The PREFACE.

...is just whenever it pleases the most powerful party. Justice is what pleases the stronger. original: Jus est illud quod validiori placuit. Laws without power to defend them are useless. By this, we may understand that the Law itself, without the power to defend it, loses its external force and so becomes fruitless. This is what led Solon Solon (c. 630 – c. 560 BC) was an Athenian statesman and lawmaker often credited with laying the foundations for Athenian democracy. to boast of the gallant things he had done:

Externally. Not Internally.

But yet, the Law is not altogether fruitless, even if it lacks sufficient force to support it. This is because it produces Peace and Tranquillity of Conscience. On the contrary, Injustice wounds and torments the conscience, as Plato demonstrates in his examples of Tyrants. Besides, Justice is approved of and Injustice condemned by the consent of all good men. Most importantly, Justice has God as its Patron, while Injustice has God as its Avenger. Though God reserves his Judgments for after this life, he often gives a taste of them even in this one, as we are taught by many examples in Histories.

How beneficial the Law of Nations is.

However, there are many who think it is unnecessary to require that same Justice from a free people or their Governors that they demand daily from private men. The ground of this error is this: these men respect nothing in the Law but the profit that arises from it. In Private Persons—who are individuals unable to defend themselves—this profit is plain and evident. But for great Cities that seem to have everything necessary for their own well-being within themselves, it does not appear so clearly that they have any need for that virtue (called Justice) which concerns Strangers.

But we should not only consider what has been already said—namely, that all Laws were not ordained for profit only. No City is so strong and self-sufficient that it may not sometimes need Foreign Aid, either for Commerce or to defend itself against the united forces of many Foreign Nations allied against it. Therefore, we see that the most potent Princes and States have always desired Leagues treaties or alliances, which would be of little use or force if all Laws and Justice were confined only within the boundaries of a single City.

No community can survive without laws.

It is most true that as soon as we step away from the Law, there is nothing that we can certainly call our own. If no Community can possibly survive without Laws (which Aristotle proves by that notable example of Thieves), surely that which knits together either all mankind, or various Nations among themselves, needs some Law to preserve it. This was well known to the man who held that a man ought not to do a wicked act, not even for his Country.

Regarding Ephesians 4. Not even for thieves.

But some may ask (says Chrysostom John Chrysostom (c. 347–407 AD), an important Early Church Father and Archbishop of Constantinople.), "How does it happen then that Thieves live in peace?" He answers: "But when? I pray, tell me. Surely only when they cease to act as Thieves." For when they do not observe the Rules of Justice in dividing the loot—by not giving everyone an equal share—you shall quickly see them engaged in War and Combats among themselves.

Plutarch A Greek-Roman historian and philosopher known for his biographies of famous men. recounts a saying of King Pyrrhus: that he would leave his Kingdom to whichever son had the sharpest Sword. Plutarch says this was said only to incite them to enrich his House with blood and robbery. Upon this, he breaks out into this exclamation: So anti-social... original: Adeo insociabile