The Economist [34]
natures hunger after praise no less than others crave for meats and drinks. My practice then is to instruct those whom I desire to appoint as my bailiffs in the various methods which I have found myself to be successful in gaining the obedience of my fellows. To take an instance: There are clothes and shows and so forth, with which I must provide my workfolk.[13] Well, then, I see to it that these are not all alike in make;[14] but some will be of better, some of less good quality: my object being that these articles for use shall vary with the service of the wearer; the worse man will receive the worse things as a gift, the better man the better as a mark of honour. For I ask you, Socrates, how can the good avoid despondency seeing that the work is wrought by their own hands alone, in spite of which these villains who will neither labour nor face danger when occasion calls are to receive an equal guerdon with themselves? And just as I cannot bring myself in any sort of way to look upon the better sort as worthy to receive no greater honour than the baser, so, too, I praise my bailiffs when I know they have apportioned the best things among the most deserving. And if I see that some one is receiving preference by dint of flatteries or like unworthy means, I do not let the matter pass; I reprimand my bailiff roundly, and so teach him that such conduct is not even to his interest.
[5] {oukoun}. "This, then, is my major premiss: the dumb animal . . ." (lit. "the rest of animals").
[6] {ta kunidia} possibly implies "performing poodles."
[7] {te gnome . . . te glotte}, i.e. mental impression and expression, "mind and tongue."
[8] Or, "to run round and round and turn heels over head." Al. "dive for objects."
[9] "Logic, argument." Or, "a creature more compliant; merely by a word demonstrate to him . . ."
[10] Cf. Plat. "Rep." 591 C.
[11] See Pater, "Plato and Platonism," "Lacedaemon," p. 196 foll.
[12] See "Cyrop." passim.
[13] {ergastersi}, Xenophontic for the common Attic {ergatais}. See Hold. ad loc. for similar forms, and cf. Rutherford, "New Phrynichus," 59.
[14] Cf. Aristot. "Oecon." i. 5 (where the thesis is developed further).
XIV
Soc. Well, then, Ischomachus, supposing the man is now so fit to rule that he can compel obedience,[1] is he, I ask once more, your bailiff absolute? or even though possessed of all the qualifications you have named, does he still lack something?[2]
[1] Or, "that discipline flows from him;" al. "he presents you with obedient servants."
[2] Lit. "will he still need something further to complete him?"
Most certainly (replied Ischomachus). One thing is still required of him, and that is to hold aloof from property and goods which are his master's; he must not steal. Consider, this is the very person through whose hands the fruits and produce pass, and he has the audacity to make away with them! perhaps he does not leave enough to cover the expenses of the farming operations! Where would be the use of farming the land by help of such an overseer?
What (I exclaimed), can I believe my ears? You actually undertake to teach them virtue! What really, justice!
Isch. To be sure, I do. but it does not follow therefore that I find all equally apt to lend an ear to my instruction. However, what I do is this. I take a leaf now out of the laws of Draco and again another out of the laws of Solon,[3] and so essay to start my household on the path of uprightness. And indeed, if I mistake not (he proceeded), both those legislators enacted many of their laws expressly with a view to teaching this branch of justice.[4] It is written, "Let a man be punished for a deed of theft"; "Let whosoever is detected in the act be bound and thrown in prison"; "If he offer violence,[5] let him be put to death." It is clear that the intention of the lawgivers in framing these enactments was to render the sordid love of gain[6] devoid of profit to the unjust person. What I do, therefore, is to cull a sample of their precepts, which I supplement
[5] {oukoun}. "This, then, is my major premiss: the dumb animal . . ." (lit. "the rest of animals").
[6] {ta kunidia} possibly implies "performing poodles."
[7] {te gnome . . . te glotte}, i.e. mental impression and expression, "mind and tongue."
[8] Or, "to run round and round and turn heels over head." Al. "dive for objects."
[9] "Logic, argument." Or, "a creature more compliant; merely by a word demonstrate to him . . ."
[10] Cf. Plat. "Rep." 591 C.
[11] See Pater, "Plato and Platonism," "Lacedaemon," p. 196 foll.
[12] See "Cyrop." passim.
[13] {ergastersi}, Xenophontic for the common Attic {ergatais}. See Hold. ad loc. for similar forms, and cf. Rutherford, "New Phrynichus," 59.
[14] Cf. Aristot. "Oecon." i. 5 (where the thesis is developed further).
XIV
Soc. Well, then, Ischomachus, supposing the man is now so fit to rule that he can compel obedience,[1] is he, I ask once more, your bailiff absolute? or even though possessed of all the qualifications you have named, does he still lack something?[2]
[1] Or, "that discipline flows from him;" al. "he presents you with obedient servants."
[2] Lit. "will he still need something further to complete him?"
Most certainly (replied Ischomachus). One thing is still required of him, and that is to hold aloof from property and goods which are his master's; he must not steal. Consider, this is the very person through whose hands the fruits and produce pass, and he has the audacity to make away with them! perhaps he does not leave enough to cover the expenses of the farming operations! Where would be the use of farming the land by help of such an overseer?
What (I exclaimed), can I believe my ears? You actually undertake to teach them virtue! What really, justice!
Isch. To be sure, I do. but it does not follow therefore that I find all equally apt to lend an ear to my instruction. However, what I do is this. I take a leaf now out of the laws of Draco and again another out of the laws of Solon,[3] and so essay to start my household on the path of uprightness. And indeed, if I mistake not (he proceeded), both those legislators enacted many of their laws expressly with a view to teaching this branch of justice.[4] It is written, "Let a man be punished for a deed of theft"; "Let whosoever is detected in the act be bound and thrown in prison"; "If he offer violence,[5] let him be put to death." It is clear that the intention of the lawgivers in framing these enactments was to render the sordid love of gain[6] devoid of profit to the unjust person. What I do, therefore, is to cull a sample of their precepts, which I supplement