922–923
Clinias
Clin. What do you mean by this, Stranger?
Athenian
Ath. A man at the point of death, Clinias, is a difficult subject, and overflowing with speech that is most alarming and vexatious to a lawgiver.
Athenian
Ath. Since he claims to be lord of all he has, he is wont to speak angrily.
5
Clinias
Clin. What will he say?
Athenian
Ath. Good heavens! he cries, what a monstrous shame it is, if I am not to be allowed at all to give, or not give, my own things to whomsoever I will—and more to one, less to another, according as they have proved themselves good to me or bad, when fully tested in times of sickness, or else in old age and in other happenings of every kind.
Clinias
Clin. And do you not think, Stranger, that what they say is right?
Athenian
Ath. What I think, Clinias, is this—that the old lawgivers were cowardly, and gave laws with a short view and a slight consideration of human affairs.
Clinias
Clin. How do you mean?
10
Athenian
Ath. It was through fear, my dear sir, of that angry speech that they made the law allowing a man unconditionally to dispose by will of his goods exactly how he pleases. But you and I will make a more suitable answer to those in your State who are at the point of death.
Clinias
Clin. In what way?