Menexenus by Plato. - HTML preview

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19

Menexenus

This is all that we have to say to our families: and to the while they are children she is a parent to them, and when they state we would sayTake care of our parents and of our have arrived at mans estate she sends them to their several sons: let her worthily cherish the old age of our parents, duties, in full armour clad; and bringing freshly to their minds and bring up our sons in the right way. But we know that the ways of their fathers, she places in their hands the instru-she will of her own accord take care of them, and does not ments of their fathers virtues; for the sake of the omen, she need any exhortation of ours.

would have them from the first begin to rule over their own This, O ye children and parents of the dead, is the message houses arrayed in the strength and arms of their fathers. And which they bid us deliver to you, and which I do deliver with as for the dead, she never ceases honouring them, celebrating the utmost seriousness. And in their name I beseech you, the in common for all rites which become the property of each; children, to imitate your fathers, and you, parents, to be of and in addition to this, holding gymnastic and equestrian con-good cheer about yourselves; for we will nourish your age, and tests, and musical festivals of every sort. She is to the dead in take care of you both publicly and privately in any place in the place of a son and heir, and to their sons in the place of a which one of us may meet one of you who are the parents of father, and to their parents and elder kindred in the place of a the dead. And the care of you which the city shows, you know guardianever and always caring for them. Considering this, yourselves; for she has made provision by law concerning the you ought to bear your calamity the more gently; for thus you parents and children of those who die in war; the highest au-will be most endeared to the dead and to the living, and your thority is specially entrusted with the duty of watching over sorrows will heal and be healed. And now do you and all, them above all other citizens, and they will see that your fa-having lamented the dead in common according to the law, go thers and mothers have no wrong done to them. The city her-your ways.

self shares in the education of the children, desiring as far as it You have heard, Menexenus, the oration of Aspasia the is possible that their orphanhood may not be felt by them; Milesian.