ei arete didakton}, "Mem." I. ii. 19; IV.
i; "Cyrop." III. i. 17; III. iii. 53.

Then Socrates: The question would seem at any rate to be debatable.
Suppose we defer it till another time, and for the present not interrupt
the programme of proceedings. I see, the dancing-girl is standing ready;
they are handing her some hoops.

And at the instant her fellow with the flute commenced a tune to keep
her company, whilst some one posted at her side kept handing her the
hoops till she had twelve in all. With these in her hands she fell
to dancing, and the while she danced she flung the hoops into the
air--overhead she sent them twirling--judging the height they must be
thrown to catch them, as they fell, in perfect time. (13)

(13) "In time with the music and the measure of the dance."

Then Socrates: The girl's performance is one proof among a host of
others, sirs, that woman's nature is nowise inferior to man's. All she
wants is strength and judgment; (14) and that should be an encouragement
to those of you who have wives, to teach them whatever you would have
them know as your associates. (15)

(14) Reading, as vulg. {gnomes de kai iskhuos deitai}; al. continuing
{ouden} from the first half of the sentence, transl. "she has no
lack of either judgment or physical strength." Lange conj. {romes}
for {gnomes}, "all she needs is force and strength of body." See
Newman, op. cit. i. 419.

(15) Lit. "so that, if any of you has a wife, he may well take heart
and teach her whatever he would wish her to know in dealing with
her." Cf. "N. A." i. 17.

Antisthenes rejoined: If that is your conclusion, Socrates, why do you
not tutor your own wife, Xanthippe, (16) instead of letting her (17)
remain, of all the wives that are, indeed that ever will be, I imagine,
the most shrewish?

(16) See Cobet, "Pros. Xen." p. 56; "Mem." II. ii. 1; Aul. Gell. "N.
A." i. 17.

(17) Lit. "dealing with her," "finding in her"; {khro} corresponding
to {khresthai} in Socrates' remarks.

Well now, I will tell you (he answered). I follow the example of
the rider who wishes to become an expert horseman: "None of your
soft-mouthed, docile animals for me," he says; "the horse for me to own
must show some spirit": (18) in the belief, no doubt, if he can manage
such an animal, it will be easy enough to deal with every other horse
besides. And that is just my case. I wish to deal with human beings, to
associate wit