[16] Holden cf. Virg. "Georg." i. 65, coquat; ii. 260, excoquere. So
Lucr. vi. 962.

Soc. Yes, that is quite a proper state of things, I should imagine.

Isch. And to bring about this proper state of things, do you maintain
there can be any other better system than that of turning the soil
over as many times as possible in summer?

Soc. On the contrary, I know precisely that for either object, whether
to bring the weeds and quitch grass to the surface and to wither them
by scorching heat, or to expose the earth itself to the sun's baking
rays, there can be nothing better than to plough the soil up with a
pair of oxen during mid-day in midsummer.

Isch. And if a gang of men set to, to break and make this fallow with
the mattock, it is transparent that their business is to separate the
quitch grass from the soil and keep them parted?

Soc. Just so!--to throw the quitch grass down to wither on the
surface, and to turn the soil up, so that the crude earth may have its
turn of baking.



XVII

You see, Socrates (he said, continuing the conversation), we hold the
same opinion, both of us, concerning fallow.