The Symposium [4]
from the first half of the sentence, transl. "she has no lack of either judgment or physical strength." Lange conj. {romes} for {gnomes}, "all she needs is force and strength of body." See Newman, op. cit. i. 419.
[15] Lit. "so that, if any of you has a wife, he may well take heart and teach her whatever he would wish her to know in dealing with her." Cf. "N. A." i. 17.
Antisthenes rejoined: If that is your conclusion, Socrates, why do you not tutor your own wife, Xanthippe,[16] instead of letting her[17] remain, of all the wives that are, indeed that ever will be, I imagine, the most shrewish?
[16] See Cobet, "Pros. Xen." p. 56; "Mem." II. ii. 1; Aul. Gell. "N. A." i. 17.
[17] Lit. "dealing with her," "finding in her"; {khro} corresponding to {khresthai} in Socrates' remarks.
Well now, I will tell you (he answered). I follow the example of the rider who wishes to become an expert horseman: "None of your soft- mouthed, docile animals for me," he says; "the horse for me to own must show some spirit":[18] in the belief, no doubt, if he can manage such an animal, it will be easy enough to deal with every other horse besides. And that is just my case. I wish to deal with human beings, to associate with man in general; hence my choice of wife.[19] I know full well, if I can tolerate her spirit, I can with ease attach myself to every human being else.
[18] Lit. "Because I see the man who aims at skill in horsemanship does not care to own a soft-mouthed, docile animal, but some restive, fiery creature."
[19] Lit. "being anxious to have intercourse with all mankind, to deal with every sort of human being, I possess my wife."
A well-aimed argument, not wide of the mark by any means![20] the company were thinking.
[20] Cf. Plat. "Theaet." 179 C.
Hereupon a large hoop studded with a bristling row of upright swords[21] was introduced; and into the centre of this ring of knives and out of it again the girl threw somersaults backwards, forwards, several times, till the spectators were in terror of some accident; but with the utmost coolness and without mishap the girl completed her performance.
[21] See Becker, "Char." p. 101. Cf. Plat. "Symp." 190; "Euthyd." 294.
Here Socrates, appealing to Antisthenes: None of the present company, I take it, who have watched this spectacle will ever again deny that courage can be taught,[22] when the girl there, woman should she be, rushes so boldly into the midst of swords.
[22] Cf. "Mem." III. ix. 1.
He, thus challenged, answered: No; and what our friend, the Syracusan here, should do is to exhibit his dancing-girl to the state.[23] Let him tell the authorities he is prepared, for a consideration, to give the whole Athenian people courage to face the hostile lances at close quarters.
[23] Or, "to the city," i.e. of Athens.
Whereat the jester: An excellent idea, upon my word; and when it happens, may I be there to see that mighty orator[24] Peisander learning to throw somersaults[25] into swords; since incapacity to look a row of lances in the face at present makes him shy of military service.[26]
[24] Or, "tribune of the people." Cf. Plat. "Gorg." 520 B; "Laws," 908 D.
[25] Or, "learning to go head over heels into swords."
[26] For Peisander see Cobet, "Pros. Xen." p. 46 foll. A thoroughgoing oligarch (Thuc. viii. 90), he was the occasion of much mirth to the comic writers (so Grote, "H. G." viii. 12). See re his "want of spirit" Aristoph. "Birds," 1556:
{entha kai Peisandros elthe deomenos psukhen idein, e zont ekeinon proulipe, k.t.l.}
where the poet has a fling at Socrates also:
Socrates beside the brink, Summons from the murky sink Many a disembodied ghost; And Peisander reached the coast To raise the spirit that he lost; With conviction strange and new, A gawky camel which he slew, Like Ulysses.--Whereupon, etc.
H. Frere
Cf. "Peace," 395; "Lysistr." 490.
At this stage of the proceedings the boy danced.
The dance being over, Socrates exclaimed: Pray, did
[15] Lit. "so that, if any of you has a wife, he may well take heart and teach her whatever he would wish her to know in dealing with her." Cf. "N. A." i. 17.
Antisthenes rejoined: If that is your conclusion, Socrates, why do you not tutor your own wife, Xanthippe,[16] instead of letting her[17] remain, of all the wives that are, indeed that ever will be, I imagine, the most shrewish?
[16] See Cobet, "Pros. Xen." p. 56; "Mem." II. ii. 1; Aul. Gell. "N. A." i. 17.
[17] Lit. "dealing with her," "finding in her"; {khro} corresponding to {khresthai} in Socrates' remarks.
Well now, I will tell you (he answered). I follow the example of the rider who wishes to become an expert horseman: "None of your soft- mouthed, docile animals for me," he says; "the horse for me to own must show some spirit":[18] in the belief, no doubt, if he can manage such an animal, it will be easy enough to deal with every other horse besides. And that is just my case. I wish to deal with human beings, to associate with man in general; hence my choice of wife.[19] I know full well, if I can tolerate her spirit, I can with ease attach myself to every human being else.
[18] Lit. "Because I see the man who aims at skill in horsemanship does not care to own a soft-mouthed, docile animal, but some restive, fiery creature."
[19] Lit. "being anxious to have intercourse with all mankind, to deal with every sort of human being, I possess my wife."
A well-aimed argument, not wide of the mark by any means![20] the company were thinking.
[20] Cf. Plat. "Theaet." 179 C.
Hereupon a large hoop studded with a bristling row of upright swords[21] was introduced; and into the centre of this ring of knives and out of it again the girl threw somersaults backwards, forwards, several times, till the spectators were in terror of some accident; but with the utmost coolness and without mishap the girl completed her performance.
[21] See Becker, "Char." p. 101. Cf. Plat. "Symp." 190; "Euthyd." 294.
Here Socrates, appealing to Antisthenes: None of the present company, I take it, who have watched this spectacle will ever again deny that courage can be taught,[22] when the girl there, woman should she be, rushes so boldly into the midst of swords.
[22] Cf. "Mem." III. ix. 1.
He, thus challenged, answered: No; and what our friend, the Syracusan here, should do is to exhibit his dancing-girl to the state.[23] Let him tell the authorities he is prepared, for a consideration, to give the whole Athenian people courage to face the hostile lances at close quarters.
[23] Or, "to the city," i.e. of Athens.
Whereat the jester: An excellent idea, upon my word; and when it happens, may I be there to see that mighty orator[24] Peisander learning to throw somersaults[25] into swords; since incapacity to look a row of lances in the face at present makes him shy of military service.[26]
[24] Or, "tribune of the people." Cf. Plat. "Gorg." 520 B; "Laws," 908 D.
[25] Or, "learning to go head over heels into swords."
[26] For Peisander see Cobet, "Pros. Xen." p. 46 foll. A thoroughgoing oligarch (Thuc. viii. 90), he was the occasion of much mirth to the comic writers (so Grote, "H. G." viii. 12). See re his "want of spirit" Aristoph. "Birds," 1556:
{entha kai Peisandros elthe deomenos psukhen idein, e zont ekeinon proulipe, k.t.l.}
where the poet has a fling at Socrates also:
Socrates beside the brink, Summons from the murky sink Many a disembodied ghost; And Peisander reached the coast To raise the spirit that he lost; With conviction strange and new, A gawky camel which he slew, Like Ulysses.--Whereupon, etc.
H. Frere
Cf. "Peace," 395; "Lysistr." 490.
At this stage of the proceedings the boy danced.
The dance being over, Socrates exclaimed: Pray, did