The suit that could be brought against a slave's killer was not a suit for damages, as would be the case for the killing of cattle, but a δίκη φονική (dikē phonikē), demanding punishment for the religious pollution brought by the shedding of blood.
Tužba koja se mogla podići protiv ubojice roba nije bila tužba za nadoknadu štete, kao u slučaju umora nečije stoke, nego (grč.) (dikē phonikē), gdje se zahtjevala kazna za religijsko oskvrnuće koje donosi prolijevanje krvi.