BOOK I. VIII. 4-9 



party because that would make another aware of the 

 deception. 



But be the overseer what he may, he should be 5 

 given a woman companion to keep him within 

 bounds "■ and yet in certain matters to be a help to 

 him ; and this same overseer should be warned not 

 to become intimate -vvith a member of the household, 

 and much less with an outsider, yet at times he may 

 consider it fitting, as a mark of distinction, to invite to 

 his table on a holiday one whom he has found to be 

 constantly busy and vigorous in the performance 

 of his tasks. ^ He shall offer no sacrifice except by 

 direction of the master. Soothsayers and witches, 6 

 two sets of people who incite ignorant minds through 

 false superstition to spending and then to shameful 

 practices, he must not admit to the place. He 

 must have no acquaintance with the city or with the 

 weekly market, except to make purchases and sales 

 in connection with his duties. For, as Cato says," 7 

 an overseer should not be a gadabout ; and he should 

 not go out of bounds except to learn something new 

 about farming, and that only if the place is so near 

 that he can come back. He must allow no foot-paths 

 or new crosscuts to be made in the farm ; and he 

 shall entertain no guest except a close friend or kins- 

 man of his master. 



As he must be restrained from these jiractices, so 8 

 must he be urged to take care of the equipment and 

 the iron tools, and to keep in repair and stored away 

 twice as many as the number of slaves requires, so 

 that there will be no need of borrowing from a 

 neighbour ; for the loss in slave labour exceeds the 

 cost of articles of this sort. In the care and clothing 9 



« Cato, 5. 2. 



8? 



