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to be envious; not to shut off springs of water, but also 8.7.7 for the poor and maimed who are collecting food to piously support them before God; not to exclude a corpse from burial, but also to add to them as much earth as is required for piety; not to move the tombs or monuments of the departed at all; not to add bonds, not even one more evil to one who is in distress; not to cut out the seed of men, not to cause women to miscarry with sterilizing drugs and other devices; not to treat animals contrary to how either God or some lawgiver has shown; not to destroy seed; 8.7.8 not to enslave offspring; not to substitute an unjust yoke, not a choenix without measure, not an unjust coin; not to reveal the secrets of friends in a time of enmity; where, in God's name, are those Bouzygian laws of yours? But see these others in addition to these: not to separate parents from children, not even if you have them as captives; not a wife from her husband, even if you are her legally 8.7.9 purchased master. Surely these things are more solemn and greater. But other things are small and ordinary: not to desolate a domestic nest, he says, not to destroy the supplication of animals who sometimes flee for refuge; nor if anything of such things is of less account. Perhaps you might say these things are worth nothing; but the law concerning them is great and the cause of all care, and the prohibitions are great and the curses for utter destruction, and God himself is the overseer of such things and a punisher everywhere.” 8.7.10 And after a little he says: “Do you not marvel that they would transgress none of the commandments, holding fast always, as is likely, to the tradition contrary to profane customs, not just for one whole day, if it should happen, or rather not even one, but for many, and these not immediately in succession to one another, but at intervals, and these every seven days? 8.7.11 Is this for them, then, only a matter of practice in self-control, so that, by working, they may be equally strong to do something and to abstain from their labors, if it should be necessary? By no means, but rather the lawgiver thought it necessary for them, with a view to some great and wonderful work, not only to be capable of doing and not doing other things likewise, but also to be experienced 8.7.12 in the ancestral laws and customs. What then did he do on these seventh days? He required them to assemble in the same place and, sitting down with one another with reverence and order, to listen to the laws, so that no one might be ignorant. 