The Economist | Page 3

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Etext prepared by John Bickers, [email protected].

The Economist
By Xenophon
Translation by H. G. Dakyns

Xenophon the Athenian was born 431 B.C. He was a pupil of Socrates.
He marched with the Spartans, and was exiled from Athens. Sparta
gave him land and property in Scillus, where he lived for many years
before having to move once more, to settle in Corinth. He died in 354
B.C.

The Economist records Socrates and Critobulus in a talk about
profitable estate management, and a lengthy recollection by Socrates of
Ischomachus' discussion of the same topic.

PREPARER'S NOTE
This was typed from Dakyns' series, "The Works of Xenophon," a
four-volume set. The complete list of Xenophon's works (though there
is doubt about some of these) is:
Work Number of books
The Anabasis 7 The Hellenica 7 The Cyropaedia 8 The Memorabilia 4
The Symposium 1 The Economist 1 On Horsemanship 1 The
Sportsman 1 The Cavalry General 1 The Apology 1 On Revenues 1
The Hiero 1 The Agesilaus 1 The Polity of the Athenians and the
Lacedaemonians 2
Text in brackets "{}" is my transliteration of Greek text into English
using an Oxford English Dictionary alphabet table. The diacritical
marks have been lost.

The Economist
by Xenophon
Translation by H. G. Dakyns

THE ECONOMIST[1]
A Treatise on the Science of the Household in the form of a Dialogue

INTERLOCUTORS Socrates and Critobulus
At
Chapter VII
. a prior discussion held between Socrates and Ischomachus is
introduced: On the life of a "beautiful and good" man.
In these chapters (vii.-xxi.) Socrates is represented by the author as
repeating for the benefit of Critobulus and the rest certain conversations
which he had once held with the beautiful and good Ischomachus on
the essentials of economy. It was a tete-a-tete discussion, and in the
original Greek the remarks of the two speakers are denoted by such
phrases as {ephe o 'Iskhomakhos--ephen egio}--"said (he)
Ischomachus," "said I" (Socrates). To save the repetition of expressions
tedious in English, I have, whenever it seemed help to do so, ventured
to throw parts of the reported conversations into dramatic form,

inserting "Isch." "Soc." in the customary way to designate the speakers;
but these, it must be borne in mind, are merely "asides" to the reader,
who will not forget that Socrates is the narrator throughout--speaking
of himself as "I," and of Ischomachus as "he," or by his name.--
Translator's note, addressed to the English reader.

I
I once heard him[2] discuss the topic of economy[3] after the following
manner. Addressing Critobulus,[4] he said: Tell me, Critobulus, is
"economy," like the words "medicine," "carpentry," "building,"
"smithying," "metal-working," and so forth, the name of a particular
kind of knowledge or science?
[1] By "economist" we now generally understand "policital economist,"
but the use of the word as referring to domestic economy, the subject
matter of the treatise, would seem to be legitimate.
[2] "The master."
[3] Lit. "the management of a household and estate." See Plat. "Rep."
407 B; Aristot. "Eth. N." v. 6; "Pol." i. 3.
[4] See "Mem." I. iii. 8; "Symp." p. 292.
Crit. Yes, I think so.
Soc. And as, in the case of the arts just named, we can state the proper
work or function of each, can we (similarly) state the proper work and
function of economy?
Crit. It must, I should think, be the business of the good economist[5] at
any rate to manage his own house or estate well.
[5] Or, "manager of a house or estate."
Soc. And supposing another man's house to be entrusted to him, he
would be able, if he chose, to manage it as skilfully as his own, would
he not? since a man who is skilled in carpentry can work as well for
another as for himself: and this ought to be equally true of the good
economist?
Crit. Yes, I think so, Socrates.
Soc. Then there is no reason why