TITLE II. CONCERNING MALEFACTORS AND THEIR ADVISERS, AND POISONERS.

I.Where a Freeborn Man Consults with a Soothsayer Concerning the Health, or the Death of Another.
II.Concerning Poisoners.
III.Concerning Malefactors and their Advisers.
IV.Concerning Those who are Guilty of Acts of Witchcraft, or any Injury, towards Men, Animals, or any kind of Property whatsoever.

FLAVIUS CHINTASVINTUS, KING.

I. Where a Freeborn Man Consults with a Soothsayer Concerning the Health, or the Death of Another.

Whoever plots the death of the king or any of his subjects, and, with a view to the execution of such a crime, consults diviners, augurs, or soothsayers; should he be freeborn, he shall be scourged, and be condemned to perpetual slavery in the public service, after the confiscation of all his property, or he shall be delivered up as a slave to anyone whom the king may select; and those who have given him advice shall undergo the same penalty. And if any children should be implicated in the crime of their parents, they shall be punished in like manner. But if said children should be innocent, they shall not be degraded in rank, and shall enjoy full and undisturbed possession of all the property which their parents have lost. Slaves who are implicated in such offences shall be tortured in various ways, sold, and transported beyond sea; as the vengeance of the law does not excuse those who have voluntarily participated in such infamous proceedings.

FLAVIUS CHINTASVINTUS, KING.

II. Concerning Poisoners.

Different kinds of crimes should be punished in different ways; and, in the first place, freemen or slaves who are guilty of preparing, or administering poison shall be punished in like manner; as for instance, if they should give poisoned drink to anyone and he should die in consequence; in such a case those who are guilty shall be put continuously to the torture, and be punished by the most ignominious of deaths. But if he who drank the poison should escape with his life, the party who administered it shall be given up into his power, to be disposed of absolutely as he may desire.

FLAVIUS CHINTASVINTUS, KING.

III. Concerning Malefactors and their Advisers.

Enchanters, and invokers of tempests, who, by their incantations, bring hail-storms upon vineyards and fields of grain; or those who disturb the minds of men by the invocation of demons, or celebrate nocturnal sacrifices to devils, summoning them to their presence by infamous rites; all such persons detected, or found guilty of such offences by any judge, agent, or superintendent of the locality where these acts were committed, shall be publicly scourged with two hundred lashes; shall be scalped; and shall be dragged by force through ten villages of the neighborhood, as a warning to others. And the judge, lest, hereafter, the aforesaid persons may again indulge in such practices, shall place them in confinement, and see that they are provided with clothing and food, to deprive them of an opportunity of inflicting further injury; or he may lay the matter before the king, to be disposed of at his royal pleasure. Those who are convicted of having given advice to such persons, shall each receive two hundred lashes in the assembly of the people, in order that all who have aided in the commission of such a crime may not go unpunished.

FLAVIUS CHINTASVINTUS, KING.

IV. Concerning Those who are Guilty of Acts of Witchcraft, or any Injury towards Men, Animals, or any kind of Property whatsoever.

We decree, by the present law, that if any freeman or slave, of either sex, should attempt to employ, or should employ, witchcraft, charms, or incantations of any kind with intent to strike dumb, maim, or kill, either men or animals; or injure anything movable; or should practice said arts to the detriment of crops, vineyards, or trees; he shall suffer in person and property the same damage he endeavored to inflict upon others.[34]