Book 8
848
Ath. And each twelfth part—of wheat and barley, for instance (and all the rest of the crops must be distributed in the same way as these, as well as all marketable animals in each district)—must be divided proportionately into three shares, of which the first shall be for the freeborn citizens, and the second for their servants; the third share shall be for craftsmen and foreigners generally, including any resident aliens who may be dwelling together and in need of necessary sustenance, and all who have come into the country at any time to transact either public or private business; and this third share of all the necessaries shall be the only one liable to compulsory sale,For sales to foreigners, see below Plat. Laws 849a.: they had to buy their share of food-stuff, but the other two shares were not to be forced on to the market. it being forbidden to sell any portion of the other two shares compulsorily. What, then, will be the best way of making these divisions? It is plain, to begin with, that our division is in one way equal, in another, unequal.
848
Clin. How do you mean?
848
Ath. Of each of these products of the soil, necessarily some parts are worse and some better.
848
Clin. Of course.
