The Submissive Wife | Resources

Resources | Xenophon: How to Train a Wife

Oeconomicus 6.17-10. (Athens, 4th cent. B.C.)

ince I heard of Ischomachus[14] as one who was so

called by all the world, both men and women, strangers and citizens

alike, I set myself to make acquaintance with him.

[14] See Cobet, “Pros. Xen.” s.n.

VII

It chanced, one day I saw him seated in the portico of Zeus

Eleutherios,[1] and as he appeared to be at leisure, I went up to him

and, sitting down by his side, accosted him: How is this, Ischomachus?

you seated here, you who are so little wont to be at leisure? As a

rule, when I see you, you are doing something, or at any rate not

sitting idle in the market-place.

[1] “The god of freedom, or of freed men.” See Plat. “Theag.” 259 A.

The scholiast on Aristoph. “Plutus” 1176 identifies the god with

Zeus Soter. See Plut. “Dem.” 859 (Clough, v. 30).

Nor would you see me now so sitting, Socrates (he answered), but that

I promised to meet some strangers, friends of mine,[2] at this place.

[2] “Foreign friends.”

And when you have no such business on hand (I said) where in heaven’s

name do you spend your time and how do you employ yourself? I will not

conceal from you how anxious I am to learn from your lips by what

conduct you have earned for yourself the title “beautiful and

good.”[3] It is not by spending your days indoors at home, I am sure;

the whole habit of your body bears witness to a different sort of

life.

[3] “The sobriquet of ‘honest gentleman.’”

Then Ischomachus, smiling at my question, but also, as it seemed to

me, a little pleased to be asked what he had done to earn the title

“beautiful and good,” made answer: Whether that is the title by which

folk call me when they talk to you about me, I cannot say; all I know

is, when they challenge me to exchange properties,[4] or else to

perform some service to the state instead of them, the fitting out of

a trireme, or the training of a chorus, nobody thinks of asking for

the beautiful and good gentleman, but it is plain Ischomachus, the son

of So-and-so,[5] on whom the summons is served. But to answer your

question, Socrates (he proceeded), I certainly do not spend my days

indoors, if for no other reason, because my wife is quite capable of

managing our domestic affairs without my aid.

[4] On the antidosis or compulsory exchange of property, see Boeckh,

p. 580, Engl. ed.: “In case any man, upon whom a {leitourgia} was

imposed, considered that another was richer than himself, and

therefore most justly chargeable with the burden, he might

challenge the other to assume the burden, or to make with him an

{antidosis} or exchange of property. Such a challenge, if

declined, was converted into a lawsuit, or came before a heliastic

court for trial.” Gow, “Companion,” xviii. “Athenian Finance.” See

Dem. “Against Midias,” 565, Kennedy, p. 117, and Appendix II. For

the various liturgies, Trierarchy, Choregy, etc., see “Pol. Ath.”

i. 13 foll.

[5] Or, “the son of his father,” it being customary at Athens to add

the patronymic, e.g. Xenophon son of Gryllus, Thucydides son of

Olorus, etc. See Herod. vi. 14, viii. 90. In official acts the

name of the deme was added, eg. Demosthenes son of Demosthenes of

Paiane; or of the tribe, at times. Cf. Thuc. viii. 69; Plat.

“Laws,” vi. p. 753 B.

Ah! (said I), Ischomachus, that is just what I should like

particularly to learn from you. Did you yourself educate your wife to

be all that a wife should be, or when you received her from her father

and mother was she already a proficient well skilled to discharge the

duties appropriate to a wife?

Well skilled! (he replied). What proficiency was she likely to bring

with her, when she was not quite fifteen[6] at the time she wedded me,

and during the whole prior period of her life had been most carefully

brought up[7] to see and hear as little as possible, and to ask[8] the

fewest questions? or do you not think one should be satisfied, if at

marriage her whole experience consisted in knowing how to take the

wool and make a dress, and seeing how her mother’s handmaidens had

their daily spinning-tasks assigned them? For (he added), as regards

control of appetite and self-indulgence,[9] she had received the

soundest education, and that I take to be the most important matter in

the bringing-up of man or woman.

