Chapter XXIX. That They Failed to Give Answers About Matters of Importance

[OENOMAUS] ‘THOU art ready to speak of marriage also:

“From Argive pastures choose a well-bred foal Of dark-maned sire.”

‘And about children:

“Astion, of race most honourable, None gives thee honour; but thy Labda soon Conceives, and bears a mighty rock, (to crush The tyrants, and on Corinth justice do).”

‘About a colony:

‘”Gainst men of gold lead forth a numerous host, Brass on thy shoulders, iron in thine hand.”

‘About vainglory:

“No spot on earth can match Pelasgia’s soil, What soil with thine, Pelasgia, can compare? The mares of Thrace, or Sparta’s beauteous dames, Or men who drink fair Arethusa’s fount.”

‘And it seems to me that thou art no better than the so-called marvel-mongers, nay not even than the rest of the quacks and sophists. At them, however, I do not wonder, that they throw men over for pay; but I do wonder at thee, the god, and at mankind, that they pay to be thrown over.

‘Then the famous Socrates, in answer to him who asked whether he should marry or not, said neither, but that he would repent of both: and to the man who wished for children he said that he would not do right, if, instead of trying how, if he should have children, he might treat them in the best way, he made no account of this but was only considering how he might get them.

‘And when another man had determined to travel, because things were not well with him at home, he said that he was not taking right counsel; for he would go away and leave his country where it was, but would take his folly with him, which would make him disagreeable to the people there just as much as to those at home. And not only when he was questioned, but also of his own accord he often resorted to such conversations.’