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Contents of the Twelfth Book of Diodorus
chapter 1chapter 2chapter 3chapter 4chapter 5chapter 6chapter 7chapter 8chapter 9chapter 10chapter 11chapter 12chapter 13chapter 14chapter 15chapter 16chapter 17chapter 18chapter 19chapter 20chapter 21chapter 22chapter 23chapter 24chapter 25chapter 26chapter 27chapter 28chapter 29chapter 30chapter 31chapter 32chapter 33chapter 34chapter 35chapter 36chapter 37chapter 38chapter 39chapter 40chapter 41chapter 42chapter 43chapter 44chapter 45chapter 46chapter 47chapter 48chapter 49chapter 50chapter 51chapter 52chapter 53chapter 54chapter 55chapter 56chapter 57chapter 58chapter 59chapter 60chapter 61chapter 62chapter 63chapter 64chapter 65chapter 66chapter 67chapter 68chapter 69chapter 70chapter 71chapter 72chapter 73chapter 74chapter 75chapter 76chapter 77chapter 78chapter 79chapter 80chapter 81chapter 82chapter 83chapter 84
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Charondas also wrote another law which merits
approbation—that which deals with the protection of orphans. On the surface this law
appears to contain nothing unusual or worthy of approbation, but when it is scrutinized more
closely and examined with care, it indicates not only earnest study but also a high claim to
regard.
[2]
For his law provided that the property of orphans
should be managed by the next of kin on the father's side, but that the orphans should be
reared by their relatives on the mother's side. Now at first glance a man sees nothing wise or
outstanding in this law, but when it is explored deeply it is found to be justly worthy of
praise. For if the reason is sought out why he entrusted the property of orphans to one group
and the rearing of them to another, the lawgiver is seen to have shown an unusual kind of
ingenuity.
[3]
That is, the relatives on the mother's side will
not plot to take the lives of the orphans, since they have no share in their inheritance, and
the kin on the father's side do not have the opportunity to plot against their lives, since
they are not entrusted with the care of their persons; furthermore, since they inherit the
property if the orphans die of disease or some other circumstance, they will administer the
estate with greater care, believing that they hold as their own what are hopes based upon an
act of Fortune.
Diodorus Siculus. Diodorus of Sicily in Twelve Volumes with an English Translation by C. H. Oldfather. Vol. 4-8. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd. 1989.
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References (3 total)
- Cross-references to this page
(1):
- A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (1890), EPI´TROPUS
- Cross-references in general dictionaries to this page
(2):
- LSJ, ἀναθεωρ-έω
- LSJ, πιστ-εύω
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