Justice, Sacrifice for
Illustration★★★Phocion would not so much as appear in behalf of his son-in- law, Charicles, when he was accused for having taken money of Harpalus; but having said, “Only for acts of justice have I made you my son-in-law,” went his way. And Timoleon, the Corinthian, when he could not by admonitions or requests dissuade his brother from being a tyrant, confederated with his destroyers.
Plutarch. 10,082. JUSTICE in Sodom. When Eliezer, the servant of Abraham, came to to the city of Sodom, he saw an inhabitant of that city maltreating a stranger and robbing him of his clothes.
‘Why dost thou rob the poor stranger?” exclaimed Eliezer, enraged; “how darest thou commit such a crime?” “Art thou,” asked the robber, “this man’s brother, or our judge?” Eliezer made no reply, but went about to assist the stranger.
Thereupon the robber picked up a stone, hurled it at Eliezer, and struck him on the forehead. The blood began instantly to flow from the painful wound, and Eliezer stood perplexed, unable to stop the streaming blood. He thought the villain would regret his rash misdeed, but the latter saucily cried, “How beautifully the blood is trickling down—how beautifully!”
“Thou hast wounded,” exclaimed Eliezer, “nay, thou hast almost killed me, and dost thou even deride me? I shall obtain justice! lam going directly to the court!” “That is just the place where I wish to go with thee,” cried the audacious villain. A vast crowd of the inhabitants had in the meantime gathered around them; they seized the screaming Eliezer, and dragged him to the residence of the judge.
“Stranger,” exclaimed the latter, “why dost thou raise such a tumult in our peaceful city?” “I am a peaceable man,” replied Eliezer; “I saw a stranger in thy city robbed, and when I wished to help him this man cast a stone at my forehead, mocked me, and in connection with his associates dragged me hither.
Behold what a wound he has struck; see how the blood flows.” “Then,” said the judge gravely, “thou must pay him eight silver shekels, for this is the price which the surgeons of this city charge for blood-letting!”
Such was the decision of the judge of Sodom. Hood.
The point
A corrupt judge of Sodom fines the victim of an assault to pay his attacker for bloodletting, exposing a society whose justice system protects the wicked and punishes the innocent.