[75,0] ΠΕΡΙ ΝΟΜΟΥ. (75,1) Ἔστι δὲ ὁ νόμος τοῦ βίου μὲν ἡγεμών, τῶν πόλεων δὲ ἐπιστάτης κοινός, τῶν δὲ πραγμάτων κανὼν δίκαιος, πρὸς ὃν ἕκαστον ἀπευθύνειν δεῖ τὸν αὑτοῦ τρόπον· εἰ δὲ μή, σκολιὸς ἔσται καὶ πονηρός. οἱ μὲν οὖν τοῦτον φυλάττοντες ἔχονται τῆς σωτηρίας· οἱ δὲ παραβαίνοντες πρῶτον μὲν αὑτοὺς ἀπολλύουσιν, ἔπειτα καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους, παράδειγμα καὶ ζῆλον αὐτοῖς ἀνομίας καὶ βίας παρέχοντες. ὥσπερ δὲ τῶν πλεόντων οἱ τοῦ πυρσοῦ μὴ διαμαρτάνοντες, οὗτοι μάλιστα σῴζονται καὶ τοὺς λιμένας εὑρίσκουσιν, οὕτως οἱ κατὰ τὸν νόμον ζῶντες ἀσφαλέστατα πορεύονται διὰ τοῦ βίου καὶ τῆς καταγωγῆς τῆς δεούσης τυγχάνουσιν. (75,2) ἀνθρώπῳ μὲν οὖν ἤδη τις συμβούλῳ χρησάμενος μετενόησεν, οὐ μέντοι νόμῳ. τοσούτῳ δὲ τῶν τειχῶν ταῖς πόλεσι χρησιμώτερός ἐστιν, ὥστε ἀτείχιστοι μὲν πολλαὶ τῶν πόλεων διαμένουσι, νόμου δὲ χωρὶς οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδεμίαν οἰκεῖσθαι πόλιν. οὐ μόνον δὲ συμφέρει τοῖς θνητοῖς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς θεοῖς. ὁ γοῦν κόσμος ἀεὶ τὸν αὐτὸν νόμον ἀκίνητον φυλάττει καὶ τῶν αἰωνίων οὐδὲν ἂν παραβαίη τοῦτον. ὅθεν οἶμαι καὶ βασιλεὺς εἰκότως ἀνθρώπων καὶ θεῶν κέκληται, τὴν μὲν βίαν καταλύων, τὴν δὲ ὕβριν καθαιρῶν, τὴν δὲ ἄνοιαν σωφρονίζων, τὴν δὲ κακίαν κολάζων, ἰδίᾳ δὲ καὶ κοινῇ πάντας τοὺς δεομένους ὠφελῶν, τοῖς μὲν ἀδικουμένοις βοηθῶν, τοῖς δὲ ἀπορουμένοις περί τινος μηνύων τὸ δέον. (75,3) ὅταν γάρ τις συμβάντος τινὸς αὐτῷ δυσκόλου πράγματος ζητῇ τὸ συμφέρον, οὐδὲν οἶμαι δεῖ φίλους παρακαλεῖν οὐδὲ συγγενεῖς, ἀλλὰ ἐλθόντα παρὰ τοὺς νόμους πυνθάνεσθαι. καὶ οὐκ ἂν τὸ οἰκεῖον σκοπῶν χεῖρον ἐκείνῳ παραινέσειεν οὐδὲ ἀγνοήσας τὸ βέλτιον οὐδὲ δι´ ἀσχολίαν τινὰ ἢ τὸ μὴ φροντίζειν τοὺς σκεπτομένους παραιτήσαιτ´ ἄν. τοὐναντίον γὰρ ἁπάντων ὁμοίως κήδεται καὶ σχολὴν ἄγει πρὸς τὰ τῶν ἄλλων πράγματα καὶ οὐδὲν ἴδιον οὐδὲ ἐξαίρετόν ἐστιν αὐτῷ. (75,4) καὶ μὴν τοσούτῳ γε τῆς παρὰ τῶν θεῶν μαντείας ὠφελιμώτερός ἐστι νόμος, ὅσῳ τοὺς μὲν χρησμοὺς ἤδη τινὲς ἠγνόησαν καὶ δοκοῦντες πράττειν κατ´ αὐτοὺς τἀναντία ἐποίησαν, ὅθεν οἶμαι συμφοραῖς ἐχρήσαντο. παρὰ τοῦ νόμου δὲ οὐδέν ἐστι σκολιὸν οὐδὲ ἀμφίβολον, ἀλλ´ ἁπλῶς ἅπαντα ἃ προσήκει τοῖς δεομένοις φράζει. ἄρχων δὲ ἁπάντων καὶ κύριος ὢν χωρὶς ὅπλων καὶ βίας κρατεῖ· τοὐναντίον γὰρ αὐτὸς καταλύει τὴν βίαν· ἀλλὰ μετὰ πειθοῦς καὶ βουλομένων προέστηκεν. πείσας γὰρ πρότερον καὶ δοκιμασθεὶς οὕτως γίγνεται καὶ τὴν ἰσχὺν τὴν αὑτοῦ λαμβάνει. (75,5) τηλικαύτην δὲ ἔχει δύναμιν ὥστε καὶ τοῖς θεοῖς οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ βοηθῶν. τοὺς γὰρ ἱεροσύλους καὶ τοὺς παραβαίνοντας τὴν πρὸς αὐτοὺς εὐσέβειαν κολάζει. καὶ μὴν αὐτόν γε οὐδὲ εἷς οἷός τέ ἐστιν ἀδικῆσαι. τῶν γὰρ παραβαινόντων τὸν νόμον ἕκαστος οὐκ ἐκεῖνον, ἀλλ´ ἑαυτὸν βλάπτει. (75,6) τοσαύτης δὲ δικαιοσύνης καὶ φιλανθρωπίας μεστός ἐστιν, ὥστε καὶ τοῖς ἀτυχοῦσι χρησιμώτερος καθέστηκε τῶν γένει προσηκόντων καὶ τοῖς ἀδικουμένοις ἰσχυρότερος τῆς αὐτῶν ἐκείνων ῥώμης καὶ πατράσιν υἱέων εὐνούστερος καὶ παισὶ γονέων καὶ ἀδελφοῖς ἀδελφῶν. πολλοὶ γοῦν ὑπὸ τῶν φιλτάτων ἀδικούμενοι πρὸς τοῦτον καταφεύγουσιν. ἔτι δὲ καὶ μηδὲν ὑπὸ μηδενὸς εὖ πεπονθὼς ὁ νόμος πᾶσιν ὧν ἂν εὐεργετήσωσιν ἑτέρους ἐκτίνει τὰς χάριτας, καὶ γονεῦσι παρὰ παίδων τὰς ὁμοίας κομιζόμενος καὶ τοῖς ἰδίᾳ τινῶν εὐεργέταις παρὰ τῶν εὖ παθόντων καὶ τοῖς κοινῇ φιλοτιμουμένοις παρὰ τῆς πόλεως. (75,7) κάλλιστα δὲ τὰ ἆθλα τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν πεποίηκε, στεφάνους καὶ κηρύγματα καὶ προεδρίας ἐξευρών· ἃ τοῖς μὲν παρέχουσιν οὐδεμίαν φέρει δαπάνην, τοῖς δὲ τυγχάνουσι τοῦ παντὸς ἄξια καθέστηκεν. ὅ,τι δ´ ἂν ἐθέλῃ τῶν εὐτελεστάτων, εὐθὺς τοῦτο μέγα καὶ τίμιον ἐποίησεν. οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τὸν κότινον οὕτως μέγα καὶ τηλικαύτης ἄξιον σπουδῆς ἀποδείξας καὶ τὰ σέλινα καὶ τὴν πίτυν καὶ τὸν τοῦ θαλλοῦ στέφανον· οὗτος ὁ τὰ τρία ῥήματα, οἷς ἕκαστος κηρύττεται τῶν ἀγαθῶν, πολλοῖς ἀποφήνας τοῦ ζῆν τιμιώτερα. (75,8) οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τὰς πανηγύρεις συνάγων, ὁ τοὺς θεοὺς τιμῶν, ὁ τὴν ἀρετὴν αὔξων· οὗτος ὁ τὴν θάλατταν καθαίρων, ὁ τὴν γῆν ἥμερον ποιῶν, ὁ τοῦ Διὸς θετὸς υἱός, ὁ τὴν ἀήττητον καὶ ἀνυπέρβλητον ἰσχὺν ἔχων· τοσοῦτον ἁπάντων σωφροσύνῃ καὶ πίστει διαφέρων, ὥστε καὶ γυναικῶν κοινωνίαν καὶ παρθένων ὥραν καὶ παίδων ἀκμὴν τούτῳ πάντες πεπιστεύκαμεν. ἔτι δὲ καὶ παρθένου τῆς Δίκης οὔσης μόνος αὐτῇ διὰ σωφροσύνην σύνεστιν. (75,9) οὗτος ἐπίκουρος γήρως, διδάσκαλος νεότητος, πενίας συνεργός, φύλαξ πλούτου, τῇ μὲν εἰρήνῃ σύμμαχος, τῷ δὲ πολέμῳ ἐναντίος. οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ τούτῳ πλεῖστον ἰσχύει. τὸν γοῦν παρὰ τῶν ἐχθίστων κήρυκα πεμπόμενον οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ σῴζων καὶ διαφυλάττων, παντὸς θώρακος καὶ πάσης ἀσπίδος ἰσχυρότερον αὐτῷ δοὺς ὅπλον τὸ κηρύκειον· ἔστι δὲ τοῦ νόμου σύμβολον. διὰ τοῦτον τοὺς ἀποθανόντας οὐδεὶς ἔτι κρίνει πολεμίους οὐδὲ τὴν ἔχθραν καὶ τὴν ὕβριν εἰς τὰ σώματα αὐτῶν ἐπιδείκνυνται. (75,10) τοσούτῳ δὲ ταῖς πόλεσι χρησιμώτερός ἐστιν ἤπερ τὰ πηδάλια ταῖς ναυσίν, ὥστε ἡ μὲν ἀποβαλοῦσα τοὺς οἴακας ναῦς οὐκ ἂν ἀπόλοιτο μὴ χειμῶνος καταλαβόντος, πόλιν δ´ οὐκ ἔνι σωθῆναι τοῦ νόμου λυθέντος, οὐδ´ ἂν μηδὲν ἔξωθεν συμβαίνῃ δεινόν. ὥσπερ δὲ ὑπὸ τῆς ἐν αὐτῷ διανοίας διοικεῖται καὶ σῴζεται τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἕκαστος, ἡ δὲ ταύτης διαφθορὰ μανίαν καὶ παρακοπὴν φέρει, παραπλησίως, ἄν τις ἀνέλῃ τὸν νόμον ἐκ τοῦ βίου, καθάπερ οἶμαι τὸν νοῦν ἀπολωλεκὼς εἰς παντελῆ μανίαν καὶ ταραχὴν περιστήσεται.

[75,0] The Seventy-fifth Discourse : On Law 1 The law is for life a guide, for cities an impartial overseer, and for the conduct of affairs a true and just straight-edge by which each must keep straight his own conduct; otherwise he will be crooked and corrupt. Accordingly, those who strictly observe the law have firm hold on safety; while those who transgress it destroy first of all themselves and then their fellows too, providing them with an example and pattern of lawlessness and violence. Yes, just as at sea those who do not miss the beacon are most likely to come through with their lives and to find their havens, so those who live according to the law journey through life with maximum security and reach the right destination. 