ry vessel in which they sail
themselves."

[41] Or, "their treasure." {auton} throughout, which indeed is the
humour of the passage. The love of John Barleycorn is their master
passion.

To these remarks Ischomachus replied: You jest, Socrates; but still I
hold to my belief: that man is fond of bricks and mortar who no sooner
has built one house than he must needs sell it and proceed to build
another.

To be sure, Ischomachus (I answered), and for my part I assure you, upon
oath, I, Socrates, do verily and indeed believe [42] you that all men by
nature love (or hold they ought to love) those things wherebysoever they
believe they will be benefited.

[32] Reading {e men pisteuein soi phusei (nomizein) philein tauta
pantas...}; and for the "belief" propounded with so much
humorous emphasis, see Adam Smith, "Moral Sentiments." Hartman,
"An. Xen." 180, cf. Plat. "Lysis."

XXI

After a pause, I added: I am turning over in my mind how cleverly you
have presented the whole argument to support your thesis: which was,
that of all arts the art of husbandry is the easiest to learn. And now,
as the result of all that has been stated, I am entirely persuaded that
this is so.

Isch. Yes, Socrates, indeed it is. But I, on my side, must in turn admit
that as regards that faculty which is common alike to every kind of
conduct (tillage, or politics, the art of managing a house, or of
conducting war), the power, namely, of command [1]--I do subscribe to
your opinion, that on this score one set of people differ largely
from another both in point of wit and judgement. On a ship of war, for
instance, [2] the ship is on the high seas, and the crew must row whole
days together to reach moorings. [3] Now note the difference. Here you
may find a captain [4] able by dint of speech and conduct to whet the
souls of those he leads, and sharpen them to voluntary toils; and there
another so dull of wit and destitute of feeling that it will take his
crew just twice the time to finish the same voyage. See them step on
shore. The first ship's company are drenched in sweat; but listen, they
are loud in praise of one another, the captain and his merry men alike.
And the others? They are come at last; they have not turned a hair, the
lazy fellows, but for all that they hate their officer and by him are
hated.

[1] See "Mem." I. i. 7.

[2] Or, "the crew must row the livelong day..."

[3] For an instance see "He