Clem. 1.23.1Praetereā vidēbis ea saepe committī, quae saepe vindicantur.Besides, you will see that those things are often committed which are often punished. Clem. 1.23.1Pater tuus plūrēs intrā quīnquennium culleō īnsuit, quam omnibus saeculīs īnsūtōs accēpimus.Your father sewed more men into the sack within five years than we are told were sewn into it in all the ages. Clem. 1.23.1Multō minus audēbant līberī nefās ultimum admittere, quam diū sine lēge crīmen fuit.Children were much less bold to commit the ultimate crime so long as the offence had no law. Clem. 1.23.1Summā enim prūdentiā altissimī virī et rērum nātūrae perītissimī māluērunt velut incrēdibile scelus et ultrā audāciam positum praeterīre quam, dum vindicant, ostendere posse fierī;For 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; Clem. 1.23.1itaque parricīdae cum lēge coepērunt, et illīs facinus poena mōnstrāvit ;and so parricides began with the law, and the penalty showed them the deed; Clem. 1.23.1pessimō vērō locō pietās fuit, postquam saepius culleōs vīdimus quam crucēs.filial piety indeed was in the worst state after we saw sacks more often than crosses.
Clem. 1.23.2In quā cīvitāte rārō hominēs pūniuntur, in eā cōnsēnsus fit innocentiae et indulgētur velut pūblicō bonō.In a state where men are rarely punished, a consensus for innocence arises, and it is cherished as a public good. Clem. 1.23.2Putet sē innocentem esse cīvitās, erit ;Let a state think itself innocent, and it will be; Clem. 1.23.2magis īrāscētur ā commūnī frūgālitāte dēscīscentibus, sī paucōs esse eōs vīderit.it will be angrier with those who depart from the common decency if it sees that they are few. Clem. 1.23.2Perīculōsum est, mihi crēde, ostendere cīvitātī, quantō plūrēs malī sint.It is dangerous, believe me, to show a state how far the wicked outnumber the rest.