2 There have been, it is true, instances in which one who has used a human being as counsellor has done so to his sorrow, but not so with the law. So much more serviceable is it for our cities than their walls that many of them still remain unwalled, but without law no city can be administered. But the law is of advantage not only to mortals, but to the gods as well. At any rate the universe always preserves the same law inviolate, and nothing which is eternal may transgress it. It is for that reason, methinks, that the law has appropriately (p243) been called "king of men and gods"; for law does away with violence, puts down insolence, reproves folly, chastises wickedness, and in private and public relations helps all who are in need, succouring the victims of injustice, and to those who are perplexed about a course of action making known what is their duty. 3 Whenever, for instance, a man is confronted by a perplexing situation and is seeking to discover what is expedient for him, he need not, I believe, call in friends or kinsmen, but rather go to the laws and pose his question. For the law would not, having an eye to its own advantage, give him inferior advice, nor yet through ignorance of the better course, nor would it because of some engagement or lack of interest beg its consultants to let it be excused. For, on the contrary, it has regard for all alike, and it has leisure for the problems of all others, and for it there is no private or special interest. 4 Again, law is more serviceable than the oracular responses of the gods in the that, while there have been some who did not understand the oracles, and, supposing that they were acting in harmony with them, have done the very opposite — which accounts, I imagine, for their having met with disaster — from the law there proceeds nothing which is tortuous or ambiguous, but, instead, it puts in simple phrases everything which is appropriate for those who are in need. Besides, though ruler and master of all things, it exercises its authority without the use of arms and force — on the contrary, law itself does away with force; nay, it rules by persuasion and governs (p245) willing subjects. For it is because it first persuades men and secures their approval that law comes into being and acquires its own power. 5 But so great is the power it possesses, that it is the law which assists even the gods. For example, the sacrilegious and those who violate the reverence due to the gods it punishes. Moreover, the law itself no one has the power to injure. For every one who transgresses the law harms, not the law, but himself. 