THE ancient statues of Castor and Pollux are called
by the Spartans Docana; and they are two pieces of wood
one over against the other joined with two other cross
ends, and the community and undividedness of this consecrated representation seems to resemble the fraternal
love of these two Gods. In like manner do I devote this
discourse of Brotherly Love to you, Nigrinus and Quintus,
as a gift in common betwixt you both, who well deserve
it. For as to the things it advises to, you will, while you
already practise them, seem rather to give your testimonies
to them than to be exhorted by them. And the satisfaction you have from well-doing will give the more firm durance to your judgment, when you shall find yourselves approved by wise and judicious spectators. Aristarchus the
father of Theodectes said indeed once, by way of flout
of the Sophists, that formerly there were scarce seven
Sophists to be found, but that in his time there could
hardly be found so many who were not Sophists. But I
see brotherly love is as scarce in our days as brotherly
hatred was in ancient times, the instances of which have
been publicly exposed in tragedies and public shows for
their strangeness. But all in our times, when they have
fortuned to have good brothers, do no less admire them
than the famed Molionidae, that are supposed to have been
born with their bodies joined with each other. And to
enjoy in common their fathers’ wealth, friends, and slaves