[6] See Aristot. “Pol.” vii. 16. 1335(a). See Newman, op. cit. i. 170

foll.

[7] Or, “surveillance.” See “Pol. Lac.” i. 3.

[8] Reading {eroito}; or if with Sauppe after Cobet, {eroin}, transl.

“talk as little as possible.”

[9] Al. “in reference to culinary matters.” See Mahaffy, “Social Life

in Greece,” p. 276.

Then all else (said I) you taught your wife yourself, Ischomachus,

until you had made her capable of attending carefully to her appointed

duties?

That did I not (replied he) until I had offered sacrifice, and prayed

that I might teach and she might learn all that could conduce to the

happiness of us twain.

Soc. And did your wife join in sacrifice and prayer to that effect?

Isch. Most certainly, with many a vow registered to heaven to become

all she ought to be; and her whole manner showed that she would not be

neglectful of what was taught her.[10]

[10] Or, “giving plain proof that, if the teaching failed, it should

not be from want of due attention on her part.” See “Hellenica

Essays,” “Xenophon,” p. 356 foll.

Soc. Pray narrate to me, Ischomachus, I beg of you, what you first

essayed to teach her. To hear that story would please me more than any

description of the most splendid gymnastic contest or horse-race you

could give me.

hy, Socrates (he answered), when after a time she had become

accustomed to my hand, that is, was tamed[11] sufficiently to play her

part in a discussion, I put to her this question: “Did it ever strike

you to consider, dear wife,[12] what led me to choose you as my wife

among all women, and your parents to entrust you to me of all men? It

was certainly not from any difficulty that might beset either of us to

find another bedfellow. That I am sure is evident to you. No! it was

with deliberate intent to discover, I for myself and your parents in

behalf of you, the best partner of house and children we could find,

that I sought you out, and your parents, acting to the best of their

ability, made choice of me. If at some future time God grant us to

have children born to us, we will take counsel together how best to

bring them up, for that too will be a common interest,[13] and a

common blessing if haply they shall live to fight our battles and we

find in them hereafter support and succour when ourselves are old.[14]

But at present there is our house here, which belongs like to both. It

is common property, for all that I possess goes by my will into the

common fund, and in the same way all that you deposited[15] was placed

by you to the common fund.[16] We need not stop to calculate in

figures which of us contributed most, but rather let us lay to heart

this fact that whichever of us proves the better partner, he or she at

once contributes what is most worth having.”

[11] (The timid, fawn-like creature.) See Lecky, “Hist. of Eur.

Morals,” ii. 305. For the metaphor cf. Dem. “Olynth.” iii. 37. 9.

[12] Lit. “woman.” Cf. N. T. {gunai}, St. John ii. 4; xix. 26.

[13] Or, “our interests will centre in them; it will be a blessing we

share in common to train them that they shall fight our battles,

and . . .”

[14] Cf. “Mem.” II. ii. 13. Holden cf. Soph. “Ajax.” 567; Eur.

“Suppl.” 918.

[15] Or reading {epenegke} with Cobet, “brought with you in the way of

dowry.”

[16] Or, “to the joint estate.”

Thus I addressed her, Socrates, and thus my wife made answer: “But how

can I assist you? what is my ability? Nay, everything depends on you.

My business, my mother told me, was to be sober-minded!”[17]

[17] “Modest and temperate,” and (below) “temperance.”

“Most true, my wife,” I replied, “and that is what my father said to

me. But what is the proof of sober-mindedness in man or woman? Is it

not so to behave that what they have of good may ever be at its best,

and that new treasures from the same source of beauty and

righteousness may be most amply added?”

“But what is there that I can do,” my wife inquired, “which will help

to increase our joint estate?”

“Assuredly,” I answered, “you may strive to do as well as possible

what Heaven has given you a natural gift for and which the law

approves.”

“And what may these things be?” she asked.

