Economics

Well, now, Ischomachus, said I, was your wife inclined to pay heed to your words? Why, Socrates, he cried, she just told me that I was mistaken if I supposed that I was laying a hard task on her in telling her that she must take care of our things. It would have been harder, she said, had I required her to neglect her own possessions, than to have the duty of attending to her own peculiar blessings.

The fact is, he added, just as it naturally comes easier to a good woman to care for her own children than to neglect them, so, I imagine, a good woman finds it pleasanter to look after her own possessions than to neglect them.

Now when I heard that his wife had given him this answer, I exclaimed; Upon my word, Ischomachus, your wife has a truly masculine mind by your showing! Yes, said Ischomachus, and I am prepared to give you other examples of high-mindedness on her part, when a word from me was enough to secure her instant obedience. Tell me what they are, I cried; for if Zeuxis showed me a fair woman’s portrait painted by his own hand, it would not give me half the pleasure I derive from the contemplation of a living woman’s virtues.

Thereupon Ischomachus took up his parable. Well, one day, Socrates, I noticed that her face was made up: she had rubbed in white lead in order to look even whiter than she is, and alkanet juice to heighten the rosy colour of her cheeks; and she was wearing boots with thick soles to increase her height.

So I said to her, Tell me, my dear, how should I appear more worthy of your love as a partner in our goods, by disclosing to you our belongings just as they are, without boasting of imaginary possessions or concealing any part of what we have, or by trying to trick you with an exaggerated account, showing you bad money and gilt necklaces and describing clothes that will fade as real purple?