Ath。ShallItryandfindsomesortofpersuasiveargumentwhichwillprovetoyouthatsuchenactmentsarepossible，andnotbeyondhumannature？
　　Cle。Byallmeans。
　　Ath。Isamanmorelikelytoabstainfromthepleasuresofloveandtodowhatheisbiddenaboutthem，whenhisbodyisinagoodcondition，orwhenheisinanillcondition，andoutoftraining？
　　Cle。Hewillbefarmoretemperatewhenheisintraining。
　　Ath。AndhavewenotheardofIccusofTarentum，who，withaviewtotheOlympicandothercontests，inhiszealforhisart，indalsobecausehewasofamanlyandtemperatedisposition，neverhadanyconnectionwithawomanorayouthduringthewholetimeofhistraining？AndthesameissaidofCrisonandAstylusandDiopompusandmanyothers；andyet，Cleinias，theywerefarworseeducatedintheirmindsthanyourandmycitizens，andintheirbodiesfarmorelusty。
　　Cle。Nodoubtthisfacthasbeenoftenaffirmedpositivelybytheancientsoftheseathletes。
　　Ath。Andhadthey；couragetoabstainfromwhatisordinarillydeemedapleasureforthesakeofavictoryinwrestling，running，andthelike；andshallouryoungmenbeincapableofasimilarenduranceforthesakeofamuchnoblervictory，whichisthenoblestofall，asfromtheiryouthupwardswewilltellthem，charmingthem，aswehope，intothebeliefofthisbytalesandsayingsandsongs？
　　Cle。Ofwhatvictoryareyouspeaking？
　　Ath。Ofthevictoryoverpleasure，whichiftheywin，theywilllivehappily；oriftheyareconquered，thereverseofhappily。And，further，maywenotsupposethatthefearofimpietywillenablethemtomasterthatwhichotherinferiorpeoplehavemastered？
　　Cle。Idaresay。
　　Ath。Andsincewehavereachedthispointinourlegislation，andhavefallenintoadifficultybyreasonofthevicesofmankind，I
　　affirmthatourordinanceshouldsimplyruninthefollowingterms：
　　Ourcitizensoughtnottofallbelowthenatureofbirdsandbeastsingeneral，whoareborningreatmultitudes，andyetremainuntiltheageforprocreationvirginandunmarried，butwhentheyhavereachedthepropertimeoflifearecoupled，maleandfemale，andlovinglypairtogether，andlivetherestoftheirlivesinholinessandinnocence，abidingfirmlyintheiroriginalcompact：-surely，wewillsaytothem，youshouldbebetterthantheanimals。ButiftheyarecorruptedbytheotherHellenesandthecommonpracticeofbarbarians，andtheyseewiththeireyesandhearwiththeirearsoftheso-calledfreeloveeverywhereprevailingamongthem，andtheythemselvesarenotabletogetthebetterofthetemptation，theguardiansofthelaw，exercisingthefunctionsoflawgivers，shalldeviseasecondlawagainstthem。
　　Cle。Andwhatlawwouldyouadvisethemtopassifthisonefailed？
　　Ath。Clearly，Cleinias，theonewhichwouldnaturallyfollow。
　　Cle。Whatisthat？
　　Ath。Ourcitizensshouldnotallowpleasurestostrengthenwithindulgence，butshouldbytoildivertthealimentandexuberanceofthemintootherpartsofthebody；andthiswillhappenifnoimmodestybeallowedinthepracticeoflove。Thentheywillbeashamedoffrequentintercourse，andtheywillfindpleasure，ifseldomenjoyed，tobealessimperiousmistress。Theyshouldnotbefoundoutdoinganythingofthesort。Concealmentshallbehonourable，andsanctionedbycustomandmadelawbyunwrittenprescription；ontheotherhand，tobedetectedshallbeesteemeddishonourable，butnot，toabstainwholly。Inthiswaytherewillbeasecondlegalstandardofhonourableanddishonourable，involvingasecondnotionofright。Threeprincipleswillcomprehendallthosecorruptnatureswhomwecallinferiortothemselves，andwhoformbutonedass，andwillcompelthemnottotransgress。
　　Cle。Whatarethey？
