riends' brides, Niceratus' and Critobulus'), need no
perfume, being but compounds themselves of fragrance. (5) No, sweeter
than any perfume else to women is good olive-oil, suggestive of the
training-school: (6) sweet if present, and when absent longed for. And
why? Distinctions vanish with the use of perfumes. The freeman and the
slave have forthwith both alike one odour. But the scents derived from
toils--those toils which every free man loves (7)--need customary habit
first, and time's distillery, if they are to be sweet with freedom's
breath, at last. (8)

(5) Cf. Solomon's Song, iv. 10: "How fair is thy love, my sister, my
spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of
thine ointments than all spices!"

(6) Lit. "the gymnasium."

(7) Cf. Aristoph. "Clouds," 1002 foll. See J. A. Symonds, "The Greek
Poets," 1st s., p. 281.

(8) See "Mem." III. x. 5; "Cyrop." VIII. i. 43.

Here Lycon interposed: That may be well enough for youths, but what
shall we do whose gymnastic days are over? What fragrance is left for
us?

Soc. Why, that of true nobility, of course.

Lyc. And whence shall a man obtain this chrism?

Soc. Not from those that sell perfumes and unguents, in good sooth.

Lyc. But whence, then?

Soc. Theognis has told us:

From the good thou shalt learn good things, but if with the evil
Thou holdest converse, thou shalt lose the wit that is in thee. (9)

(9) Theog. 35 foll. See "Mem." I. ii. 20; Plat. "Men." 95 D.

Lyc. (turning to his son). Do you hear that, my son?

That he does (Socrates answered for the boy), and he puts the precept
into practice also; to judge, at any rate, from his behaviour. When he
had set his heart on carrying off the palm of victory in the pankration,
he took you into his counsel; (10) and will again take counsel to
discover the fittest friend to aid him in his high endeavour, (11) and
with this friend associate.

(10) It looks as if something had been lost intimating that Autolycus
would have need of some one to instruct him in spiritual things.
For attempts to fill up the lacuna see Schenkl.

(11) Or, "these high pursuits."

Thereupon several of the company exclaimed at once. "Where will he find
a teacher to instruct him in that wisdom?" one inquired. "Why, it is not
to be taught!" exclaimed another; to which a third rejoined: "Why should
it not be learnt as well as other things?" (12)

(12) Cf. for the question {