Note 190-3 — Chapter IV

Numerous disturbances on account of debt, during the first centuries of the Roman Republic, until finally (compare Livy, VII, 42), the taking of interest was in the year 349 (?) before Christ, entirely prohibited. (Tacit., Annal. VI, 16.) The public opinion in such matters may be understood from the words of Cato: majores ita in legibus posuerunt, furem dupli condemnari, foeneratorem quadrupli. (De Re rust.) The foenerari compared with the hominem occidere. (Cato, in Cicero, De Off., II, 25.) In the higher stages of civilization little heed was paid to the law, in practice (compare Livy, XXXV, 7; Plut., Cato, I, 21.), although the democratic party always held fast to the legal perpetuation of the prohibition of interest. (Mommsen, Römisch. Gesch., III, 493.)