“To my mind they are not the things of least importance,” I replied,

“unless the things which the queen bee in her hive presides over are

of slight importance to the bee community; for the gods” (so

Ischomachus assured me, he continued), “the gods, my wife, would seem

to have exercised much care and judgment in compacting that twin

system which goes by the name of male and female, so as to secure the

greatest possible advantage[18] to the pair. Since no doubt the

underlying principle of the bond is first and foremost to perpetuate

through procreation the races of living creatures;[19] and next, as

the outcome of this bond, for human beings at any rate, a provision is

made by which they may have sons and daughters to support them in old

age.

[18] Reading {oti}, or if with Br. {eti . . . auto}, “with the further

intent it should prove of maximum advantage to itself.”

[19] Cf. (Aristot.) “Oecon.” i. 3.

“And again, the way of life of human beings, not being maintained like

that of cattle[20] in the open air, obviously demands roofed

homesteads. But if these same human beings are to have anything to

bring in under cover, some one to carry out these labours of the field

under high heaven[21] must be found them, since such operations as the

breaking up of fallow with the plough, the sowing of seed, the

planting of trees, the pasturing and herding of flocks, are one and

all open-air employments on which the supply of products necessary to

life depends.

[20] “And the beast of the field.”

[21] “Sub dis,” “in the open air.”

“As soon as these products of the field are safely housed and under

cover, new needs arise. There must be some one to guard the store and

some one to perform such necessary operations as imply the need of

shelter.[22] Shelter, for instance, is needed for the rearing of

infant children; shelter is needed for the various processes of

converting the fruits of earth into food, and in like manner for the

fabrication of clothing out of wool.

[22] Or, “works which call for shelter.”

“But whereas both of these, the indoor and the outdoor occupations

alike, demand new toil and new attention, to meet the case,” I added,

“God made provision[23] from the first by shaping, as it seems to me,

the woman’s nature for indoor and the man’s for outdoor occupations.

Man’s body and soul He furnished with a greater capacity for enduring

heat and cold, wayfaring and military marches; or, to repeat, He laid

upon his shoulders the outdoor works.

[23] “Straightway from the moment of birth provided.” Cf. (Aristot.)

“Oecon.” i. 3, a work based upon or at any rate following the

lines of Xenophon’s treatise.

“While in creating the body of woman with less capacity for these

things,” I continued, “God would seem to have imposed on her the

indoor works; and knowing that He had implanted in the woman and

imposed upon her the nurture of new-born babies, He endowed her with a

larger share of affection for the new-born child than He bestowed upon

man.[24] And since He imposed on woman the guardianship of the things

imported from without, God, in His wisdom, perceiving that a fearful

spirit was no detriment to guardianship,[25] endowed the woman with a

larger measure of timidity than He bestowed on man. Knowing further

that he to whom the outdoor works belonged would need to defend them

against malign attack, He endowed the man in turn with a larger share

of courage.

[24] {edasato}, “Cyrop.” IV. ii. 43.

[25] Cf. “Hipparch,” vii. 7; Aristot. “Pol.” iii. 2; “Oecon.” iii.

“And seeing that both alike feel the need of giving and receiving, He

set down memory and carefulness between them for their common use,[26]

so that you would find it hard to determine which of the two, the male

or the female, has the larger share of these. So, too, God set down

between them for their common use the gift of self-control, where

needed, adding only to that one of the twain, whether man or woman,

which should prove the better, the power to be rewarded with a larger

share of this perfection. And for the very reason that their natures

are not alike adapted to like ends, they stand in greater need of one

another; and the married couple is made more useful to itself, the one

fulfilling what the other lacks.[27]

[26] Or, “He bestowed memory and carefulness as the common heritage of

both.”

[27] Or, “the pair discovers the advantage of duality; the one being

strong wherein the other is defective.”

