On Abstinence from Animal Food

TITLES OF BOOK II

...is, from those things which remain until now and are of such a nature that they are capable of being widely distributed among people; but the agreement of those who were to actually use them was also added. For those who introduced such things to the majority of people were influential through the wisdom wisdom (prudentia): here referring to the practical foresight or intellectual skill of the early lawmakers of the mind, not by physical strength or by dominion over nations. By this wisdom, it was brought about that some were led to a perception of utility utility (utilitas): the practical advantage or common benefit that serves as the basis for Epicurean justice—namely, those who previously held a sense of it without reflection and frequently forgot it—while others were terrified by the magnitude of the penalties.

For no other remedy could be applied to the ignorance of utility than the terror of punishment established by laws; this indeed is the only thing that even now restrains any common person and forbids them from committing, whether publicly or privately, that which is harmful original: "inutile," literally "useless" or "unprofitable," which in this context refers to actions that damage the social contract. For if everyone were able in a similar way both to perceive and to call utility to mind, there would have been no need for laws; instead, of their own accord, people would avoid what is forbidden and do what is commanded. Indeed, the consideration of what is useful and what is harmful would be sufficient both to encourage the flight from evil and the choice of the good.

But the imposition of punishment is directed at those who cannot perceive utility. For these, the looming terror forces them to master the appetites that drag them toward harmful actions, and thus it keeps them to their duty by force. For this reason, the legislators original: "legislatores," completing the word from the catchword at the bottom of the page did not wish even involuntary killing to be entirely free of all punishment...

Vocabulary: wisdom, utility, by laws, of punishment, of penalty, legislators