Andnowletussayinwhatcasesandunderwhatcircumstancesthemurdererisrightlyfreefromguilt：-Ifamancatchathiefcoming，intohishousebynighttosteal，andhetakeandkillhim，orifheslayafootpadinself-defence，heshallbeguiltless。Andanyonewhodoesviolencetoafreewomanorayouth，shallbeslainwithimpunitybytheinjuredperson，orbyhisorherfatherorbrothersorsons。Ifamanfindhiswifesufferingviolence，hemaykilltheviolator，andbeguiltlessintheeyeofthelaw；orifapersonkillanotherinwardingoffdeathfromhisfatherormotherorchildrenorbrethrenorwifewhoaredoingnowrong，heshallassuredlybeguiltless。
Thusmuchastothenurtureandeducationofthelivingsoulofman，havingwhich，hecan，andwithoutwhich，ifheunfortunatelybewithoutthem，hecannotlive；andalsoconcerningthepunishments：-whicharetobeinflictedforviolentdeaths，letthusmuchbeenacted。Ofthenurtureandeducationofthebodywehavespokenbefore，andnextinorderwehavetospeakofdeedsofviolence，voluntaryandinvoluntary，whichmendotooneanother；
thesewewillnowdistinguish，asfarasweareable，accordingtotheirnatureandnumber，anddeterminewhatwillbethesuitablepenaltiesofeach，andsoassigntothemtheirproperplaceintheseriesofourenactments。Thepoorestlegislatorwillhavenodifficultyindeterminingthatwoundsandmutilationsarisingoutofwoundsshouldfollownextinorderafterdeaths。Letwoundsbedividedashomicidesweredivided-intothosewhichareinvoluntary，andwhicharegiveninpassionorfromfear，andthoseinflictedvoluntarilyandwithpremeditation。Concerningallthis，wemustmakesomesuchproclamationasthefollowing：-Mankindmusthavelaws，andconformtothem，ortheirlifewouldbeasbadasthatofthemostsavagebeast。Andthereasonofthisisthatnoman’snatureisabletoknowwhatisbestforhumansociety；orknowing，alwaysableandwillingtodowhatisbest。Inthefirstplace，thereisadifficultyinapprehendingthatthetrueartorpoliticsisconcerned，notwithprivatebutwithpublicgoodforpublicgoodbindstogetherstates，butprivateonlydistractsthem；andthatboththepublicandprivategoodaswellofindividualsasofstatesisgreaterwhenthestateandnottheindividualisfirstconsidered。
Inthesecondplace，althoughapersonknowsintheabstractthatthisistrue，yetifhebepossessedofabsoluteandirresponsiblepower，hewillneverremainfirminhisprinciplesorpersistinregardingthepublicgoodasprimaryinthestate，andtheprivategoodassecondary。Humannaturewillbealwaysdrawinghimintoavariceandselfishness，avoidingpainandpursuingPleasurewithoutanyreason，andwillbringthesetothefront，obscuringthejusterandbetter；
andsoworkingdarknessinhissoulwillatlastfillwithevilsbothhimandthewholecity。Forifamanwerebornsodivinelygiftedthathecouldnaturallyapprehendthetruth，hewouldhavenoneedoflawstoruleoverhim；forthereisnolawororderwhichisaboveknowledge，norcanmind，withoutimpiety，bedeemedthesubjectorslaveofanyman，butratherthelordofall。Ispeakofmind，trueandfree，andinharmonywithnature。Butthenthereisnosuchmindanywhere，oratleastnotmuch；andthereforewemustchooselawandorder，whicharesecondbest。Theselookatthingsastheyexistforthemostpartonly，andareunabletosurveythewholeofthem。AndthereforeIhavespokenasIhave。