“Now, being well aware of this, my wife,” I added, “and knowing well

what things are laid upon us twain by God Himself, must we not strive

to perform, each in the best way possible, our respective duties? Law,

too, gives her consent--law and the usage of mankind, by sanctioning

the wedlock of man and wife; and just as God ordained them to be

partners in their children, so the law establishes their common

ownership of house and estate. Custom, moreover, proclaims as

beautiful those excellences of man and woman with which God gifted

them at birth.[28] Thus for a woman to bide tranquilly at home rather

than roam abroad is no dishonour; but for a man to remain indoors,

instead of devoting himself to outdoor pursuits, is a thing

discreditable. But if a man does things contrary to the nature given

him by God, the chances are,[29] such insubordination escapes not the

eye of Heaven: he pays the penalty, whether of neglecting his own

works, or of performing those appropriate to woman.”[30]

[28] Or, “with approving fingers stamps as noble those diverse

faculties, those superiorities in either sex which God created in

them. Thus for the women to remain indoors is nobler than to gad

about abroad.” {ta kala . . .; kallion . . . aiskhion . . .}--

These words, [which] their significant Hellenic connotation, suffer

cruelly in translation.

[29] Or, “maybe in some respect this violation of the order of things,

this lack of discpline on his part.” Cf. “Cyrop.” VII. ii. 6.

[30] Or, “the works of his wife.” For the sentiment cf. Soph. “Oed.

Col.” 337 foll.; Herod. ii. 35.

I added: “Just such works, if I mistake not, that same queen-bee we

spoke of labours hard to perform, like yours, my wife, enjoined upon

her by God Himself.”

“And what sort of works are these?” she asked; “what has the queen-bee

to do that she seems so like myself, or I like her in what I have to

do?”

“Why,” I answered, “she too stays in the hive and suffers not the

other bees to idle. Those whose duty it is to work outside she sends

forth to their labours; and all that each of them brings in, she notes

and receives and stores against the day of need; but when the season

for use has come, she distributes a just share to each. Again, it is

she who presides over the fabric of choicely-woven cells within. She

looks to it that warp and woof are wrought with speed and beauty.

Under her guardian eye the brood of young[31] is nursed and reared;

but when the days of rearing are past and the young bees are ripe for

work, she sends them out as colonists with one of the seed royal[32]

to be their leader.”

[31] Or, “the growing progeny is reared to maturity.”

[32] Or, “royal lineage,” reading {ton epigonon} (emend. H. Estienne);

or if the vulg. {ton epomenon}, “with some leader of the host”

(lit. of his followers). So Breitenbach.

“Shall I then have to do these things?” asked my wife.

“Yes,” I answered, “you will need in the same way to stay indoors,

despatching to their toils without those of your domestics whose work

lies there. Over those whose appointed tasks are wrought indoors, it

will be your duty to preside; yours to receive the stuffs brought in;

yours to apportion part for daily use, and yours to make provision for

the rest, to guard and garner it so that the outgoings destined for a

year may not be expended in a month. It will be your duty, when the

wools are introduced, to see that clothing is made for those who need;

your duty also to see that the dried corn is rendered fit and

serviceable for food.

“There is just one of all these occupations which devolve upon you,” I

added, “you may not find so altogether pleasing. Should any one of our

household fall sick, it will be your care to see and tend them to the

recovery of their health.”

“Nay,” she answered, “that will be my pleasantest of tasks, if careful

nursing may touch the springs of gratitude and leave them friendlier

than before.”

And I (continued Ischomachus) was struck with admiration at her

answer, and replied: “Think you, my wife, it is through some such

traits of forethought seen in their mistress-leader that the hearts of

bees are won, and they are so loyally affectioned towards her that, if

ever she abandon her hive, not one of them will dream of being left

behind;[33] but one and all must follow her.”

[33] Al. “will suffer her to be forsaken.”

And my wife made answer to me: “It would much astonish me (said she)

did not these leader’s works, you speak of, point to you rather than

myself. Methinks mine would be a pretty[34] guardianship and

distribution of things indoors without your provident care to see that

the importations from without were duly made.”

[34] Or, “ridiculous.”

