ned to wrestle with cold and heat?

(11) Or, "in the open air."

Aristippus again assented.

Soc. And do you not agree that he who is destined to rule must train
himself to bear these things lightly?

Ar. Most certainly.

Soc. And whilst we rank those who are self-disciplined in all these
matters among persons fit to rule, we are bound to place those incapable
of such conduct in the category of persons without any pretension
whatsoever to be rulers?

Ar. I assent.

Soc. Well, then, since you know the rank peculiar to either section of
mankind, did it ever strike you to consider to which of the two you are
best entitled to belong?

Yes I have (replied Aristippus). I do not dream for a moment of ranking
myself in the class of those who wish to rule. In fact, considering how
serious a business it is to cater for one's own private needs, I look
upon it as the mark of a fool not to be content with that, but to
further saddle oneself with the duty of providing the rest of the
community with whatever they may be pleased to want. That, at the cost
of much personal enjoyment, a man should put himself at the head of a
state, and then, if he fail to carry through every jot and tittle of
that state's desire, be held to criminal account, does seem to me the
very extravagance of folly. Why, bless me! states claim to treat their
rulers precisely as I treat my domestic slaves. I expect my attendants
to furnish me with an abundance of necessaries, but not to lay a finger
on one of them themselves. So these states regard it as the duty of a
ruler to provide them with all the good things imaginable, but to keep
his own hands off them all the while. (12) So then, for my part, if
anybody desires to have a heap of pother himself, (13) and be a nuisance
to the rest of the world, I will educate him in the manner suggested,
and he shall take his place among those who are fit to rule; but for
myself, I beg to be enrolled amongst those who wish to spend their days
as easily and pleasantly as possible.

(12) Or, "but he must have no finger in the pie himself."

(13) See Kuhner ad loc.

Soc. Shall we then at this point turn and inquire which of the two are
likely to lead the pleasanter life, the rulers or the ruled?

Ar. By all means let us do so.

Soc. To begin then with the nations and races known to ourselves. (14)
In Asia the Persians are the rulers, while the Syrians, Phrygians,
Lydians are ruled; and in Europe we find the