8.7.13 And indeed they always come together and sit together with one another, the many in silence, except if it is customary to add some acclamation to what is being read; but one of the priests who is present or one of the elders reads the sacred laws to them and explains each one until almost late evening; and after this they are dismissed, being experienced in the sacred laws 8.7.14 and having advanced much in piety. Do these things seem to you to be the actions of idle men, and not rather necessary for them beyond every endeavor? Therefore they do not go to oracle-singers asking about what should and should not be done, nor do they by themselves act lightly out of ignorance of the laws, but whoever of them you approach and question about the ancestral traditions is ready and able to speak easily, and a husband seems capable of handing down the laws to his wife, and a father to his children, and a master to his slaves. 8.7.15 And indeed concerning the seventh year it is likewise easy to speak, though perhaps not the same thing. For they themselves do not abstain from their labors as on those seventh days, but they let the land lie fallow for what is to come again, for the sake of abundance. For it makes a great difference for it, having taken a rest, to then be cultivated anew the next year and not to be exhausted by the continuity of work. 8.7.16 And you might see the same thing happening with respect to bodies for strength, for indeed physicians prescribe intervals and certain rests from labors not only for health; for what is continuous and always of one kind, especially 8.7.17 in labors, seems to be harmful. And a sign: for if someone were to promise them to work this same land much more than before in this seventh year and to grant them all the fruits completely, they would in no way accept. For they themselves do not abstain from labors

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φθονεῖν· μὴ νάματα ὑδάτων ἀποκλείειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ 8.7.7 πτωχοῖς καὶ πηροῖς τροφὴν ἐρανίζουσι πρὸς τὸν θεὸν εὐαγῶς ἀνέχειν· μὴ ταφῆς νέκυν ἐξείργειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ γῆς αὐτοῖς ὅσον γε εἰς τὴν ὁσίαν προσεπιβάλλειν· μὴ θήκας, μὴ μνήματα ὅλως κατοιχομένων κινεῖν· μὴ δεσμά, μὴ κακὸν πλέον μηδὲ ἓν τῷ γε ἐν ἀνάγκαις προσεπιφέρειν· μὴ γονὴν ἀνδρῶν ἐκτέμνοντας, μὴ γυναικῶν ἀτοκίοις καὶ ἄλλαις μηχαναῖς ἀμβλοῦν· μὴ ζῴοις ἔμπαλιν ἢ κατέδειξεν εἴτ' οὖν ὁ θεὸς εἴτε τις καὶ νομοθέτης, προσφέρεσθαι· μὴ σπέρμα ἀφανί8.7.8 ζειν· μὴ γέννημα δουλοῦν· μὴ ζυγὸν ἄδικον ἀνθυποβάλλειν, μὴ κοίνικα ἄμετρον, μὴ νόμισμα ἄδικον· μὴ φίλων ἀπόρρητα ἐν ἔχθρᾳ φαίνειν· ποῦ δὴ πρὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ὑμῖν τὰ Βουζύγια ἐκεῖνα; ἄλλα δὲ πρὸς τούτοις ὅρα· μὴ παίδων διοικίζειν γονέας, μηδ' ἂν αἰχμαλώτους ἔχῃς· μὴ γυναῖκα ἀνδρός, κἂν νομίμως 8.7.9 ἐωνημένος ᾖς δεσπότης. ἦ που σεμνότερα καὶ μείζω ταῦτα. ἄλλα δὲ μικρὰ καὶ τὰ τυχόντα· μὴ νεοττιάν φησι κατοικίδιον ἐρημοῦν, μὴ ζῴων ἱκεσίαν οἷα ἔσθ' ὅτε προσφευγόντων ἀναιρεῖν· μὴ εἴ τι τῶν τοιούτων ἧττόν ἐστιν. οὐδενὸς ἄξια ταῦτά γε ἴσως εἴποις ἄν· ἀλλ' ὅ γε ἐπ' αὐτοῖς νόμος ἐστὶ μέγας καὶ πάσης ἐπιμελείας αἴτιος, καὶ αἱ προρρήσεις μεγάλαι καὶ ἀραὶ κατά τε ἐξωλείας καὶ ὁ θεὸς αὐτὸς ἐπόπτης τῶν τοιούτων καὶ τιμωρὸς ἁπανταχοῦ.» 