XXVI.  But of the considerations which belong to things, some are connected with the thing itself which is the subject of discussion; some are considered in the performance of the thing; some are united with the thing itself; some follow in the accomplishment of the thing.  Those things are connected with the thing itself which appear always to be attached to the thing and which cannot be separated from it.  The first of such things is a brief exposition of the whole business, which contains the sum of the entire matter, in this way—­“The slaying of a parent;” “the betrayal of a country.”  Then comes the cause of this general fact; and we inquire by what means, and in what manner, and with what view such and such a thing has been done.  After that we inquire what was done before this action under consideration was done, and all the steps which preceded this action.  After that, what was done in the very execution of this action.  And last of all, what has been done since.

But with reference to the performance of an action, which was the second topic of those which were attributed to things, the place, and the time, and the manner, and the opportunity, and the facilities will be inquired into.  The place is taken into consideration in which the thing was done; with reference to the opportunity which the doer seems to have had of executing the business; and that opportunity is measured by the importance of the action, by the interval which has elapsed, by the distance, by the nearness, by the solitude of the place, or by the frequented character of it, by the nature of the spot itself and by the neighbourhood of the whole region.  And it is estimated also with reference to these characteristics, whether the place be sacred or not, public or private, whether it belongs or has belonged to some one else, or to the man whose conduct is under consideration.

But the time is, that, I mean, which we are speaking of at the present moment, (for it is difficult to define it in a general view of it with any exactness,) a certain portion of eternity with some fixed limitation of annual or monthly, or daily or nightly space.  In reference to this we take into consideration the things which are passed, and those things which, by reason of the time which has elapsed since, have become so obsolete as to be considered incredible, and to be already classed among the number of fables, and those things also which, having been performed a long time ago and at a time remote from our recollection, still affect us with a belief that they have been handed down truly, because certain memorials of those facts are extant in written documents, and those things which have been done lately, so that most people are able to be acquainted with them.  And also those things which exist at the present moment, and which are actually taking place now, and which are the consequences of former actions.  And with reference to those things it is open to us to consider which will happen