[16] Lit. Phrourarch, "the commandant."

[17] Or, "Council" at Athens.

[18] Cf. "Hipparch." i. 8, 13.

Nor did my lessons end here (added he); I taught her that she must not
be annoyed should I seem to be enjoining upon her more trouble than
upon any of our domestics with regard to our possessions; pointing out
to her that these domestics have only so far a share in their master's
chattels that they must fetch and carry, tend and guard them; nor have
they the right to use a single one of them except the master grant it.
But to the master himself all things pertain to use as he thinks best.
And so I pointed the conclusion: he to whom the greater gain attaches
in the preservation of the property or loss in its destruction, is
surely he to whom by right belongs the larger measure of
attention.[19]

[19] Or, "he it is on whom devolves as his concern the duty of
surveillance."

When, then (I asked), Ischomachus, how fared it? was your wife
disposed at all to lend a willing ear to what you told her?[20]

[20] Lit. "when she heard did she give ear at all?"

Bless you,[21] Socrates (he answered), what did she do but forthwith
answer me, I formed a wrong opinion if I fancied that, in teaching her
the need of minding our property, I was imposing a painful task upon
her. A painful task it might have been[22] (she added), had I bade her