　　Ath。Theprincipleofpiety，theloveofhonour，andthedesireofbeauty，notinthebodybutinthesoul。Theseare，perhaps，romanticaspirations；buttheyarethenoblestofaspirations，iftheycouldonlyberealizedinallstates，and，Godwilling，inthematteroflovewemaybeabletoenforceoneoftwothings-eitherthatnooneshallventuretotouchanypersonofthefreebornornobleclassexcepthisweddedwife，orsowtheunconsecratedandbastardseedamongharlots，orinbarrenandunnaturallusts；oratleastwemayabolishaltogethertheconnectionofmenwithmen；andastowomen，ifanymanhastodowithanybutthosewhocomeintohishousedulymarriedbysacredrites，whethertheybeboughtoracquiredinanyotherway，andheoffendspubliclyinthefaceofallmankind，weshallberightinenactingthathebedeprivedofcivichonoursandprivileges，andbedeemedtobe，ashetrulyis，astranger。Letthislaw，then，whetheritisone，oroughtrathertobecalledtwo，belaiddownrespectingloveingeneral，andtheintercourseofthesexeswhicharisesoutofthedesires，whetherrightlyorwronglyindulged。
　　Meg。I，formypart，Stranger，wouldgladlyreceivethislaw。
　　Cleiniasshallspeakforhimself，andtellyouwhatishisopinion。
　　Cle。Iwill，Megillus，whenanopportunityoffers；atpresent，I
　　thinkthatwehadbetterallowtheStrangertoproceedwithhislaws。
　　Meg。Verygood。
　　Ath。Wehadgotaboutasfarastheestablishmentofthecommontables，whichinmostplaceswouldbedifficult，butinCretenoonewouldthinkofintroducinganyothercustom。Theremightariseaquestionaboutthemannerofthem-whethertheyshallbesuchastheyarehereinCrete，orsuchastheyareinLacedaemon，-oristhereathirdkindwhichmaybebetterthaneitherofthem？Theanswertothisquestionmightbeeasilydiscovered，butthediscoverywoulddonogreatgood，foratpresenttheyareverywellordered。
　　Leavingthecommontables，wemaythereforeproceedtothemeansofprovidingfood。Now，incitiesthemeansoflifearegainedinmanywaysandfromdiverssources，andingeneralfromtwosources，whereasourcityhasonlyone。FormostoftheHellenesobtaintheirfoodfromseaandland，butourcitizensfromlandonly。Andthismakesthetaskofthelegislatorlessdifficult-halfasmanylawswillbeenough，andmuchlessthanhalf；andtheywillbeofakindbettersuitedtofreemen。Forhehasnothingtodowithlawsaboutshipownersandmerchantsandretailersandinnkeepersandtaxcollectorsandminesandmoneylendingandcompoundinterestandinnumerableotherthings-biddinggood-byetothese，hegiveslawstohusbandmenandshepherdsandbee-keepers，andtotheguardiansandsuperintendentsoftheirimplements；andhehasalreadylegislatedforgreatermatters，asforexample，respectingmarriageandtheprocreationandnurtureofchildren，andforeducation，andtheestablishmentofoffices-andnowhemustdirecthislawstothosewhoprovidefoodandlabourinpreparingit。
　　Letusfirstofall，then，haveaclassoflawswhichshallbecalledthelawsofhusbandmen。AndletthefirstofthembethelawofZeus，thegodofboundaries。Letnooneshifttheboundarylineeitherofafellow-citizenwhoisaneighbour，or，ifhedwellsattheextremityoftheland，ofanystrangerwhoisconterminouswithhim，consideringthatthisistruly“tomovetheimmovable，“andeveryoneshouldbemorewillingtomovethelargestrockwhichisnotalandmark，thantheleaststonewhichistheswornmarkoffriendshipandhatredbetweenneighbours；forZeus，thegodofkindred，isthewitnessofthecitizen，andZeus，thegodofstrangers，ofthestranger，andwhenaroused，terriblearethewarswhichtheystirup。Hewhoobeysthelawwillneverknowthefatalconsequencesofdisobedience，buthewhodespisesthelawshallbeliabletoadoublepenalty，thefirstcomingfromtheGods，andthesecondfromthelaw。Forletnoonewilfullyremovetheboundariesofhisneighbour’sland，andifanyonedoes，lethimwhowillinformthelandowners，andletthembringhimintocourt，andifhebeconvictedofre-dividingthelandbystealthorbyforce，letthecourtdeterminewhatheoughttosufferorpay。Inthenextplace，manysmallinjuriesdonebyneighbourstooneanother，throughtheirmultiplication，maycauseaweightofenmity，andmakeneighbourhoodaverydisagreeableandbitterthing。Whereforeamanoughttobeverycarefulofcommittinganyoffenceagainsthisneighbour，andespeciallyofencroachingonhisneighbour’sland；foranymanmayeasilydoharm，butnoteverymancandogoodtoanother。Hewhoencroachesonhisneighbour’sland，andtransgresseshisboundaries，shallmakegoodthedamage，and，tocurehimofhisimpudenceandalsoofhismeanness，heshallpayadoublepenaltytotheinjuredparty。
