwhomhehasstricken，andnotreleasehimuntiltheslavehaspersuadedthemanwhomhehasstrickenthatheoughttobereleased。Andlettherebethesamelawsaboutwomeninrelationtowomen，aboutmenandwomeninrelationtooneanother。
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Andnowhavingspokenofassaults，letussumupallactsofviolenceunderasinglelaw，whichshallbeasfollows：-Nooneshalltakeorcarryawayanyofhisneighbour’sgoods，neithershallheuseanythingwhichishisneighbour’swithouttheconsentoftheowner；forthesearetheoffenceswhichareandhavebeen，andwilleverbe，thesourceofalltheaforesaidevils。Thegreatestofthemareexcessesandinsolencesofyouth，andareoffencesagainstthegreatestwhentheyaredoneagainstreligion；andespeciallygreatwheninviolationofpublicandholyrites，orofthepartly-commonritesinwhichtribesandphratriesshare；andintheseconddegreegreatwhentheyarecommittedagainstprivateritesandsepulchres，andinthethirddegreenottorepeattheactsformerlymentioned，wheninsultsareofferedtoparents；thefourthkindofviolenceiswhenanyone，regardlessoftheauthorityoftherulers，takesorcarriesawayormakesuseofanythingwhichbelongstothem，nothavingtheirconsent；andthefifthkindiswhentheviolationofthecivilrightsofanindividualdemandsreparation。Thereshouldbeacommonlawembracingallthesecases。Forwehavealreadysaidingeneraltermswhatshallbethepunishmentofsacrilege，whetherfraudulentorviolent，andnowwehavetodeterminewhatistobethepunishmentofthosewhospeakoractinsolentlytowardtheGods。
Butfirstwemustgivethemanadmonitionwhichmaybeinthefollowingterms：-NoonewhoinobediencetothelawsbelievedthattherewereGods，everintentionallydidanyunholyact，orutteredanyunlawfulword；buthewhodidmusthavesupposedoneofthreethings-eitherthattheydidnotexist，-whichisthefirstpossibility，orsecondly，that，iftheydid，theytooknocareofman，orthirdly，thattheywereeasilyappeasedandturnedasidefromtheirpurpose，bysacrificesandprayers。
Cleinias。Whatshallwesayordotothesepersons？
AthenianStranger。Mygoodfriend，letusfirsthearthejestswhichIsuspectthattheyintheirsuperioritywillutteragainstus。
Cle。Whatjests？
Ath。Theywillmakesomeirreverentspeechofthissort：-“O
inhabitantsofAthens，andSparta，andCnosus，“theywillreply，“inthatyouspeaktruly；forsomeofusdenytheveryexistenceoftheGods，whileothers，asyousay，areofopinionthattheydonotcareaboutus；andothersthattheyareturnedfromtheircoursebygifts。Nowwehavearighttoclaim，asyouyourselfallowed，inthematteroflaws，thatbeforeyouareharduponusandthreatenus，youshouldarguewithusandconvinceus-youshouldfirstattempttoteachandpersuadeusthatthereareGodsbyreasonableevidences，andalsothattheyaretoogoodtobeunrighteous，ortobepropitiated，orturnedfromtheircoursebygifts。Forwhenwehearsuchthingssaidofthembythosewhoareesteemedtobethebestofpoets，andorators，andprophets，andpriests，andbyinnumerableothers，thethoughtsofmostofusarenotsetuponabstainingfromunrighteousacts，butupondoingthemandatoningforthem。Whenlawgiversprofessthattheyaregentleandnotstern，wethinkthattheyshouldfirstofallusepersuasiontous，andshowustheexistenceofGods，ifnotinabettermannerthanothermen，atanyrateinatruer；andwhoknowsbutthatweshallhearkentoyou？Ifthenourrequestisafairone，pleasetoacceptourchallenge。“
Cle。ButisthereanydifficultyinprovingtheexistenceoftheGods？
Ath。Howwouldyouproveit？
Cle。How？Inthefirstplace，theearthandthesun，andthestarsandtheuniverse，andthefairorderoftheseasons，andthedivisionofthemintoyearsandmonths，furnishproofsoftheirexistence；andalsothereisthefactthatallHellenesandbarbariansbelieveinthem。
Ath。Ifear，mysweetfriend，thoughIwillnotsaythatImuchregard，thecontemptwithwhichtheprofanewillbelikelytoassailus。Foryoudonotunderstandthenatureoftheircomplaint，andyoufancythattheyrushintoimpietyonlyfromaloveofsensualpleasure。
Cle。Why，Stranger，whatotherreasonisthere？
Ath。Onewhichyouwholiveinadifferentatmospherewouldneverguess。
Cle。Whatisit？
