The decurion was obliged to perform two duties in relation to the men composing his division. One was to act as their caterer, to assist them with his diligence and care on all occasions when they required help, reporting their necessities to the governor or other officer, whose duty it was to supply seeds when they were required for sowing; or cloth for making clothes; or to help to rebuild a house if it fell or was burnt down; or whatever other need they had, great or small. The other duty was to act as a crown officer, reporting every offence, how slight soever it might be, committed by his people, to his superior, who either pronounced the punishment, or referred it to another officer of still higher rank. For the judges were appointed to hear cases, according to their importance, one being superior to another. The object of this was that there might be officers who could treat some cases summarily, in order that it might not be necessary to go before superior judges with appeals. It was considered that light punishments gave confidence to evil doers; and that, owing to numerous appeals, civil suits might be endless, causing the poor to despair of getting justice and to give up their goods rather than endure so much annoyance, for to recover ten it might be necessary to spend thirty.