He who exchanges money for money, or beast for beast, must warrant either of them to be sound and good.  As in the case of other laws, let us have a preamble, relating to all this class of crime.  Adulteration is a kind of falsehood about which the many commonly say that at proper times the practice may often be right, but they do not define at what times.  But the legislator will tell them, that no man should invoke the Gods when he is practising deceit or fraud, in word or deed.  For he is the enemy of heaven, first, who swears falsely, not thinking of the Gods by whom he swears, and secondly, he who lies to his superiors. (Now the superiors are the betters of inferiors,—­the elder of the younger, parents of children, men of women, and rulers of subjects.) The trader who cheats in the agora is a liar and is perjured—­he respects neither the name of God nor the regulations of the magistrates.  If after hearing this he will still be dishonest, let him listen to the law:—­The seller shall not have two prices on the same day, neither must he puff his goods, nor offer to swear about them.  If he break the law, any citizen not less than thirty years of age may smite him.  If he sell adulterated goods, the slave or metic who informs against him shall have the goods; the citizen who brings such a charge, if he prove it, shall offer up the goods in question to the Gods of the agora; or if he fail to prove it, shall be dishonoured.  He who is detected in selling adulterated goods shall be deprived of them, and shall receive a stripe for every drachma of their value.  The wardens of the agora and the guardians of the law shall take experienced persons into counsel, and draw up regulations for the agora.  These shall be inscribed on a column in front of the court of the wardens of the agora.—­As to the wardens of the city, enough has been said already.  But if any omissions in the law are afterwards discovered, the wardens and the guardians shall supply them, and have them inscribed after the original regulations on a column before the court of the wardens of the city.

Next in order follows the subject of retail trades, which in their natural use are the reverse of mischievous; for every man is a benefactor who reduces what is unequal to symmetry and proportion.  Money is the instrument by which this is accomplished, and the shop-keeper, the merchant, and hotel-keeper do but supply the wants and equalize the possessions of mankind.  Why, then, does any dishonour attach to a beneficent occupation?  Let us consider the nature of the accusation first, and then see whether it can be removed.  ‘What is your drift?’ Dear Cleinias, there are few men who are so gifted by nature, and improved by education, as to be able to control the desire of making money; or who are sober in their wishes and prefer moderation to accumulation.  The great majority think that they can never have enough, and the consequence is that retail trade has become a reproach.  Whereas,