§29.14Διὰ τί ποτε, ἐὰν μέν τις ἐκ βαλανείου κλέψῃ ἢ ἐκ παλαίστρας ἢ ἐξ ἀγορᾶς ἢ τῶν τοιούτων τινός, θανάτῳ ζημιοῦται, ἐὰν δέ τις ἐξ οἰκίας, διπλοῦς τῆς ἀξίας τοῦ κλέμματος ἀποτίνει;
Why is it that, if someone steals from a bathhouse or from a palaestra or from the marketplace or from any such place, he is punished with death, whereas if someone steals from a house, he pays double the value of the stolen object?
ἢ ὅτι ἐν μὲν ταῖς οἰκίαις φυλάξαι ὁπωσοῦν ἔστιν·
Or is it because in houses it is possible to guard things in some way or other?
καὶ γὰρ ὁ τοῖχος ἰσχυρὸς καὶ κλεῖς ἐστίν, καὶ οἰκέταις τοῖς ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ πᾶσιν ἐπιμελές ἐστιν ὅπως σώζηται τὰ ἐνόντα.
For the wall is strong and there is a key, and all the servants in the house are concerned with preserving what is inside.
ἐν δὲ τῷ βαλανείῳ, καὶ ἐν τοῖς οὕτω κοινοῖς οὖσιν ὥσπερ τὸ βαλανεῖον, ῥᾴδιον τῷ βουλομένῳ κακουργεῖν· οὐδὲν γὰρ ἰσχυρὸν ἔχουσι πρὸς τὴν φυλακὴν οἱ τιθέντες ἀλλ’ ἢ τὸ αὑτῶν ὄμμα, ὥστε ἂν μόνον τις παραβλέψῃ, ἐπὶ τῷ κλέπτοντι ἤδη γίνεται.
Whereas in the bathhouse, and in places that are public in the same way as the bathhouse, it is easy for anyone who wishes to commit a crime; for those who deposit their belongings have nothing strong for guarding them except their own eyes, so that if one only looks away for a moment, it immediately becomes at the mercy of the thief.
διὸ ὁ νομοθέτης οὐχ ἱκανοὺς ὄντας ἡγησάμενος εἶναι φύλακας, τὸν νόμον αὐτοῖς ἐπέστησεν ἀπειλοῦντα σφοδρῶς ὡς οὐ βιωσομένοις ἐάν τι σφετερίζωνται τῶν ἀλλοτρίων.
Therefore, the lawmaker, considering that they were not sufficient guards, set the law over them, threatening severely that they would not live if they should appropriate any of another’s property.
ἔτι δὲ εἰς μὲν τὴν οἰκίαν ἐπὶ τῷ κεκτημένῳ ἐστὶν ὅν τινα ἂν βούληται εἰσδέχεσθαι, καὶ ᾧ μὴ πιστεύει εἰσφέρεσθαι· τῷ δὲ ἐν τῷ βαλανείῳ θεμένῳ τι οὐκ ἔξεστιν οὐθένα κωλῦσαι οὔτε εἰσιέναι, οὔτε εἰσελθόντα μὴ παρὰ κλέπτην τὸ αὑτοῦ ἱμάτιον θέσθαι ἀποδύντα ἄν·
Furthermore, in the house, it is in the power of the owner to admit whomever he wishes, and not to admit one whom he does not trust; whereas for the one who deposits something in the bathhouse, it is not possible to prevent anyone either from entering, or, once they have entered, from stripping and putting his own cloak next to a thief.
ἀλλ’ ὡς οὐ βούλεται, ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ ἥ τε τοῦ κλέπτου ἐσθὴς καὶ ἡ τοῦ μέλλοντος ἀπολλύναι ἀναμεμιγμέναι κεῖνται.
But even though he does not wish it, the clothing of the thief and that of the one who is about to lose it lie mixed together in the same place.
