LexExlex¹

The Comments of the Philosopher Anacharsis on Laws as Cobwebs

(from The heroicall devises of M. Claudius Paradin'')

Anacharse Filosofe acomparoit les Loix, aus Toiles des Araignees, lesquelles prennent & retiennent les petites Mouches, Papillons, & autres bestions, & laissent passer les gros & fors, ce que de mesmes font aussi les Loix, qui par mauvaise interpretacion ne lient les riches & puissans, mais sont rigoureuses & contreingnent seulement les povres, imbeciles, foibles & petis.

Anacharsis the Philosopher compared lawes to cobwebbes, because they troubled & oppressed the little flies, and such small volatiles, but neuer touched the great ones. Which thing we see to be too true in iudgements now adaayes, whilest the mightie are fauored, and the poore and meaner sort taxed, and seuerely handled.

(In modern English)

Anacharsis the Philosopher compared laws to cobwebs, because they troubled and oppressed the little flies, and such small volatiles, but never touched the great ones. Which thing we see to be too true in judgments nowadays, whilst the mighty are favored, and the poor and meaner sort taxed and severely handled.

The reference is to Plutarch's Life of Solon: "Anacharsis . . . laughed at Solon for thinking that he could restrain the citizens' injustice and greed [adikias kai pleonexias] by means of written laws, which were very similar to spider's webs: he said that they would hold the weak who might get entagled, but would be torn to pieces by the rich and powerful." Plutarch, Life of Solon, 5.2

---

Endnotes

¹ Claude Paradin, The heroicall devises of M. Claudius Paradin (1551). ⇑