“Just so,” I answered, “and mine would be a pretty[35] importation if

there were no one to guard what I imported. Do you not see,” I added,

“how pitiful is the case of those unfortunates who pour water in their

sieves for ever, as the story goes,[36] and labour but in vain?”

[35] “As laughable an importation.”

[36] Or, “how pitiful their case, condemned, as the saying goes, to

pour water into a sieve.” Lit. “filling a bucket bored with

holes.” Cf. Aristot. “Oec.” i. 6; and for the Danaids, see Ovid.

“Met.” iv. 462; Hor. “Carm.” iii. 11. 25; Lucr. iii. 937; Plaut.

“Pseud.” 369. Cp. Coleridge:

Work without hope draws nectar in a sieve,

And hope without an object cannot live.

“Pitiful enough, poor souls,” she answered, “if that is what they do.”

“But there are other cares, you know, and occupations,” I answered,

“which are yours by right, and these you will find agreeable. This,

for instance, to take some maiden who knows naught of carding wool and

to make her proficient in the art, doubling her usefulness; or to

receive another quite ignorant of housekeeping or of service, and to

render her skilful, loyal, serviceable, till she is worth her weight

in gold; or again, when occasion serves, you have it in your power to

requite by kindness the well-behaved whose presence is a blessing to

your house; or maybe to chasten the bad character, should such an one

appear. But the greatest joy of all will be to prove yourself my

better; to make me your faithful follower; knowing no dread lest as

the years advance you should decline in honour in your household, but

rather trusting that, though your hair turn gray, yet, in proportion

as you come to be a better helpmate to myself and to the children, a

better guardian of our home, so will your honour increase throughout

the household as mistress, wife, and mother, daily more dearly prized.

Since,” I added, “it is not through excellence of outward form,[37]

but by reason of the lustre of virtues shed forth upon the life of

man, that increase is given to things beautiful and good.”[38]

[37] “By reason of the flower on the damask cheek.”

[38] Al. “For growth is added to things ‘beautiful and good,’ not

through the bloom of youth but virtuous perfections, an increase

coextensive with the life of man.” See Breit. ad loc.

That, Socrates, or something like that, as far as I may trust my

memory, records the earliest conversation which I held with her.

VIII

nd did you happen to observe, Ischomachus (I asked), whether, as the

result of what was said, your wife was stirred at all to greater

carefulness?

Yes, certainly (Ischomachus answered), and I remember how piqued she

was at one time and how deeply she blushed, when I chanced to ask her

for something which had been brought into the house, and she could not

give it me. So I, when I saw her annoyance, fell to consoling her. “Do

not be at all disheartened, my wife, that you cannot give me what I

ask for. It is plain poverty,[1] no doubt, to need a thing and not to

have the use of it. But as wants go, to look for something which I

cannot lay my hands upon is a less painful form of indigence than

never to dream of looking because I know full well that the thing

exists not. Anyhow, you are not to blame for this,” I added; “mine the

fault was who handed over to your care the things without assigning

them their places. Had I done so, you would have known not only where

to put but where to find them.[2] After all, my wife, there is nothing

in human life so serviceable, nought so beautiful as order.[3]

[1] “Vetus proverbium,” Cic. ap. Columellam, xii. 2, 3; Nobbe, 236,

fr. 6.

[2] Lit. “so that you might know not only where to put,” etc.

[3] Or, “order and arrangement.” So Cic. ap. Col. xii. 2, 4,

“dispositione atque ordine.”

“For instance, what is a chorus?--a band composed of human beings, who

dance and sing; but suppose the company proceed to act as each may

chance--confusion follows; the spectacle has lost its charm. How

different when each and all together act and recite[4] with orderly

precision, the limbs and voices keeping time and tune. Then, indeed,

these same performers are worth seeing and worth hearing.

[4] Or, “declaim,” {phtheggontai}, properly of the “recitative” of the

chorus. Cf. Plat. “Phaedr.” 238 D.