διὸ ὁ νομοθέτης τῷ μὲν ἑκόντι εἰσδεξαμένῳ τὸν κλέπτην καὶ αὐτῷ ἡμαρτη κότι οὐ λίαν μεγάλαις τιμωρίαις βεβοήθηκεν, τοῖς δὲ ἐξ ἀνάγκης κοινωνοῦσιν τῆς εἰς τὸ βαλανεῖον εἰσόδου καὶ τῆς ἀναμίξεως μεγάλας τιμωρίας φανερός ἐστι καθιστὰς τοῖς κλέπτουσιν.
Therefore, the lawmaker did not assist with very great punishments the one who voluntarily admitted the thief and thus himself made an error, but he is clear in establishing great punishments for the thieves on behalf of those who of necessity share in the entrance to the bathhouse and the mixing of goods.
ἔτι δὲ οἱ μὲν ἐν τοῖς οὕτω κοινοῖς οὖσι τῷ βουλομένῳ εἰσιέναι κλέπτοντες καταφανεῖς ἅπασι γίνονται ὅτι φανεροί εἰσιν, ὥστε περιγενόμενοι οὐδὲ καρπισμοῦ ἔτι χάριν ἐπιεικεῖς εἶναι δοκεῖν βούλονται, ὡς μάτην αὐτοῖς ὂν πρὸς τοὺς γνόντας πλάττεσθαι ὅτι ἐπιεικεῖς εἰσιν·
Furthermore, those who steal in places so open to anyone who wishes to enter become manifest to everyone because they are exposed, so that even if they survive, they no longer wish to seem decent for the sake of any gain, thinking it is in vain for them to pretend to be decent before those who know them; so they remain openly wicked.
καταφανῶς οὖν ἤδη πονηροὶ διατελοῦσιν ὄντες. οἱ δὲ ἑνὶ μόνῳ φανεροὶ γενόμενοι πρὸς τοὺς ἄλλους ἐπιχειροῦσι πείθειν, ἀποτίσαντές τι, ὅπως μὴ καταφανεῖς αὐτοὺς ποιήσῃ· διὸ οὐ παντελῶς ἂν εἶεν πονηροὶ διὰ τέλους, ἀνθ’ ὧν ὁ νομοθέτης ἐλάττω αὐτοῖς τὰ ἐπιζήμια ἐποίησεν.
Whereas those who are exposed to only one person attempt to persuade him, by paying something, so that he does not make them manifest; therefore they would not be completely wicked to the end, on account of which the lawmaker made the penalties smaller for them.
ἔτι δὲ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν μάλιστα αἰσχύνουσιν τὴν πόλιν αἱ ἐν τοῖς κοινοτάτοις συλλόγοις τε καὶ συνόδοις γινόμεναι, ὥσπερ καὶ τιμὴν φέρουσι πολὺ μάλιστα αἱ ἐν τῷ κοινῷ εὐταξίαι· καταφανεῖς γὰρ μάλιστα διὰ τῶν τοιούτων καὶ αὑτοῖς καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις.
Furthermore, of errors, those that occur in the most public gatherings and assemblies shame the city most of all, just as orderly conducts in public bring honor by far the most; for through such things they are most manifest both to themselves and to others.
συμβαίνει οὖν οὐ μόνον ἰδίᾳ τὸν ἀπολέσαντα βλάπτεσθαι ἐκ τῶν τοιούτων τινός, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς τὴν πόλιν λοιδορίας γίνεσθαι.
It happens, therefore, that from any of such things not only is the loser harmed privately, but also reproaches arise against the city.
διὸ καὶ τὸν κλέψαντα ταῖς μείζοσι ζημίαις ἐκόλασεν τῶν ἐξ οἰκίας τινὸς ἀφελομένων.
Therefore, he also punished the one who stole with greater penalties than those who took something from someone's house.
