Disinheritance of son by mother
IV. If a mother has said to her son, “You are not my son,” he shall leave house and property.
Here we expect, by analogy with Laws I. and II., that this penalty is rather less than that in III. The “property” means “house furniture.” The son must leave home and can take no house furniture with him. He has no claim to inherit anything. But he need not leave the city. Hence it seems likely that III. denied him the right of city shelter.
Repudiation of husband by wife
V. If a wife hates her husband and has said, “You are not my husband,” one shall throw her into the river.
Repudiation of wife by husband
VI. If a husband has said to his wife, “You are not my wife,” he shall pay half a mina of silver.
The contrast in the penalties is startling. Note the impersonal form of V. The executioners here are the family, or city, not the husband. Publicity is therefore implied. It is not a private quarrel, but a refusal of conjugal rights. In the second case the man divorces, or puts away, his wife, but pays a heavy fine.
Responsibility of employer
VII. If a man has hired a slave and he dies, is lost, has fled, has been incapacitated, or has fallen sick, he shall measure out 10 ḲA of corn per diem as his wages.