PLATO 5 



delight in gardening; for, as you intimate, his gardens are 

 furnished with every tree and plant that the ground is capable 

 of bringing forth. ... 



When Lysander brought presents to Cyrus from the cities of 

 Greece, that were his confederates, he received him with the 

 greatest humanity, and amongst other things showed him his 

 garden, which was called ' The Paradise of Sardis ' ; which 

 when Lysander beheld he was struck with admiration of the 

 beauty of the trees, the regularity of their planting, the evenness 

 of their rows, and their making regular angles one to another; 

 or, in a word, the beauty of the quincunx order in which they 

 were planted, and the delightful odours which issued from them. 

 Lysander could no longer refrain from extolling the beauty of 

 their order, but more particularly admired the excellent skill 

 of the hand that had so curiously disposed them ; which Cyrus 

 perceiving, answered him : ' All the trees which you here behold 

 are of my own appointment ; I it was that contrived, measured, 

 laid out the ground for planting these trees, and I can even show 

 you some of them that I planted with my own hands.' — ' (Econo- 

 micus^ translated by R. Bradley^ F.R.S. 



COCRATES. Lead on then, and at the same time look out PLATO 

 for a place where we may sit down. v • -4 7-347J' 



Phcedrus. Do you see that lofty plane-tree ? 



Socr. How should I not. 



Phce. There, there is both shade and a gentle breeze, and grass 

 to sit down upon, or, if we prefer it, to lie down on. 



Socr. Lead on, then. 



Socr. By Juno, a beautiful retreat. For this plane-tree is very 

 wide-spreading and lofty, and the height and shadiness of this 

 agnus castus are very beautiful, and as it is now at the perfection 

 of its flowering, it makes the spot as fragrant as possible. More- 

 over, a most agreeable fountain flows under the plane tree, of very 

 cold water, to judge from its effect on the foot. It appears from 

 these images and statues to be sacred to certain nymphs and to 

 Achelous. Observe again the freshness of the spot, how charm- 



