nourishment and life; and after having suffered the sharpest pangs at the
moment of its birth, she then gives it suck, and continues her care and
love to it. All this she does to the poor helpless infant, so void of
reason, that it knows not even her that is so good to it, nor can ask her
for its own necessities. Full of tenderness for the welfare and
happiness of her babe, her whole time, day and night, is spent in
pleasing it, without the least prospect of any recompense for all her
fatigue. After this, when the children are come to an age fit to be
instructed, the fathers teach them all the good things they can for the
conduct of their life; and if they know any man more capable to instruct
them than themselves, they send them to him, without regard to the
expense, thus indicating by their whole conduct, what sincere pleasure it
would afford them to see their children turn out men of virtue and
probity." "Undoubtedly," answered Lamprocles, "if my mother had done all
this, and an hundred times as much, no man could suffer her ill-humours?"
"Do not you think," said Socrates, "that the anger of a beast is much
more difficult to support than that of a mother?" "Not of a mother like
her," said Lamprocles. Socrates continued, "What strange thing has she
done to you? Has she bit you, has she kicked you, as beasts do when they
are angry?" "She has a tongue that no mortal can suffer," answered
Lamprocles. "And you," replied Socrates, "how many crosses did you give
her in your infancy by your continual bawling and importunate actions?
how much trouble by night and by day? how much affliction in your
illnesses?" "At worst," answered Lamprocles, "I never did nor said
anything that might make her blush." "Alas!" said Socrates, "is it more
difficult for you to hear in patience the hasty expressions of your
mother, than it is for the comedians to hear what they say to one another
on the stage when they fall into the most injurious reproaches? For they
easily suffer it, knowing well that when one reviles another, he reviles
him not with intent to injure him; and when one threatens another, he