rom the lives of
those who live on fruits; so is it with men, their lives differ greatly
from each other; and of all these the shepherd's is the idlest, for they
live upon the flesh of tame animals, without any trouble, while they are
obliged to change their habitations on account of their flocks, which
they are compelled to follow, cultivating, as it were, a living farm.
Others live exercising violence over living creatures, one pursuing this
thing, another that, these preying upon men; those who live near lakes
and marshes and rivers, or the sea itself, on fishing, while others are
fowlers, or hunters of wild beasts; but the greater part of mankind live
upon the produce of the earth and its cultivated fruits; and the manner
in which all those live who follow the direction of nature, and labour
for their own subsistence, is nearly the same, without ever thinking
to procure any provision by way of exchange or merchandise, such are
shepherds, husband-men, [1256b] robbers, fishermen, and hunters: some
join different employments together, and thus live very agreeably;
supplying those deficiencies which were wanting to make their
subsistence depend upon themselves only: thus, for instance, the same
person shall be a shepherd and a robber, or a husbandman and a hunter;
and so with respect to the rest, they pursue that mode of life which
necessity points out. This provision then nature herself seems to have
furnished all animals with, as well immediately upon their first origin
as also when they are arrived at a state of maturity; for at the first
of these periods some of them are provided in the womb with proper
nourishment, which continues till that which is born can get food for
itself, as is the case with worms and birds; and as to those which bring
forth their young alive, they have the means for their subsistence for a
certain time within themselves, namely milk. It is evident then that we
may conclude of those things that are, that plants are created for the
sake of animals, and animals for the sake of men; the tame for our use
and provision; the wild, at least the greater part, for our provision
also, or for some other advantageous purpose, as furnishing us with
clothes, and the like. As nature therefore makes nothing either
imperfect or in vain, it necessarily follows that she has made all these
things for men: for which reason what we gain in war is in a certain
degree a natural acquisition; for hunting is a part of i