But to return:-After marriage let us speak of the birth of children,and after their birth of their nurture and education. In the course ofdiscussion the several laws will be perfected, and we shall at lastarrive at the common tables. Whether such associations are to beconfined to men, or extended to women also, we shall see better whenwe approach and take a nearer view of them; and we may thendetermine what previous institutions are required and will have toprecede them. As I said before we shall see them more in detail, andshall be better able to lay down the laws which are proper or suitedto them.
Cle. Very true.
Ath. Let us keep in mind the words which have now been spoken; forhereafter there may be need of them.
Cle. What do you bid us keep in mind?
Ath. That which we comprehended under the three words-first, eating,secondly, drinking, thirdly, the excitement of love.
Cle. We shall be sure to remember, Stranger.
Ath. Very good. Then let us now proceed to marriage, and teachpersons in what way they shall beget children, threatening them, ifthey disobey, with the terrors of the law.
Cle. What do you mean?
Ath. The bride and bridegroom should consider that they are toproduce for the state the best and fairest specimens of children whichthey can. Now all men who are associated any action always succeedwhen they attend and give their mind to what they are doing, butwhen they do not give their mind or have no mind, they fail; whereforelet the bridegroom give his mind to the bride and to the begettingof children, and the bride in like manner give her mind to thebridegroom, and particularly at the time when their children are notyet born. And let the women whom we have chosen be the overseers ofsuch matters, and let them in whatever number, large or small, andat whatever time the magistrates may command, assemble every day inthe temple of Eileithyia during a third part of the day, and beingthere assembled, let them inform one another of any one whom they see,whether man or woman, of those who are begetting children,disregarding the ordinances given at the time when the nuptialsacrifices and ceremonies were performed. Let the begetting ofchildren and the supervision of those who are begetting themcontinue ten years and no longer, during the time when marriage isfruitful. But if any continue without children up to this time, letthem take counsel with their kindred and with the women holding theoffice of overseer and be divorced for their mutual benefit. If,however, any dispute arises about what is proper and for theinterest of either party, they shall choose ten of the guardians ofthe law and abide by their permission and appointment. The women whopreside over these matters shall enter into the houses of the young,and partly by admonitions and partly by threats make them give overtheir folly and error: if they persist, let the women go and tellthe guardians of the law, and the guardians shall prevent them. But ifthey too cannot prevent them, they shall bring the matter before thepeople; and let them write up their names and make oath that theycannot reform such and such an one; and let him who is thus writtenup, if he cannot in a court of law convict those who have inscribedhis name, be deprived of the privileges of a citizen in thefollowing respects:-let him not go to weddings nor to thethanksgivings after the birth of children; and if he go, let any onewho pleases strike him with impunity; and let the same regulationshold about women: let not a woman be allowed to appear abroad, orreceive honour, or go to nuptial and birthday festivals, if she inlike manner be written up as acting disorderly and cannot obtain averdict. And if, when they themselves have done begetting childrenaccording to the law, a man or woman have connection with anotherman or woman who are still begetting children, let the samepenalties be inflicted upon them as upon those who are still havinga family; and when the time for procreation has passed let the manor woman who refrains in such matters be held in esteem, and let thosewho do not refrain be held in the contrary of esteem-that is to say,disesteem. Now, if the greater part of mankind behave modestly, theenactments of law may be left to slumber; but, if they are disorderly,the enactments having been passed, let them be carried into execution.
To every man the first year is the beginning of life, and the timeof birth ought to be written down in the temples of their fathers asthe beginning of existence to every child, whether boy or girl. Letevery phratria have inscribed on a whited wall the names of thesuccessive archons by whom the years are reckoned. And near to themlet the living members of the phratria be inscribed, and when theydepart life let them be erased. The limit of marriageable ages for awoman shall be from sixteen to twenty years at the longest-for aman, from thirty to thirty-five years; and let a woman hold officeat forty, and a man at thirty years. Let a man go out to war fromtwenty to sixty years, and for a woman, if there appear any need tomake use of her in military service, let the time of service beafter she shall have brought forth children up to fifty years ofage; and let regard be had to what is possible and suitable to each.