But Lysias, in the oration which bears this title— [p. 976] “Against Aeschines, the Pupil of Socrates, for Debt,” (for I will recite the passage, even though it be a rather long one, on account of your excessive arrogance, O philosophers,)— begins in the following manner—“I never should have imagined, O judges, that Aeschines would have dared to come into court on a trial which is so discreditable to him. For a more disgracefully false accusation than the one which he has brought forward, I do not believe it to be easy to find. For he, O judges, owing a sum of money with a covenanted interest of three drachmæ to Sosinomus the banker and Aristogiton, came to me, and besought me not to allow him to be wholly stripped of his own property, in consequence of this high interest. ' And I,' said he, am at this moment carrying on the trade of a perfumer; but I want capital to go on with, and I will pay you nine1 obols a month interest.” A fine end to the happiness of this philosopher was the trade of a perfumer, and admirably harmonizing with the philosophy of Socrates, a man who utterly rejected the use of all perfumes and unguents! And moreover, Solon the lawgiver expressly forbade a man to devote himself to any such business: on which account Pherecrates, in his Oven, or Woman sitting up all Night, says—
Why should he practise a perfumer's trade,And presently afterwards he says—
Sitting beneath a high umbrella there,
Preparing for himself a seat on which
To gossip with the youths the whole day long?
And no one ever saw a female cookAnd after what I have already quoted, the orator proceeds to say—“And I was persuaded by this speech of his, considering also that this Aeschines had been the pupil of Socrates, and was a man who uttered fine sentiments about [p. 977] virtue and justice, and who would never attempt nor venture on the actions practised by dishonest and unjust men.”
Or any fishwoman; for every class
Should practise arts which are best suited to it.
