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«“ Tf a brother bleed, 
“« On just atonement we remit the deed ; 
as 
«< A sire the slaughter of his son forgives, 
“ The price of blood discharged, the murd’rer lives.”* 
Again, describing the shield of Achilles, he says, 
“ There in the forum swarm a numerous train, 
« The subject of debate, a townsman slain ; 
« One pleads the jine discharged, which one denied, 
«« And bade the public and the laws decide.” + 
We are informed by Tacitus, that, amongst the Germans, “ he 
who is convicted of transgressions pays a mulct of horses, or of 
cattle. Part of that fine goes to the king, or the community, and 
part to the person injured, or to his family. Atonement is made 
for homicide by a certain number of cattle, and by that satisfac- 
tion, the whole family is appeased: a happy regulation, than 
which nothing can be more conducive to the public interest, since 
it serves to curb that spirit of revenge which is the natural result 
of liberty in the excess. {” 
By the Salic law, it appears “ that any freeborn man whohad killed 
a Frank, or a Barbarian, or any other person who lived, accord- 
ing to the Salic law, was to pay 200 gold sols or pence, by way 
of fine. That 300 pence was the fine for killing a Roman, who 
may be qualified to sit at the king’s table. Whoever shall be 
convicted for the murder of a Roman, who is a man of independ- 
ent property, shall be obliged to pay a fine of 100 gold pence. 
Whoever has killed a tributary subject, who was a Roman, shall 
be liable to the fine of 45 gold pence.” § 
* Pope's Translation of the Iliad, Book 9, v. ‘743. + Ib. Book 18. v. 577. 
¢ Tacitus de Morib. Germ. XII. et XXI. 
§ Leg. Sal. Tit. 44. 
