Kitap 2
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What, then, is the fruit of these principles? What it ought to be; the most noble, and the most suitable to the wise,—tranquillity, security, freedom. For in this case we are not to give credit to the many, who say that none ought to be educated but the free; but rather to the philosophers, who say that the wise alone are free.
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How so?
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Thus: is freedom anything else than the power of living as we like?
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Nothing else. Well; tell me then, do you like to live in error? We do not. No one who lives in error is free.
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Do you like to live in fear? Do you like to live in sorrow? Do you like to live in perturbation?
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By no means.
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No one, therefore, in a state of fear, or sorrow, or perturbation, is free; but whoever is delivered from sorrow, fear, and perturbation, by the same means is delivered likewise from slavery. How shall we believe you, then, good legislators, when you say, We allow none to be educated but the free? For the philosophers say, We allow none to be free but the wise; that is, God doth not allow it.
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What, then; when any person hath turned his slave about before the consul,The prescribed form of manumission.—H. has he done nothing?
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Yes, he has.
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What?
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He has turned his slave about before the consul.
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Nothing more?
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Yes. He pays a fine for him.
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Well, then; is not the man who has gone through this ceremony rendered free?