　　Oftheseandthelikemattersthewardensofthecountryshalltakecognizance，andbethejudgesofthemandassessorsofthedamage；
　　inthemoreimportantcases，ashasbeenalreadysaid，thewholenumberofthembelongingtoanyoneofthetwelvedivisionsshalldecide，andinthelessercasesthecommanders：or，again，ifanyonepastureshiscattleonhisneighbour’sland，theyshallseetheinjury，andadjudgethepenalty。Andifanyone，bydecoyingthebees，getspossessionofanother’sswarms，anddrawsthemtohimselfbymakingnoises，heshallpaythedamage；orifanyonesetsfiretohisownwoodandtakesnocareofhisneighbour’sproperty，heshallbefinedatthediscretionofthemagistrates。Andifinplantinghedoesnotleaveafairdistancebetweenhisownandhisneighbour’sland，heshallbepunished，inaccordancewiththeenactmentsofmanylawgivers，whichwemayuse，notdeemingitnecessarythatthegreatlegislatorofourstateshoulddetermineallthetrifleswhichmightbedecidedbyanybody；forexample，husbandmenhavehadofoldexcellentlawsaboutwaters，andthereisnoreasonwhyweshouldproposetodiverttheircourse：wholikesmaydrawwaterfromthefountain-headofthecommonstreamontohisownland，ifhedonotcutoffthespringwhichclearlybelongstosomeotherowner；
　　andhemaytakethewaterinanydirectionwhichhepleases，exceptthroughahouseortempleorsepulchre，buthemustbecarefultodonoharmbeyondthechannel。Andiftherebeinanyplaceanaturaldrynessoftheearth，whichkeepsintherainfromheaven，andcausesadeficiencyinthesupplyofwater，lethimdigdownonhisownlandasfarastheclay，andifatthisdepthhefindsnowater，lethimobtainwaterfromhisneighbours，asmuch，asisrequiredforhisservants’drinking，andifhisneighbours，too，arelimitedintheirsupply，lethimhaveafixedmeasure，whichshallbedeterminedbythewardensofthecountry。Thisheshallreceiveeachday，andonthesetermshaveashareofhisneighbours’water。Iftherebeheavyrain，andoneofthoseonthelowergroundinjuressometilleroftheupperground，orsomeonewhohasacommonwall，byrefusingtogivethemanoutletforwater；or，again，ifsomeonelivingonthehighergroundrecklesslyletsoffthewateronhislowerneighbour，andtheycannotcometotermswithoneanother，lethimwhowillcallinawardenofthecity，ifhebeinthecity，orifhebeinthecountry，wardenofthecountry，andlethimobtainadecisiondeterminingwhateachofthemistodo。Andhewhowillnotabidebythedecisionshallsufferforhismalignantandmorosetemper，andpayafinetotheinjuredparty，equivalenttodoublethevalueoftheinjury，becausehewasunwillingtosubmittothemagistrates。
　　Nowtheparticipationoffruitsshallbeorderedonthiswise。ThegoddessofAutumnhastwograciousgifts：one，thejoyofDionysuswhichisnottreasuredup；theother，whichnatureintendstobestored。Letthisbethelaw，then，concerningthefruitsofautumn：Hewhotastesthecommonorstoringfruitsofautumn，whethergrapesorfigs，beforetheseasonofvintagewhichcoincideswithArcturus，eitheronhisownlandoronthatofothers-lethimpayfiftydrachmae，whichshallbesacredtoDionysus，ifhepluckthemfromhisownland；andiffromhisneighbour’sland，amina，andiffromanyothers’，two-thirdsofamina。Andhewhowouldgatherthe“choice“
　　grapesorthe“choice“figs，astheyarenowtermed，ifhetakethemoffhisownland，lethimpluckthemhowandwhenhelikes；butifhetakethemfromthegroundofotherswithouttheirleave，lethiminthatcasebealwayspunishedinaccordancewiththelawwhichordainsthatheshouldnotmovewhathehasnotlaiddown。Andifaslavetouchesanyfruitofthissort，withouttheconsentoftheowneroftheland，heshallbebeatenwithasmanyblowsastherearegrapesonthebunch，orfigsonthefig-tree。Letameticpurchasethe“choice“autumnalfruit，andthen，ifhepleases，hemaygatherit；