“So, too, an army,” I said, “my wife, an army destitute of order is

confusion worse confounded: to enemies an easy prey, courting attack;

to friends a bitter spectacle of wasted power;[5] a mingled mob of

asses, heavy infantry, and baggage-bearers, light infantry, cavalry,

and waggons. Now, suppose they are on the march; how are they to get

along? In this condition everybody will be a hindrance to everybody:

‘slow march’ side by side with ‘double quick,’ ‘quick march’ at cross

purposes with ‘stand at ease’; waggons blocking cavalry and asses

fouling waggons; baggage-bearers and hoplites jostling together: the

whole a hopeless jumble. And when it comes to fighting, such an army

is not precisely in condition to deliver battle. The troops who are

compelled to retreat before the enemy’s advance[6] are fully capable

of trampling down the heavy infantry detachments in reserve.[7]

[5] Reading {agleukestaton}, or, if with Breit, {akleestaton}, “a most

inglorious spectacle of extreme unprofitableness.”

[6] Or, “whose duty (or necessity) it is to retire before an attack,”

i.e. the skirmishers. Al. “those who have to retreat,” i.e. the

non-combatants.

[7] Al. “are quite capable of trampling down the troops behind in

their retreat.” {tous opla ekhontas} = “the troops proper,” “heavy

infantry.”

“How different is an army well organised in battle order: a splendid

sight for friendly eyes to gaze at, albeit an eyesore to the enemy.

For who, being of their party, but will feel a thrill of satisfaction

as he watches the serried masses of heavy infantry moving onwards in

unbroken order? who but will gaze with wonderment as the squadrons of

the cavalry dash past him at the gallop? And what of the foeman? will

not his heart sink within him to see the orderly arrangements of the

different arms:[8] here heavy infantry and cavalry, and there again

light infantry, there archers and there slingers, following each their

leaders, with orderly precision. As they tramp onwards thus in order,

though they number many myriads, yet even so they move on and on in

quiet progress, stepping like one man, and the place just vacated in

front is filled up on the instant from the rear.

[8] “Different styles of troops drawn up in separate divisions:

hoplites, cavalry, and peltasts, archers, and slingers.”

“Or picture a trireme, crammed choke-full of mariners; for what reason

is she so terror-striking an object to her enemies, and a sight so

gladsome to the eyes of friends? is it not that the gallant ship sails

so swiftly? And why is it that, for all their crowding, the ship’s

company[9] cause each other no distress? Simply that there, as you may

see them, they sit in order; in order bend to the oar; in order

recover the stroke; in order step on board; in order disembark. But

disorder is, it seems to me, precisely as though a man who is a

husbandman should stow away[10] together in one place wheat and barley

and pulse, and by and by when he has need of barley meal, or wheaten

flour, or some condiment of pulse,[11] then he must pick and choose

instead of laying his hand on each thing separately sorted for use.

[9] See Thuc. iii. 77. 2.

[10] “Should shoot into one place.”

[11] “Vegetable stock,” “kitchen.” See Holden ad loc., and Prof.

Mahaffy, “Old Greek Life,” p. 31.

“And so with you too, my wife, if you would avoid this confusion, if

you would fain know how to administer our goods, so as to lay your

finger readily on this or that as you may need, or if I ask you for

anything, graciously to give it me: let us, I say, select and

assign [12] the appropriate place for each set of things. This shall be

the place where we will put the things; and we will instruct the

housekeeper that she is to take them out thence, and mind to put them

back again there; and in this way we shall know whether they are safe

or not. If anything is gone, the gaping space will cry out as if it

asked for something back.[13] The mere look and aspect of things will

argue what wants mending;[14] and the fact of knowing where each thing

is will be like having it put into one’s hand at once to use without

further trouble or debate.”

[12] {dokimasometha}, “we will write over each in turn, as it were,

‘examined and approved.’“

[13] Lit. “will miss the thing that is not.”

[14] “Detect what needs attention.”

