Against the Professors, Books I-VI of Against the Learned Section 37

οὐδέ γὰρ ὁ κολάζειν ἀξιῶν τὸν ἐπανατεινόμενόν τινι σίδηρον τὸν ὁπωσοῦν ἐπανατεπτνόμενον, οἷον † δακτύλιον †, ἢ ὁποιον〈οῦν〉, καθάπερ βελόνην, κολάζειν ἠξίωσεν, ἀλλʼ ἐὰν τὴν διάνοιαν αὐτοῦ πολυπραγμονῶμεν, τὸν ἀνδροφονῆ- σαι τολμήσαντα τεθέληκεν[αι] τιμωρεῖσθαι.

For the lawgiver who demands punishment for one who raises iron against someone did not demand punishment for every sort of raised iron, such as a †ring† or anything whatever, such as a needle. Rather, if we investigate his intention, he wished to punish the person who dared to commit murder.

Car celui qui juge digne de punition l’homme qui brandit contre quelqu’un un objet de fer n’a pas voulu punir celui qui brandit n’importe quel objet de fer, par exemple une bague, ni n’importe quel objet tel qu’une aiguille; si nous recherchons son intention, il a voulu châtier celui qui a osé tenter de tuer un homme.