24 



sequence, to cause them to abound with the most 

 excellent men. 



For on this account men inhabit cities governed 

 by the best laws, rightly manage their domestic 

 affairs, and [if they are able] impart to their friends 

 such political employments as are conformable to 

 the polities in which they live, since they not only 

 provide for the multitude at large, but [especially] 

 for worthy men. 



Hence, many err, who enter into the connubial 

 state without regarding the magnitude of [the 

 power of] fortune, or public utility, but direct 

 their attention to wealth, or dignity of birth. For 

 in consequence of this, instead of uniting with 

 females who are young and in the flower of their 

 age, they become connected with extremely old 

 women ; and instead of having wives with a dispo- 

 sition according with, and most similar to their 

 own, they marry those who are of an illustrious 

 family, or are extremely rich. On this account, 

 they procure for themselves discord instead of con- 

 cord ; and instead of unanimity, dissention ; con- 

 tending with each other for the mastery. For the 

 wife who surpasses her husband in wealth, in 

 birth, and in friends, is desirous of ruling over 

 him, contrary to the law of nature. But the hus- 

 band justly resisting this desire of superiority in his 

 wife, and wishing not to be the second, but the 



