Chapter XV.—The Tenets of the Esseni Continued.

But there is not one city of them, but many of them settle in every city. And if any of the adherents of the sect may be present from a strange place, they consider that all things are in common for him, and those whom they had not previously known they receive as if they belonged to their own household and kindred. And they traverse their native land, and on each occasion that they go on a journey they carry nothing except arms. And they have also in their cities a president, who expends the moneys collected for this purpose in procuring clothing and food for them. And their robe and its shape are modest. And they do not own two cloaks, or a double set of shoes; and when those that are in present use become antiquated, then they adopt others. And they neither buy nor sell anything at all; but whatever any one has he gives to him that has not, and that which one has not he receives.

[20] Μία δὲ αὐτῶν οὐκ ἔστι πόλι(ς), ἀλλ' ἐν ἑκάστῃ μετοικοῦσι πολλοί. καὶ εἴ τις ἀπὸ ξένης παρῇ τῶν αἱρετιστῶν, πάντα αὐτῷ κοινὰ ἡγοῦνται, καὶ οὓς οὐ πρότερον ᾔδεσαν, ὡς οἰκείους καὶ συνήθεις προσδέχονται. περιΐασι δὲ τὴν πατρῴαν γῆν ἑκάστοτε ἀποδημοῦντες μηδὲν φέροντες πλὴν ὅπλου. ἔχουσι δὲ καὶ κατὰ πόλεις προεστῶτα, ὃς τὰ συναγόμενα εἰς τοῦτο ἀναλίσκει, ἐσθῆτα καὶ τροφὰς αὐτοῖς παρασκευάζων. καταστολὴ δὲ αὐτῶν καὶ σχῆμα κόσμιον. χιτῶνας δὲ δύο ἢ διπλᾶς ὑποδέσεις οὐ κτῶνται: ἐπὰν δὲ τὰ παρόντα παλαιωθῇ, τότε ἕτερα προσίενται. οὐδὲν δὲ ὅλως οὔτε ἀγοράζουσιν οὔτε πωλοῦσιν, ὃ δ' ἂν ἔχῃ τις τῷ μὴ ἔχοντι δούς, ὃ οὐκ ἔχει λαμβάνει.