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35

3.

AXIOMS, PRINCIPLES, AND ROMAN HISTORY:

SEGMENTS

B

AND

B’

This section of the

New Science

will provide the opportunity to

address in detail the first two major topics chosen for this book,

relating to the “axiomatic” material in Book I, on the one hand,

and Vico’s distinction between “philosophic” and “philological”

approaches, on the other hand. First, however, it is necessary to

sketch out our rationale for considering these segments as chias-

tically related.

3.1 Relationship of segments B

and B’

These are widely separated parts of the work, found in Book I

and Book IV, respectively

48

. To explore the validity of our as-

sumption, we will proceed similarly to the previous exercise, that

is, using the second “block” of material in Book IV to probe the

“Elements; Principles; Method” in Book I.

The segment can be subdivided in three parts: (1) §§ 980-

1008, about the legal order in the “aristocratic/heroic” form of

governance; (2) §§ 1009-1019, about refuting the theory of the

priority of “monarchical” rule, attributed to Jean Bodin; and (3)

§§ 1020-1045, about the penal function of law as it evolved from

appalling cruelty to more humane treatment, ending with an ex-

cursus on “Ancient Roman Law”.

The subject of the first part is «the necessary establishment of

boundaries between conflicting parties»

49

, and the establishment

of legitimate judicial/law enforcement authorities at various his-

torical stages. However, this is done in the context of Roman

history, with particular attention to the Law of the Twelve Ta-

bles. Vico clearly identifies ever-present social and political insta-