When we had gone over all the rooms (he continued), we at once set about distribution our furniture[8] in classes; and we began (he said) by collecting everything we use in offering sacrifice.[9] After this we proceeded to set apart the ornaments and holiday attire of the wife, and the husband's clothing both for festivals and war; then the bedding used in the women's apartments, and the bedding used in the men's apartments; then the women's shoes and sandals, and the shoes and sandals of the men.[10] There was one division devoted to arms and armour; another to instruments used for carding wood; another to implements for making bread; another to utensils for cooking condiments; another to utensils for the bath; another connected with the kneading trough; another with the service of the table. All these we assigned to separate places, distinguishing one portion for daily and recurrent use and the rest for high days and holidays. Next we selected and set aside the supplies required for the month's expenditure; and, under a separate head,[11] we stored away what we computed would be needed for the year. [12] For in this way there is less chance of failing to note how the supplies are likely to last to the end.
[8] 'Movable property,' 'meubles.'
[9] Holden cf. Plut. 'De Curios.' 515 E, {os gar Xenophon legei toi Oikonomikois, k.t.l.}
[10] Cf. 'Cyrop.' VIII. ii. 5. See Becker, op. cit. p. 447.
[11] See Cic. ap. Col. who curiously mistranslates {dikha}.
[12] Schneider, etc., cf. Aristot. 'Oecon.' i. 6.
And so having arranged the different articles of furniture in classes, we proceeded to convey them to their appropriate places. That done, we directed our attention to the various articles needed by our domestics for daily use, such as implements or utensils for making bread, cooking relishes, spinning wool, and anything else of the same sort. These we consigned to the care of those who would have to use them, first pointing out where they must stow them, and enjoining on them to return them safe and sound when done with.
As to the other things which we should only use on feast-days, or for the entertainment of guests, or on other like occasions at long intervals, we delivered them one and all to our housekeeper. Having pointed out to her their proper places, and having numbered and registered[13] the several sets of articles, we explained that it was her business to give out each thing as required; to recollect to whom she gave them; and when she got them back, to restore them severally to the places from which she took them. In appointing our housekeeper, we had taken every pains to discover some one on whose self-restraint we might depend, not only in the matters of food and wine and sleep, but also in her intercourse with men. She must besides, to please us, be gifted with no ordinary memory. She must have sufficient forethought not to incur displeasure through neglect of our interests. It must be her object to gratify us in this or that, and in return to win esteem and honour at our hands. We set ourselves to teach and train her to feel a kindly disposition towards us, by allowing her to share our joys in the day of gladness, or, if aught unkind befell us, by inviting her to sympathise in our sorrow. We sought to rouse in her a zeal for our interests, an eagerness to promote the increase of our estate, by making her intelligent of its affairs, and by giving her a share in our successes. We instilled in her a sense of justice and uprightness, by holding the just in higher honour than the unjust, and by pointing out that the lives of the righteous are richer and less servile than those of the unrighteous; and this was the position in which she found herself installed in our household.[14]
[13] Or, 'having taken an inventory of the several sets of things.' Cf. 'Ages.' i. 18; 'Cyrop.' VII. iv. 12. See Newman, op. cit. i. 171.
[14] Or, 'and this was the position in which we presently established her herself.'
And now, on the strength of all that we had done, Socrates (he added), I addressed my wife, explaining that all these things would fail of use unless she took in charge herself to see that the order of each several part was kept. Thereupon I taught her that in every well- constituted city the citizens are not content merely to pass good laws, but they further choose them guardians of the laws,[15] whose function as inspectors is to praise the man whose acts are law- abiding, or to mulct some other who offends against the law. Accordingly, I bade her believe that she, the mistress, was herself to play the part of guardian of the laws to her whole household, examining whenever it seemed good to her, and passing in review the several chattels, just as the officer in command of a garrison[16] musters and reviews his men. She must apply her scrutiny and see that everything was well, even as the Senate [17] tests the condition of the Knights and of their horses.[18] Like a queen, she must bestow, according to the power vested in her, praise and honour on the well- deserving, but blame and chastisement on him who stood in need thereof.
