Book XI - Page 2

part of his property, whether intentionally or
unintentionally, let him who may come upon the left property suffer it to
remain, reflecting that such things are under the protection of the
Goddess of ways, and are dedicated to her by the law. But if any one
defies the law, and takes the property home with him, let him, if the
thing is of little worth, and the man who takes it a slave, be beaten with
many stripes by him who meets him, being a person of not less than thirty
years of age. Or if he be a freeman, in addition to being thought a mean
person and a despiser of the laws, let him pay ten times the value of the
treasure which he has moved to the leaver. And if some one accuses another
of having anything which belongs to him, whether little or much, and the
other admits that he has this thing, but denies that the property in
dispute belongs to the other, if the property be registered with the
magistrates according to law, the claimant shall summon the possessor, who
shall bring it before the magistrates; and when it is brought into court,
if it be registered in the public registers, to which of the litigants it
belonged, let him take it and go his way. Or if the property be registered
as belonging to some one who is not present, whoever will offer sufficient
surety on behalf of the absent person that he will give it up to him,
shall take it away as the representative of the other. But if the property
which is deposited be not registered with the magistrates, let it remain
until the time of trial with three of the eldest of the magistrates; and
if it be an animal which is deposited, then he who loses the suit shall
pay the magistrates for its keep, and they shall determine the cause
within three days.

Any one who is of sound mind may arrest his own slave, and do with him
whatever he will of such things as are lawful; and he may arrest the
runaway slave of any of his friends or kindred with a view to his safe-
keeping. And if any one takes away him who is being carried off as a
slave, intending to liberate him, he who is carrying him off shall let him
go; but he who takes him away shall give three sufficient sureties; and if
he give them, and not without giving them, he may take him away, but if he
take him away after any other manner he shall be deemed guilty of
violence, and being convicted shall pay as a penalty double the amount of
the damages claimed to him who has been deprived of the slave. Any man may
also carry off a freedman, if he do not pay respect or sufficient respect
to him who freed him. Now the respect shall be, that the freedman go three
times in the month to the hearth of the person who freed him, and offer to
do whatever he ought, so far as he can; and he shall agree to make such a
marriage