I must tell you, Socrates, what strikes me as the finest and most

accurate arrangement of goods and furniture it was ever my fortune to

set eyes on; when I went as a sightseer on board the great Phoenician

merchantman,[15] and beheld an endless quantity of goods and gear of

all sorts, all separately packed and stowed away within the smallest

compass.[16] I need scarce remind you (he said, continuing his

narrative) what a vast amount of wooden spars and cables[17] a ship

depends on in order to get to moorings; or again, in putting out to

sea;[18] you know the host of sails and cordage, rigging[19] as they

call it, she requires for sailing; the quantity of engines and

machinery of all sorts she is armed with in case she should encounter

any hostile craft; the infinitude of arms she carries, with her crew

of fighting men aboard. Then all the vessels and utensils, such as

people use at home on land, required for the different messes, form a

portion of the freight; and besides all this, the hold is heavy laden

with a mass of merchandise, the cargo proper, which the master carries

with him for the sake of traffic.

[15] See Lucian, lxvi. “The Ship,” ad in. (translated by S. T. Irwin).

[16] Lit. “in the tiniest receptacle.”

[17] See Holden ad loc. re {xelina, plekta, kremasta}.

[18] “In weighing anchor.”

[19] “Suspended tackle” (as opposed to wooden spars and masts, etc.)

Well, all these different things that I have named lay packed there in

a space but little larger than a fair-sized dining-room.[20] The

several sorts, moreover, as I noticed, lay so well arranged, there

could be no entanglement of one with other, nor were searchers

needed;[21] and if all were snugly stowed, all were alike get-at-

able,[22] much to the avoidance of delay if anything were wanted on

the instant.

[20] Lit. “a symmetrically-shaped dining-room, made to hold ten

couches.”

[21] Lit. “a searcher”; “an inquisitor.” Cf. Shakesp. “Rom. and Jul.”

V. ii. 8.

[22] Lit. “not the reverse of easy to unpack, so as to cause a waste

of time and waiting.”

Then the pilot’s mate[23]--”the look-out man at the prow,” to give him

his proper title--was, I found, so well acquainted with the place for

everything that, even off the ship,[24] he could tell you where each

set of things was laid and how many there were of each, just as well

as any one who knows his alphabet[25] could tell you how many letters

there are in Socrates and the order in which they stand.

[23] Cf. “Pol. Ath.” i. 1; Aristoph. “Knights,” 543 foll.

[24] Or, “with his eyes shut, at a distance he could say exactly.”

[25] Or, “how to spell.” See “Mem.” IV. iv. 7; Plat. “Alc.” i. 113 A.

 saw this same man (continued Ischomachus) examining at leisure[26]

everything which could possibly[27] be needful for the service of the

ship. His inspection caused me such surprise, I asked him what he was

doing, whereupon he answered, “I am inspecting, stranger,”[28] “just

considering,” says he, “the way the things are lying aboard the ship;

in case of accidents, you know, to see if anything is missing, or not

lying snug and shipshape.[29] There is no time left, you know,” he

added, “when God mkes a tempest in the great deep, to set about

searching for what you want, or to be giving out anything which is not

snug and shipshape in its place. God threatens and chastises

sluggards.[30] If only He destroy not innocent with guilty, a man may

be content;[31] or if He turn and save all hands aboard that render

right good service,[32] thanks be to Heaven.”[33]

[26] “Apparently when he had nothing better to do”; “by way of

amusement.”

[27] {ara}, “as if he were asking himself, ‘Would this or this

possibly be wanted for the ship’s service?’“

[28] “Sir.”

[29] Or, “things not lying handy in their places.”

[30] Or, “them that are slack.” Cf. “Anab.” V. viii. 15; “Mem.” IV.

ii. 40; Plat. “Gorg.” 488 A: “The dolt and good-for-nothing.”

[31] “One must not grumble.”

[32] “The whole ship’s crew right nobly serving.” {uperetein} = “to

serve at the oar” (metaphorically = to do service to heaven).

[33] Lit. “great thanks be to the gods.”

