whether he obtain his money or not, for in such exchanges he will not be protected by law. (d) Athenian law forbad an extortionate rate of interest (Telfy); Plato allows interest in one case only—­if a contractor does not receive the price of his work within a year of the time agreed—­and at the rate of 200 per cent. per annum for every drachma a monthly interest of an obol. (e) Both at Athens and in the Laws sales were to be registered (Telfy), as well as births (Telfy).

(21) Sumptuary laws.  Extravagance at weddings (Telfy), and at funerals (Telfy) was forbidden at Athens and also in the Magnesian state.

There remains the subject of family life, which in Plato’s Laws partakes both of an Athenian and Spartan character.  Under this head may conveniently be included the condition of women and of slaves.  To family life may be added citizenship.

As at Sparta, marriages are to be contracted for the good of the state; and they may be dissolved on the same ground, where there is a failure of issue,—­the interest of the state requiring that every one of the 5040 lots should have an heir.  Divorces are likewise permitted by Plato where there is an incompatibility of temper, as at Athens by mutual consent.  The duty of having children is also enforced by a still higher motive, expressed by Plato in the noble words:—­’A man should cling to immortality, and leave behind him children’s children to be the servants of God in his place.’  Again, as at Athens, the father is allowed to put away his undutiful son, but only with the consent of impartial persons (Telfy), and the only suit which may be brought by a son against a father is for imbecility.  The class of elder and younger men and women are still to regard one another, as in the Republic, as standing in the relation of parents and children.  This is a trait of Spartan character rather than of Athenian.  A peculiar sanctity and tenderness was to be shown towards the aged; the parent or grandparent stricken with years was to be loved and worshipped like the image of a God, and was to be deemed far more able than any lifeless statue to bring good or ill to his descendants.  Great care is to be taken of orphans:  they are entrusted to the fifteen eldest Guardians of the Law, who are to be ’lawgivers and fathers to them not inferior to their natural fathers,’ as at Athens they were entrusted to the Archons.  Plato wishes to make the misfortune of orphanhood as little sad to them as possible.

Plato, seeing the disorder into which half the human race had fallen at Athens and Sparta, is minded to frame for them a new rule of life.  He renounces his fanciful theory of communism, but still desires to place women as far as possible on an equality with men.  They were to be trained in the use of arms, they are to live in public.  Their time was partly taken up with gymnastic exercises; there could have been little family or private life among them.  Their lot was to be neither like that of Spartan women,