6 But such is the righteousness and benevolence which pervades the law, that for the unfortunate it has proved even more helpful than their blood relatives; and for the victims of injustice it has proved more potent than their own might; and for fathers, more kindly than their sons; for sons, more kindly than parents; for brothers, than brothers. At any rate many, when wronged by their closest kin, seek refuge with the law. Then too, though it has experienced no kindness at the hands of any one, the law renders thanks in full to all for the kindnesses which they show to others, exacting thanks alike for fathers from their sons, for those who have in private done some deed of kindness from those whom they have benefited, and for those who display public spirit in municipal affairs from their city. 7 Furthermore, most beautiful are the rewards which it has established for their benefactions, having devised crowns and public proclamations and seats of honour, things which for those who supply them entail no expense, but which for those who win them have come to be worth everything. Indeed, whatever it so desires, however inexpensive it may be, the law immediately renders important and precious. It is the law which has made the wild olive so important, (p247) worth so much devoted effort, 8 just as also with the parsley, the pine, and the olive crown; it is the law which has made the three words with which each good man is publicly acclaimed more precious to many than life itself. It is the law which convenes the national festive gatherings, which honours the gods, which exalts virtue; it is the law which purges the sea, makes civilized the land, is the veritable son of Zeus, the possessor of invincible, insuperable might for it is so far superior to all else in temperance and trustworthiness that not only partnership with women but also the bloom of maidens and the prime of lads we all have entrusted to the law. Besides, though Justice is a virgin, such is his continence that Law dwells with her without a chaperon. 9 Law is a protector of old age, a schoolmaster of youth, of poverty a fellow labourer, a guard of wealth, to peace an ally, to war a foe. Nay, even in war itself law has the greater might. For instance, the herald who is dispatched from one's bitterest foes the law protects and guards, giving him as a weapon more mighty than any corselet or any shield the herald's staff — in fact, this is a symbol of the law. Because of the law the slain are deemed no longer to be foes, nor are hatred and insult wreaked upon their bodies. 10 Again, so much more useful is the law to our cities (p249) than rudders are to our ships that, whereas a ship which has lost its rudders would not perish unless a storm should overtake it, a city cannot be saved if the law has been destroyed, not even when no dire disaster befalls it from without. But just as each of us is governed and safeguarded by the intelligence which is in him, while its destruction entails madness and insanity, similarly, if one expels the law from his life, just as if he had lost his mind, I believe he will be brought into a state of utter madness and confusion.