were expelled thence on account of diseases on our bodies, it
has appeared, on the contrary, that we returned to our
country by our own choice, and with sound and strong bodies.
Those accusers reproached our legislator as a vile fellow;
whereas God in old time bare witness to his virtuous conduct;
and since that testimony of God, time itself hath been
discovered to have borne witness to the same thing.

42. As to the laws themselves, more words are unnecessary,
for they are visible in their own nature, and appear to teach
not impiety, but the truest piety in the world. They do not
make men hate one another, but encourage people to
communicate what they have to one another freely; they are
enemies to injustice, they take care of righteousness, they
banish idleness and expensive living, and instruct men to be
content with what they have, and to be laborious in their
calling; they forbid men to make war from a desire of getting
more, but make men courageous in defending the laws; they
are inexorable in punishing malefactors; they admit no
sophistry of words, but are always established by actions
themselves, which actions we ever propose as surer
demonstrations than what is contained in writing only: on
which account I am so bold as to say that we are become the
teachers of other men, in the greatest number of things, and
those of the most excellent nature only; for what is more
excellent than inviolable piety? what is more just than
submission to laws? and what is more advantageous than
mutual love and concord? and this so far that we are to be
neither divided by calamities, nor to become injurious and
seditious in prosperity; but to contemn death when we are in