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From
The University of Chicago
Jean
Bodin, Six livres de la république (1577), published in English as
Six Bookes of the Commonweale (1606)
So the fatherly power being little by little diminished upon the
declination of the Roman Empire; so also shortly after vanished away their
ancient virtue, and all the glory of their Commonweal: and so in place of
piety and civility, ensued a million of vices and villainies. The first
stain, and beginning of taking away the power of life and death from parents,
proceed from the ambition of the Magistrates, who seeking to increase their
jurisdiction, and little and little drawing unto them the deciding of all
matters, exstinguished all domestical powers: which happened especially
after the death of Augustus Caesar; at which time we read the magistrates
to have been almost always occupied in punishing of such as had murdered
their parents. |