Let no one hinder the holy order of huntsmen; but let the nightly hunters who lay snares and nets be everywhere prohibited.  Let the fowler confine himself to waste places and to the mountains.  The fisherman is also permitted to exercise his calling, except in harbours and sacred streams, marshes and lakes; in all other places he may fish, provided he does not make use of poisonous mixtures.

Book VIII.  Next, with the help of the Delphian Oracle, we will appoint festivals and sacrifices.  There shall be 365 of them, one for every day in the year; and one magistrate, at least, shall offer sacrifice daily according to rites prescribed by a convocation of priests and interpreters, who shall co-operate with the guardians of the law, and supply what the legislator has omitted.  Moreover there shall be twelve festivals to the twelve Gods after whom the twelve tribes are named:  these shall be celebrated every month with appropriate musical and gymnastic contests.  There shall also be festivals for women, to be distinguished from the men’s festivals.  Nor shall the Gods below be forgotten, but they must be separated from the Gods above—­Pluto shall have his own in the twelfth month.  He is not the enemy, but the friend of man, who releases the soul from the body, which is at least as good a work as to unite them.  Further, those who have to regulate these matters should consider that our state has leisure and abundance, and wishing to be happy, like an individual, should lead a good life; for he who leads such a life neither does nor suffers injury, of which the first is very easy, and the second very difficult of attainment, and is only to be acquired by perfect virtue.  A good city has peace, but the evil city is full of wars within and without.  To guard against the danger of external enemies the citizens should practise war at least one day in every month; they should go out en masse, including their wives and children, or in divisions, as the magistrates determine, and have mimic contests, imitating in a lively manner real battles; they should also have prizes and encomiums of valour, both for the victors in these contests, and for the victors in the battle of life.  The poet who celebrates the victors should be fifty years old at least, and himself a man who has done great deeds.  Of such an one the poems may be sung, even though he is not the best of poets.  To the director of education and the guardians of the law shall be committed the judgment, and no song, however sweet, which has not been licensed by them shall be recited.  These regulations about poetry, and about military expeditions, apply equally to men and to women.