Ath。Averygrievoussortofignorancewhichisimaginedtobethegreatestwisdom。
Cle。Whatdoyoumean？
Ath。AtAthenstherearetalespreservedinwritingwhichthevirtueofyourstate，asIaminformed，refusestoadmit。TheyspeakoftheGodsinproseaswellasverse，andtheoldestofthemtelloftheoriginoftheheavensandoftheworld，andnotfarfromthebeginningoftheirstorytheyproceedtonarratethebirthoftheGods，andhowaftertheywereborntheybehavedtooneanother。Whetherthesestorieshaveinotherwaysagoodorabadinfluence，Ishouldnotliketobesevereuponthem，becausetheyareancient；but，lookingatthemwithreferencetothedutiesofchildrentotheirparents，I
cannotpraisethem，orthinkthattheyareuseful，oratalltrue。
OfthewordsoftheancientsIhavenothingmoretosay；andI
shouldwishtosayofthemonlywhatispleasingtotheGods。Butastoouryoungergenerationandtheirwisdom，Icannotletthemoffwhentheydomischief。Fordobutmarktheeffectoftheirwords：whenyouandIarguefortheexistenceoftheGods，andproducethesun，moon，stars，andearth，claimingforthemadivinebeing，ifwewouldlistentotheaforesaidphilosophersweshouldsaythattheyareearthandstonesonly，whichcanhavenocareatallofhumanaffairs，andthatallreligionisacookingupofwordsandamake-believe。
Cle。Onesuchteacher，OStranger，wouldbebadenough，andyouimplythattherearemanyofthem，whichisworse。
Ath。Well，then；whatshallwesayordo？-Shallweassumethatsomeoneisaccusingusamongunholymen，whoaretryingtoescapefromtheeffectofourlegislation；andthattheysayofus-HowdreadfulthatyoushouldlegislateonthesuppositionthatthereareGods!Shallwemakeadefenceofourselves？orshallweleavethemandreturntoourlaws，lestthepreludeshouldbecomelongerthanthelaw？Forthediscoursewillcertainlyextendtogreatlength，ifwearetotreattheimpiouslydisposedastheydesire，partlydemonstratingtothematsomelengththethingsofwhichtheydemandanexplanation，partlymakingthemafraidordissatisfied，andthenproceedtotherequisiteenactments。
Cle。Yes，Stranger；butthenhowoftenhavewerepeatedalreadythatonthepresentoccasionthereisnoreasonwhybrevityshouldbepreferredtolength；whois“atourheels“？-asthesayinggoes，anditwouldbepaltryandridiculoustoprefertheshortertothebetter。Itisamatterofnosmallconsequence，insomewayorothertoprovethatthereareGods，andthattheyaregood，andregardjusticemorethanmendo。Thedemonstrationofthiswouldbethebestandnoblestpreludeofallourlaws。Andtherefore，withoutimpatience，andwithouthurry，letusunreservedlyconsiderthewholematter，summoningupallthepowerofpersuasionwhichwepossess。
Ath。Seeingyouthusinearnest，IwouldfainofferupaprayerthatImaysucceed：-butImustproceedatonce。WhocanbecalmwhenheiscalledupontoprovetheexistenceoftheGods？Whocanavoidhatingandabhorringthemenwhoareandhavebeenthecauseofthisargument；Ispeakofthosewhowillnotbelievethetaleswhichtheyhaveheardasbabesandsucklingsfromtheirmothersandnurses，repeatedbythembothinjestandearnest，likecharms，whohavealsoheardtheminthesacrificialprayers，andseensightsaccompanyingthem-sightsandsoundsdelightfultochildren-andtheirparentsduringthesacrificesshowinganintenseearnestnessonbehalfoftheirchildrenandofthemselves，andwitheagerinteresttalkingtotheGods，andbeseechingthem，asthoughtheywerefirmlyconvincedoftheirexistence；wholikewiseseeandheartheprostrationsandinvocationswhicharemadebyHellenesandbarbariansattherisingandsettingofthesunandmoon，inallthevicissitudesoflife，notasiftheythoughtthattherewerenoGods，butasiftherecouldbenodoubtoftheirexistence，andnosuspicionoftheirnon-existence；whenmen，knowingallthesethings，despisethemonnorealgrounds，aswouldbeadmittedbyallwhohaveanyparticleofintelligence，andwhentheyforceustosaywhatwearenowsaying，howcananyoneingentletermsremonstratewiththelikeofthem，whenhehastobeginbyprovingtothemtheveryexistenceoftheGods？Yettheattemptmustbemade；foritwouldbeunseemlythatonehalfofmankindshouldgomadintheirlustofpleasure，andtheotherhalfintheirindignationatsuchpersons。Ouraddresstotheselostandpervertednaturesshouldnotbespokeninpassion；