Let every one dearly love his lawful wife, and beget children from her. But let no one emit the seed of his children[23] into any other person; nor let him illegally consume that which is honourable both by nature and law, and act with wanton insolence. For nature produced the seed, for the sake of procreating children, and not for the sake of lust. But it is requisite that a wife should be chaste, and should not admit the impious connection with other men, as by so doing she will subject herself to the vengeance of the dæmons, whose office it is to expel those to whom they are hostile from their houses, and to produce hatred. Let not him be praised who gives a stepmother to his children[24], but disgraced, as being the cause of domestic dissension. And as it is proper to observe these mandates, let him who transgresses them be obnoxious to political execration. The law also orders that these _proems_ should be known by all the citizens, and should be read in festivals after the pæans[25] by him who is appointed for this purpose by the master of the feast, in order that the precepts may be inserted in the minds of all that hear them. THE PREFACE OF ZALEUCUS, THE LOCRIAN, TO HIS LAWS. It is requisite that all those who inhabit a city and country should in the first place be firmly persuaded that there are Gods, in consequence of directing their attention to the heavens and the world, and the orderly distribution of the natures which they contain. For these are not the productions either of fortune or of men. It is also requisite to reverence and honour these, as the causes to us of every reasonable good. It is necessary, therefore, that every one should so prepare his soul that it may be free from every vice; since God is not honoured by a bad man, nor is he to be worshiped sumptuously, nor with tragical expence, like some depraved man; but by virtue, and the deliberate choice of beautiful and just deeds. Hence it is necessary that every one should be good to the utmost of his power, both in his actions and his deliberate choice, if he wishes to be dear to divinity, and should not fear the loss of money more than the loss of renown. And it is also requisite to call him a better citizen who would rather sustain a loss of property than of probity and justice.