Chapter 30 Volume Three, Chapter Thirteen

A few short speeches by Socrates.One should not be offended at the rude manners of others, any more than one should be offended at bodily defects, v. 1.Fasting is a cure for food boredom, v. 2.Diet should not be too fastidious, section 3.He who punishes a slave should consider whether he deserves the same punishment, v. 4.Advice to Travelers, Section 5.It is shameful for a man who has exercised himself to be less able to toil than a slave, v. 6. Once, when a person was angry because he saluted others and was not returned, Socrates said: "This is very strange. If you meet a person who is physically ugly, you will never be angry, but when you meet someone It's hard for you to meet someone with a rougher temperament!"

Another said he had no taste in his food.Socrates said: "Acymenos has a good remedy for this disease".When asked "what is the prescription", Socrates replied: "Stop eating and drinking, because then you will live more happily, save less, and be in better health." Another said the water he drank at home was lukewarm.Socrates said, "Then, it is very convenient when you want to take a bath with warm water." "But it's too cold for bathing," the man replied. "Then," asked Socrates, "are your slaves dissatisfied when they drink and bathe in it?"

"Not at all," replied the man, "on the contrary, I am often quite amazed at the joy with which they use water for both purposes." "Which is warmer to drink, the water in your house or the water in the temple of Asklepius?" asked Socrates. "It is the warmer water at the Temple of Asklepius," replied the man. "Which is cooler, the water in your house or the water in the temple of Amphiaras, for bathing?" asked Socrates. "The water in the temple of Amphiaras is cooler," replied the man. "Just weigh it in your heart," Socrates said, "it seems that you are more unsatisfied than slaves and patients."

When a man punishes his servant very severely, Socrates asks him why he treats his servant so harshly. "Because he is both delicious and stupid, greedy and lazy," replied the man. "Have you ever considered" [Socrates asked], "Who deserves to be beaten more, you or your servant?" There was one man who dreaded traveling to Olympia.Socrates asked, "Why are you afraid of traveling? Don't you walk around the house almost all day? When you start to go there, you can go for a while, then have breakfast, and then go one ride, then lunch, and then rest. Did you not know that if you combined five or six days' journey, you could easily walk from Athens to Olympia? It is more pleasant to walk a day late, for it is a nuisance to be forced to prolong the journey, but it is easy to spend an extra day on the road, so it is better to be busy at the beginning than to be busy on the road."

Another said that he was very tired from the long journey, and Socrates asked him if he was carrying any heavy burden. "Of course not", the man replied, "I'm just holding my coat". "Are you walking alone, or are you accompanied by a squire?" asked Socrates. "A squire follows me," he replied. "Is he empty-handed, or is he holding something?" Socrates asked again. "Of course with bedding and other luggage," the man replied. "How did he go when he finished his journey?" asked Socrates. "I think he's better than me," the man replied.

"What do you think will happen to you if the two of you change and you carry other burdens?" asked Socrates. "Of course it's bad, and it's very likely that I won't be able to walk at all," the man replied. "So, you should think about it, how can an educated person be worse than a servant?"