8.7.10 Καὶ μετὰ βραχέα φησίν· «Ὅλην δὲ ἡμέραν εἰ τύχοι, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ μίαν, ἀλλὰ πολλὰς καὶ ταύτας οὐκ εὐθὺς ἐφεξῆς ἀλλήλαις, ἀλλ' ἐκ διαλειμμάτων καὶ τούτων δὲ παρ' ἑπτά, κρατοῦντος, ὡς εἰκός, αἰεὶ τοῦ παρὰ τὰς βεβήλους ἔθους, μηθὲν ἂν παραβῆναι 8.7.11 τῶν προστεταγμένων οὐ θαυμάζεις; ἆρ' οὖν πρὸς ἀσκήσεως μόνον αὐτοῖς τοῦτο ἐγκρατείας ἐστίν, ὡς ἐξ ἴσου καὶ δρᾶν τι πονοῦντας καὶ ἀνέχειν ἰσχύειν ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων, εἰ δέοι; οὐ δῆτα, ἀλλ' ἢ καὶ πρὸς ἔργου μεγάλου καὶ θαυμαστοῦ τινος ᾠήθη δεῖν ὁ νομοθέτης αὐτοὺς μὴ τἄλλα μόνον ἱκανοὺς εἶναι δρᾶν καὶ μὴ δρᾶν ὡσαύτως, ἀλλ' ἔτι καὶ τῶν πατρίων νόμων καὶ ἐθῶν ἐμπεί8.7.12 ρως ἔχειν. τί οὖν ἐποίησε ταῖς ἑβδόμαις ταύταις ἡμέραις; αὐτοὺς εἰς ταὐτὸν ἠξίου συνάγεσθαι καὶ καθεζομένους μετ' ἀλλήλων σὺν αἰδοῖ καὶ κόσμῳ τῶν 8.7.13 νόμων ἀκροᾶσθαι τοῦ μηδένα ἀγνοῆσαι χάριν. καὶ δῆτα συνέρχονται μὲν αἰεὶ καὶ συνεδρεύουσι μετ' ἀλλήλων, οἱ μὲν πολλοὶ σιωπῇ, πλὴν εἴ τι προσεπευφημῆσαι τοῖς ἀναγινωσκομένοις νομίζεται· τῶν ἱερέων δέ τις ὁ παρὼν ἢ τῶν γερόντων εἷς ἀναγινώσκει τοὺς ἱεροὺς νόμους αὐτοῖς καὶ καθ' ἕκαστον ἐξηγεῖται μέχρι σχεδὸν δείλης ὀψίας· κἀκ τοῦδε ἀπολύονται τῶν τε νόμων τῶν ἱερῶν 8.7.14 ἐμπείρως ἔχοντες καὶ πολὺ δὴ πρὸς εὐσέβειαν ἐπιδεδωκότες. ἆρά σοι δοκεῖ ταῦτα ἀργούντων εἶναι καὶ οὐ παντὸς σπουδάσματος μᾶλλον ἀναγκαῖα αὐτοῖς; τοιγαροῦν οὐκ ἐπὶ θεσμῳδοὺς ἔρχονται περὶ τῶν πρακτέων καὶ μὴ διερωτῶντες οὐδὲ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς ὑπ' ἀγνοίας τῶν νόμων ῥᾳδιουργοῦσιν, ἀλλ' ὅντινα αὐτῶν κινεῖς καὶ περὶ τῶν πατρίων διαπυνθάνῃ, προχείρως ἔχει καὶ ῥᾳδίως εἰπεῖν, καὶ ἀνὴρ γυναικὶ καὶ παισὶ πατὴρ καὶ δούλοις δεσπότης ἱκανὸς εἶναι δο8.7.15 κεῖ τοὺς νόμους παραδιδόναι. καὶ μὴν περὶ τοῦ γε ἔτους τοῦ ἑβδόμου ῥᾴδιον ὡσαύτως λέγειν, οὐ μὴν ταὐτὸν ἴσως. οὐ γὰρ αὐτοὶ τῶν ἔργων ἀφεστᾶσιν ὥσπερ ταῖς ἑβδόμαις ἐκείναις ἡμέραις, ἀλλὰ τὴν γῆν ἀργὴν ἀφιᾶσιν εἰς τὰ μέλλοντα αὖθις, εὐθηνείας χάριν. πολὺ γὰρ διαφέρειν αὐτὴν ἀνάπαυλαν λαβοῦσαν εἶτα δὲ εἰς νέωτα γεωργεῖσθαι καὶ μὴ τῇ συνεχείᾳ τῆς ἐργασίας 8.7.16 κατεξάνθαι. ταὐτὸν δὲ καὶ περὶ τὰ σώματα ἂν ἴδοις συμβαῖνον εἰς ῥώμην, οὐ γὰρ δὴ πρὸς ὑγείαν μόνον διαλείμματα καί τινας ἀναπαύλας ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων τοὺς ἰατροὺς προστάττοντας· τὸ γὰρ συνεχὲς καὶ μονοειδὲς αἰεί, μάλιστα δὲ 8.7.17 ἐπ' ἔργων, βλάπτειν ἔοικε. σημεῖον δέ· τὴν γὰρ αὐτὴν ταύτην γῆν εἴ τις ἐπαγγέλλοιτο αὐτοῖς ἐξεργάσεσθαι πολὺ μᾶλλον ἢ πρόσθεν τὸ ἕβδομον ἔτος τουτὶ καὶ τῶν καρπῶν πάντων συμπαραχωρήσειν ὅλων, οὐκ ἂν οὐδαμῶς δέξαιντο. οὐ γὰρ αὐτοὶ τῶν πόνων ἀνέχειν