ἔτι δὲ καὶ ὁ ἐξ οἰκίας τι ἀπολέσας ἐν τοιούτῳ τόπῳ τυγχάνει ὤν, ὅθεν ῥᾴδιον μήτε παθόντα μήτε χλευασθέντα ὑπό τινων, οἴκοι ὄντα τὸ ἀτύχημα φέρειν.
Furthermore, the one who has lost something from his house happens to be in such a place from which it is easy, being at home, to bear the misfortune without suffering further or being mocked by anyone.
τῷ δ’ ἥ τε ἀποχώρησις ἐργώδης γεγυμνωμένῳ, προσέτι δὲ χλευάζεσθαι ὑπό τινων ὑπάρχει τοῖς πολλοῖς, ὃ πολὺ δυσχερέστερόν ἐστι τῆς ἀπωλείας.
Whereas for the other, having been stripped, even his departure is difficult, and in addition, being mocked by some is what happens to most, which is much more grievous than the loss.
διὸ καὶ ὁ νομοθέτης μείζους αὐτοῖς ζημίας ἐνέγραψεν.
Therefore, the lawmaker wrote down greater penalties for them.
ἔτι δὲ παραπλήσια τούτοις πολλὰ φαίνονται νενομοθετηκότες, οἷον καὶ ἐὰν μέν τις ἄρχοντα κακῶς εἴπῃ, μεγάλα τὰ ἐπιτίμια, ἐὰν δέ τις ἰδιώτην, οὐδέν.
Furthermore, they appear to have legislated many things similar to these, as for instance, if someone speaks ill of a ruler, the penalties are great, but if of a private citizen, there is none.
καὶ καλῶς· οἴεται γὰρ τότε οὐ μόνον εἰς τὸν ἄρχοντα ἐξαμαρτάνειν τὸν κακηγοροῦντα, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς τὴν πόλιν ὑβρίζειν.
And rightly so; for he thinks that in that case the slanderer not only sins against the ruler, but also insults the city.
τὸν αὐτὸν δὲ τρόπον καὶ τὸν ἐν τῷ λιμένι κλέπτοντα οὐ μόνον τὸν ἰδιώτην βλάπτειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν πόλιν αἰσχύνειν.
In the same way, the one who steals in the harbor not only harms the private citizen, but also shames the city.
ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις, οὗ κοινῇ που συνερχόμεθα.
And similarly also in other places where we assemble in public.
§29.15Διὰ τί ἐν τοῖς δικαστηρίοις ἐὰν ἴσαι γένωνται ψῆφοι τοῖς ἀντιδίκοις, ὁ φεύγων νικᾷ;
Why is it that in the courts, if the votes become equal for the adversaries, the defendant wins?
ἢ ὅτι ὁ φεύγων ὑπὸ τοῦ διώκοντος οὐθὲν πέπονθεν, ἀλλ’ ἐν τοῖς ἴσοις αὐτῷ ἤδη ἔμελλε νικᾶν;
Or is it because the defendant has suffered nothing from the prosecutor, but under equal conditions he was already destined to win?
§29.16Διὰ τί ἐπὶ μὲν κλοπῇ θάνατος ἡ ζημία, ἐπὶ δὲ ὕβρει, μείζονι οὔσῃ ἀδικίᾳ, τίμησις τί χρὴ παθεῖν ἢ ἀποτῖσαι;
Why is the penalty for theft death, whereas for assault, which is a greater injustice, there is an assessment of what one must suffer or pay?
ἢ διότι τὸ μὲν ὑβρίζειν ἀνθρώπινόν ἐστι πάθος, καὶ πάντες πλέον ἢ ἔλαττον αὐτοῦ μετέχουσι, τὸ δὲ κλέπτειν οὐ τῶν ἀναγκαίων;
Or is it because committing assault is a human passion, and everyone partakes of it more or less, whereas stealing is not one of the necessary things?
καὶ ὅτι ὁ κλέπτειν ἐπιχειρῶν καὶ ὑβρίζειν ἂν προέλοιτο.
And because the one who attempts to steal would also choose to commit assault?