[15] See Plat. 'Laws,' vi. 755 A, 770 C; Aristot. 'Pol.' iii. 15, 1287 A; iv. 14, 1298 B; vi. 8, 1323 A; 'Ath. Pol.' viii. 4; and Cic. ap. Col. xii. 3. 10 f. Holden cf. Cic. 'de Legg.' iii. 20, S. 46; 'C. I. G.' 3794.
[16] Lit. Phrourarch, 'the commandant.'
[17] Or, 'Council' at Athens.
[18] Cf. 'Hipparch.' i. 8, 13.
Nor did my lessons end here (added he); I taught her that she must not be annoyed should I seem to be enjoining upon her more trouble than upon any of our domestics with regard to our possessions; pointing out to her that these domestics have only so far a share in their master's chattels that they must fetch and carry, tend and guard them; nor have they the right to use a single one of them except the master grant it. But to the master himself all things pertain to use as he thinks best. And so I pointed the conclusion: he to whom the greater gain attaches in the preservation of the property or loss in its destruction, is surely he to whom by right belongs the larger measure of attention.[19]
[19] Or, 'he it is on whom devolves as his concern the duty of surveillance.'
When, then (I asked), Ischomachus, how fared it? was your wife disposed at all to lend a willing ear to what you told her?[20]
[20] Lit. 'when she heard did she give ear at all?'
Bless you,[21] Socrates (he answered), what did she do but forthwith answer me, I formed a wrong opinion if I fancied that, in teaching her the need of minding our property, I was imposing a painful task upon her. A painful task it might have been[22] (she added), had I bade her neglect her personal concerns! But to be obliged to fulfil the duty of attending to her own domestic happiness,[23] that was easy. After all it would seem to be but natural (added he); just as any honest[24] woman finds it easier to care for her own offspring than to neglect them, so, too, he could well believe, an honest woman might find it pleasanter to care for than to neglect possessions, the very charm of which is that they are one's very own.
[21] Lit. 'By Hera!' Cf. the old formula 'Marry!' or 'By'r lakin!'
[22] Lit. 'more painful had it been, had I enjoined her to neglect her own interests than to be obliged . . .'
[23] {ton oikeion agathon}, cp. 'charity begins at home.' See Joel, op. cit. p. 448.
[24] Or, 'true and honest'; 'any woman worthy of the name.' {sophroni} = with the {sophrosune} of womanhood; possibly transl. 'discreet and sober-minded.'
X
So (continued Socrates), when I heard his wife had made this answer, I exclaimed: By Hera, Ischomachus, a brave and masculine intelligence the lady has, as you describe her.
(To which Ischomachus) Yes, Socrates, and I would fain narrate some other instances of like large-mindedness on her part: shown in the readiness with which she listened to my words and carried out my wishes.
What sort of thing? (I answered). Do, pray, tell me, since I would far more gladly learn about a living woman's virtues than that Zeuxis[1] should show me the portrait of the loveliest woman he has painted.
[1] See 'Mem.' I. iv. 3.
Whereupon Ischomachus proceeded to narrate as follows: I must tell you, Socrates, I one day noticed she was much enamelled with white lead,[2] no doubt to enhance the natural whitenes of her skin; she had rouged herself with alkanet[3] profusely, doubtless to give more colour to her cheeks than truth would warrant; she was wearing high- heeled shoes, in order to seem taller than she was by nature.[4]
[2] Cf. Aristoph. 'Eccl.' 878; ib. 929, {egkhousa mallon kai to son psimuthion}: ib. 1072; 'Plut.' 1064.
[3] Lit. 'enamelled or painted with anchusa or alkanet,' a plant, the wild bugloss, whose root yields a red dye. Cf. Aristoph. 'Lys.' 48; Theophr. 'H. Pl.' vii. 8. 3.
[4] See Becker, op. cit. p. 452; Breit. cf. 'Anab.' III. ii. 25; 'Mem.' II. i. 22; Aristot. 'Eth. Nic.' iv. 3, 5, 'True beauty requires a great body.'
Accordingly I put to her this question:[5] 'Tell me, my wife, would you esteem me a less lovable co-partner in our wealth, were I to show you how our fortune stands exactly, without boasting of unreal possessions or
