The City of the Sun | Page 9

of Aristotle or any other author. For such
knowledge as this of yours much servile labor and memory work are
required, so that a man is rendered unskilful, since he has contemplated
nothing but the words of books and has given his mind with useless
result to the consideration of the dead signs of things. Hence he knows
not in what way God rules the universe, nor the ways and customs of
nature and the nations. Wherefore he is not equal to our Hoh. For that
one cannot know so many arts and sciences thoroughly, who is not
esteemed for skilled ingenuity, very apt at all things, and therefore at
ruling especially. This also is plain to us that he who knows only one
science, does not really know either that or the others, and he who is
suited for only one science and has gathered his knowledge from books,
is unlearned and unskilled. But this is not the case with intellects
prompt and expert in every branch of knowledge and suitable for the
consideration of natural objects, as it is necessary that our Hoh should
be. Besides in our State the sciences are taught with a facility (as you
have seen) by which more scholars are turned out by us in one year
than by you in ten, or even fifteen. Make trial, I pray you, of these
boys."

In this matter I was struck with astonishment at their truth- ful
discourse and at the trial of their boys, who did not under- stand my
language well. Indeed it is necessary that three of them should be
skilled in our tongue, three in Arabic, three in Polish, and three in each
of the other languages, and no recrea- tion is allowed them unless they
become more learned. For that they go out to the plain for the sake of
running about and hurling arrows and lances, and of firing harquebuses,
and for the sake of hunting the wild animals and getting a knowledge of
plants and stones, and agriculture and pasturage; sometimes the band of
boys does one thing, sometimes another.
They do not consider it necessary that the three rulers assist- ing Hoh
should know other than the arts having reference to their rule, and so
they have only a historical knowledge of the arts which are common to
all. But their own they know well, to which certainly one is dedicated
more than another. Thus Power is the most learned in the equestrian art,
in marshalling the army, in the marking out of camps, in the
manufacture of every kind of weapon and of warlike machines, in
planning stratagems, and in every affair of a military nature. And for
these reasons, they consider it necessary that these chiefs should have
been philosophers, historians, politicians, and physicists. Concerning
the other two triumvirs, understand remarks similar to those I have
made about Power.
G.M. I really wish that you would recount all their public duties, and
would distinguish between them, and also that you would tell clearly
how they are all taught in common.
Capt. They have dwellings in common and dormitories, and couches
and other necessaries. But at the end of every six months they are
separated by the masters. Some shall sleep in this ring, some in another;
some in the first apartment, and some in the second; and these
apartments are marked by means of the alphabet on the lintel. There are
occupations, mechani- cal and theoretical, common to both men and
women, with this difference, that the occupations which require more
hard work, and walking a long distance, are practised by men, such as
ploughing, sowing, gathering the fruits, working at the thresh- ing-floor,

and perchance at the vintage. But it is customary to choose women for
milking the cows and for making cheese. In like manner, they go to the
gardens near to the outskirts of the city both for collecting the plants
and for cultivating them. In fact, all sedentary and stationary pursuits
are practised by the women, such as weaving, spinning, sewing, cutting
the hair, shaving, dispensing medicines, and making all kinds of gar-
ments. They are, however, excluded from working in wood and the
manufacture of arms. If a woman is fit to paint, she is not prevented
from doing so; nevertheless, music is given over to the women alone,
because they please the more, and of a truth to boys also. But the
women have not the practise of the drum and the horn.
And they prepare their feasts and arrange the tables in the following
manner. It is the peculiar work of the boys and girls under twenty to
wait at the tables. In every ring there are suitable kitchens, barns, and
stores of utensils for eating and drinking, and over