at the
Council and public table, and there are men whose duty it is to take
care of and guard the guests. But if strangers should wish to become
citizens of their State, they try them first for a month on a farm, and
for another month in the city, then they decide concerning them, and
admit them with certain ceremonies and oaths.

Agriculture is much followed among them; there is not a span of earth
without cultivation, and they observe the winds and propitious stars.
With the exception of a few left in the city all go out armed, and with
flags and drums and trumpets sounding, to the fields, for the purposes
of ploughing, sowing, digging, hoeing, reaping, gathering fruit and
grapes; and they set in order everything, and do their work in a very
few hours and with much care. They use wagons fitted with sails which
are borne along by the wind even when it is contrary, by the marvellous
contrivance of wheels within wheels.

And when there is no wind a beast draws along a huge cart, which is a
grand sight.

The guardians of the land move about in the meantime, armed and always
in their proper turn. They do not use dung and filth for manuring the
fields, thinking that the fruit contracts something of their rottenness,
and when eaten gives a short and poor subsistence, as women who are
beautiful with rouge and from want of exercise bring forth feeble
offspring. Wherefore they do not as it were paint the earth, but dig
it up well and use secret remedies, so that fruit is borne quickly and
multiplies, and is not destroyed. They have a book for this work,
which they call the Georgics. As much of the land as is necessary is
cultivated, and the rest is used for the pasturage of cattle.

The excellent occupation of breeding and rearing horses, oxen, sheep,
dogs, and all kinds of domestic and tame animals is in the highest
esteem among them as it was in the time of Abraham. And the animals are
led so to pair that they may be able to breed well.

Fine pictures of oxen, horses, sheep, and other animals are placed
before them. They do not turn out horses with mares to feed, but at the
proper time they bring them together in an enclosure of the stables in
their fields. And this is done when they observe that the constellation
Archer is in favorable conjunction with Mars and Jupiter. For the oxen
they observe the Bull, for the sheep the Ram, and so on in accordance
with art. Under the Pleiades they keep a drove of hens and ducks and