Selecta capita ex scriptoribus Graecis in usum classis quintae Carolinae

to perform the appointed tasks and those commanded by the highest authority best. There are also leaders chosen from the elders who oversee that they themselves also perform their duties.

We shall explain what is commanded for each age to do, so that it becomes more clear how they take care that the citizens may be the best. The boys, attending the schools, spend their time learning justice, and they say that they come for this, just as those among us come to learn their letters. Their rulers spend the most part of the day judging them (for there arise even among boys against one another, just as among men, accusations of theft, and plunder, and violence, and deceit, and slander, and others such as is likely). Those whom they know to be doing any of these things unjustly, they punish. They also punish those whom they find making unjust accusations.

They also judge for an accusation for which men hate each other most: they judge least of all for ingratitude. And whomever they know to be able to return a favor but not doing so, they punish this person strongly. For they think that the ungrateful would also be most neglectful toward the gods, and toward parents, and country, and friends. And shamelessness seems to follow ingratitude most of all. For this also seems to be the greatest leader toward all shameful things.