1Besides, you will see that those things are often committed which are often punished. 1Your father sewed more men into the sack within five years than we are told were sewn into it in all the ages. 1Children were much less bold to commit the ultimate crime so long as the offence had no law. 1For with the greatest wisdom the most exalted men, deeply versed in the nature of things, preferred to pass it over as an incredible crime lying beyond the reach of audacity rather than show, by punishing it, that it could be done; 1and so parricides began with the law, and the penalty showed them the deed; 1filial piety indeed was in the worst state after we saw sacks more often than crosses.
2In a state where men are rarely punished, a consensus for innocence arises, and it is cherished as a public good. 2Let a state think itself innocent, and it will be; 2it will be angrier with those who depart from the common decency if it sees that they are few. 2It is dangerous, believe me, to show a state how far the wicked outnumber the rest.