Chapter XLI. Of Slaying a Thief

AGAIN when Moses says: ‘But if the thief be found breaking in, and be smitten that he die, it is not murder,’[1] Plato agrees in this also, saying:

[P] [2] ‘If a man catch a thief coming into his house by night to steal his goods, and slay him, let him be guiltless: also if he kill a footpad in self-defence, let him be guiltless.’