So spoke the pilot’s mate; and I, with this carefulness of stowage

still before my eyes, proceeded to enforce my thesis:

“Stupid in all conscience would it be on our parts, my wife, if those

who sail the sea in ships, that are but small things, can discover

space and place for everything; can, moreover, in spite of violent

tossings up and down, keep order, and, even while their hearts are

failing them for fear, find everything they need to hand; whilst we,

with all our ample storerooms[34] diversely disposed for divers

objects in our mansion, an edifice firmly based[35] on solid ground,

fail to discover fair and fitting places, easy of access for our

several goods! Would not that argue great lack of understanding in our

two selves? Well then! how good a thing it is to have a fixed and

orderly arrangement of all furniture and gear; how easy also in a

dwelling-house to find a place for every sort of goods, in which to

stow them as shall suit each best--needs no further comment. Rather

let me harp upon the string of beauty--image a fair scene: the boots

and shoes and sandals, and so forth, all laid in order row upon row;

the cloaks, the mantles, and the rest of the apparel stowed in their

own places; the coverlets and bedding; the copper cauldrons; and all

the articles for table use! Nay, though it well may raise a smile of

ridicule (not on the lips of a grave man perhaps, but of some

facetious witling) to hear me say it, a beauty like the cadence of

sweet music[36] dwells even in pots and pans set out in neat array:

and so, in general, fair things ever show more fair when orderly

bestowed. The separate atoms shape themselves to form a choir, and all

the space between gains beauty by their banishment. Even so some

sacred chorus,[37] dancing a roundelay in honour of Dionysus, not only

is a thing of beauty in itself, but the whole interspace swept clean

of dancers owns a separate charm.[38]

[34] Or, “coffers,” “cupboards,” “safes.”

[35] Cf. “Anab.” III. ii. 19, “firmly planted on terra firma.”

[36] Or, “like the rhythm of a song,” {euruthmon}. See Mr. Ruskin’s

most appropriate note (“Bib. Past.” i. 59), “A remarkable word, as

significant of the complete rhythm ({ruthmos}) whether of sound or

motion, that was so great a characteristic of the Greek ideal (cf.

xi. 16, {metarruthmizo}),” and much more equally to the point.

[37] “Just as a chorus, the while its dancers weave a circling dance.”

[38] Or, “contrasting with the movement and the mazes of the dance, a

void appears serene and beautiful.”

“The truth of what I say, we easily can test, my wife,” I added, “by

direct experiment, and that too without cost at all or even serious

trouble.[39] Nor need you now distress yourself, my wife, to think how

hard it will be to discover some one who has wit enough to learn the

places for the several things and memory to take and place them there.

We know, I fancy, that the goods of various sorts contained in the

whole city far outnumber ours many thousand times; and yet you have

only to bid any one of your domestics go buy this, or that, and bring

it you from market, and not one of them will hesitate. The whole world

knows both where to go and where to find each thing.

[39] Lit. “now whether these things I say are true (i.e. are facts),

we can make experiment of the things themselves (i.e. of actual

facts to prove to us).”

“And why is this?” I asked. “Merely because they lie in an appointed

place. But now, if you are seeking for a human being, and that too at

times when he is seeking you on his side also, often and often shall

you give up the search in sheer despair: and of this again the reason?

Nothing else save that no appointed place was fixed where one was to

await the other.” Such, so far as I can now recall it, was the

conversation which we held together touching the arrangement of our

various chattels and their uses.

IX

ell (I replied), and did your wife appear, Ischomachus, to lend a

willing ear to what you tried thus earnestly to teach her?

Isch. Most certainly she did, with promise to pay all attention. Her

delight was evident, like some one’s who at length has found a pathway

out of difficulties; in proof of which she begged me to lose no time

in making the orderly arrangement I had spoken of.

And how did you introduce the order she demanded, Ischomachus? (I

asked).

Isch. Well, first of all I thought I ought to show her the capacities

of our house. Since you must know, it is not decked with ornaments and

fretted ceilings,[1] Socrates; but the rooms were built expressly with

a view to forming the most apt receptacles for whatever was intended

to be put in them, so that the very look of them proclaimed what

suited each particular chamber best. Thus our own bedroom,[2] secure