Unit 3. The First Laws: Ancient Greece and Rome

Text “The legal Heritage of Greece and Rome”

Task 1. Read the text and write down Russian equivalents for the words and expressions in bold type.

· To develop a concept of law - Развивать концепцию закона

· Religious beliefs - Религиозные верования

· Attributed to - приписанный

· Laws were made by the people for the people – Законы были созданы

людьми для людей

· Drew up – составленный, написанный

· Punishment for most offences – Наказание за большинство преступлений

· Extremely harsh measures – Чрезвычайно суровые меры

· Lawgiver – Законодатель

· Trial by jury – Суд присяжных

· Enslaving debtors – Порабощение должников

· Under Solon’s law – В соответствии с законом Солона

· Were eligible to – Имели право

· Appeal government decisions – Обращение у(обращаться к) решения правительства

· Contributed to – Внесенный

· Basic principles – Основные принципы

· Arise from – Явиться результатом

· Had a profound effect on – Имевший сильное воздействие на

Task 2.

Task 4.

1. The ancient Greek developed a concept of law that separated every day law from religious beliefs

2. The first laws were mainly attributed to divine powers because most Greeks civilizations attributed their laws to their gods or goddesses.

3. In the seventh century B.C., Daco drew up Greece’s first comprehensive written code of laws. The term draconian applies to extremely harsh measures.

4. «Natural law» was based on the belief that certain basic principles are above the laws of a nation.

5. Solon’s contribution to ancient law was based on the belief that certain basic principles are above the laws of a nation. The concept of natural law and the development of the first true legal system had a profound effect on the modern world.

Text “Solon”

Task 5. Read the text and write down Russian equivalents for the words and expressions in bold type.

· More human law code – Более гуманный кодекс законов

· On the evidence of – На доказательствах

· Of noble descent – Из благородного спуска

· Moderate means – Умеренные средства

· Prominent – Видный

· Was dominated – Доминировал

· Aristocracy of birth – Аристократия по рождению (аристократическое происхождение)

· Owned – Находящились в собственности (принадлежали)

· Split into rival factions – Разделение на конкурирующие фракции

· The social, economic and political evils - Социальное, экономическое и политическое зло

· Tyranny (dictatorship)- Тирания (диктатура)

· Turned in the hope of – Превращенный в надежде на

· Generally satisfactory solution - Главным образом удовлетворительное решение

· Moderation – Замедление

· Ordered society – подчиняющееся (в приказном порядке) общество

· Proper place and function – Надлежащее место и функция

· Solution – решение

· Great contribution to – Большой вклад в

· Good of Athens - польза (благо) Афинам

· Written code – написанный кодекс законов

· In force – В силе

· Were shockingly severe – Были ужасно серьезны

· Severe – Серьезный

· On the civil side – В гражданском праве

· Permitted for almost all criminal offences – Разрешенный для почти всех уголовных преступлений

· Revised – Пересмотренный

· On homicide – На убийстве

· Humane - гуманный

Task 6.

Draco

Daco was Athen’s lawgiver, whose severe laws provided only one harsh measure – death - both for insignificant violations and for serious crime made in A

drew up Greece’s first comprehensive written code of laws. The term draconian applies to extremely harsh measures. His name applies to extremely harsh measures – draconian measures, draconian laws, draconian code.

Draconian code is accepted to date 621 B.C., was not the first written code of Athenian laws, but it is possible that it was the first comprehensive code and processing of the previous laws.

Later Solon cancelled the laws created by Dracon and published new, was only retained a former punishment for murder.