Ath。Thebrideandbridegroomshouldconsiderthattheyaretoproduceforthestatethebestandfairestspecimensofchildrenwhichtheycan。Nowallmenwhoareassociatedanyactionalwayssucceedwhentheyattendandgivetheirmindtowhattheyaredoing，butwhentheydonotgivetheirmindorhavenomind，theyfail；whereforeletthebridegroomgivehismindtothebrideandtothebegettingofchildren，andthebrideinlikemannergivehermindtothebridegroom，andparticularlyatthetimewhentheirchildrenarenotyetborn。Andletthewomenwhomwehavechosenbetheoverseersofsuchmatters，andlettheminwhatevernumber，largeorsmall，andatwhatevertimethemagistratesmaycommand，assembleeverydayinthetempleofEileithyiaduringathirdpartoftheday，andbeingthereassembled，lettheminformoneanotherofanyonewhomtheysee，whethermanorwoman，ofthosewhoarebegettingchildren，disregardingtheordinancesgivenatthetimewhenthenuptialsacrificesandceremonieswereperformed。Letthebegettingofchildrenandthesupervisionofthosewhoarebegettingthemcontinuetenyearsandnolonger，duringthetimewhenmarriageisfruitful。Butifanycontinuewithoutchildrenuptothistime，letthemtakecounselwiththeirkindredandwiththewomenholdingtheofficeofoverseerandbedivorcedfortheirmutualbenefit。If，however，anydisputearisesaboutwhatisproperandfortheinterestofeitherparty，theyshallchoosetenoftheguardiansofthelawandabidebytheirpermissionandappointment。Thewomenwhopresideoverthesemattersshallenterintothehousesoftheyoung，andpartlybyadmonitionsandpartlybythreatsmakethemgiveovertheirfollyanderror：iftheypersist，letthewomengoandtelltheguardiansofthelaw，andtheguardiansshallpreventthem。Butiftheytoocannotpreventthem，theyshallbringthematterbeforethepeople；andletthemwriteuptheirnamesandmakeoaththattheycannotreformsuchandsuchanone；andlethimwhoisthuswrittenup，ifhecannotinacourtoflawconvictthosewhohaveinscribedhisname，bedeprivedoftheprivilegesofacitizeninthefollowingrespects：-lethimnotgotoweddingsnortothethanksgivingsafterthebirthofchildren；andifhego，letanyonewhopleasesstrikehimwithimpunity；andletthesameregulationsholdaboutwomen：letnotawomanbeallowedtoappearabroad，orreceivehonour，orgotonuptialandbirthdayfestivals，ifsheinlikemannerbewrittenupasactingdisorderlyandcannotobtainaverdict。Andif，whentheythemselveshavedonebegettingchildrenaccordingtothelaw，amanorwomanhaveconnectionwithanothermanorwomanwhoarestillbegettingchildren，letthesamepenaltiesbeinflicteduponthemasuponthosewhoarestillhavingafamily；andwhenthetimeforprocreationhaspassedletthemanorwomanwhorefrainsinsuchmattersbeheldinesteem，andletthosewhodonotrefrainbeheldinthecontraryofesteem-thatistosay，disesteem。Now，ifthegreaterpartofmankindbehavemodestly，theenactmentsoflawmaybelefttoslumber；but，iftheyaredisorderly，theenactmentshavingbeenpassed，letthembecarriedintoexecution。
　　Toeverymanthefirstyearisthebeginningoflife，andthetimeofbirthoughttobewrittendowninthetemplesoftheirfathersasthebeginningofexistencetoeverychild，whetherboyorgirl。Leteveryphratriahaveinscribedonawhitedwallthenamesofthesuccessivearchonsbywhomtheyearsarereckoned。Andneartothemletthelivingmembersofthephratriabeinscribed，andwhentheydepartlifeletthembeerased。Thelimitofmarriageableagesforawomanshallbefromsixteentotwentyyearsatthelongest-foraman，fromthirtytothirty-fiveyears；andletawomanholdofficeatforty，andamanatthirtyyears。Letamangoouttowarfromtwentytosixtyyears，andforawoman，ifthereappearanyneedtomakeuseofherinmilitaryservice，letthetimeofservicebeaftersheshallhavebroughtforthchildrenuptofiftyyearsofage；andletregardbehadtowhatispossibleandsuitabletoeach。
　　BOOKVII
　　Andnow，assumingchildrenofbothsexestohavebeenborn，itwillbeproperforustoconsider，inthenextplace，theirnurtureandeducation；thiscannotbeleftaltogetherunnoticed，andyetmaybethoughtasubjectfittedratherforpreceptandadmonitionthanforlaw。Inprivatelifetherearemanylittlethings，notalwaysapparent，arisingoutofthepleasuresandpainsanddesiresofindividuals，whichruncountertotheintentionofthelegislator，andmakethecharactersofthecitizensvariousanddissimilar：-thisisanevilinstates；forbyreasonoftheirsmallnessandfrequentoccurrence，therewouldbeanunseemlinessandwantofproprietyinmakingthempenalbylaw；andifmadepenal，theyarethedestructionofthewrittenlawbecausemankindgetthehabitoffrequentlytransgressingthelawinsmallmatters。Theresultisthatyoucannotlegislateaboutthem，andstilllesscanyoubesilent。Ispeaksomewhatdarkly，butIshallendeavouralsotobringmywaresintothelightofday，forIacknowledgethatatpresentthereisawantofclearnessinwhatIamsaying。
　　Cleinias。Verytrue。
　　Athenian。Stranger。AmInotrightinmaintainingthatagoodeducationisthatwhichtendsmost，totheimprovementofmindandbody？
　　Cle。Undoubtedly。
　　Ath。Andnothingcanbeplainerthanthatthefairestbodiesarethosewhichgrowupfrominfancyinthebestandstraightestmanner？
　　Cle。Certainly。
　　Ath。Anddowenotfurtherobservethatthefirstshootofeverylivingthingisbyfarthegreatestandfullest？Manywillevencontendthatamanattwenty-fivedoesnotreachtwicetheheightwhichheattainedatfive。
　　Cle。True。
　　Ath。Well，andisnotrapidgrowthwithoutproperandabundantexercisethesourceendlessevilsinthebody？
　　Cle。Yes。
　　Ath。Andthebodyshouldhavethemostexercisewhenitreceivesmostnourishment？
　　Cle。But，Stranger，arewetoimposethisgreatamountofexerciseuponnewly-borninfants？
　　Ath。Nay，ratheronthebodiesofinfantsstillunborn。
　　Cle。Whatdoyoumean，mygoodsir？Intheprocessofgestation？
　　Ath。Exactly。Iamnotatallsurprisedthatyouhaveneverheardofthisverypeculiarsortofgymnasticappliedtosuchlittlecreatures，which，althoughstrange，Iwillendeavourtoexplaintoyou。
　　Cle。Byallmeans。
　　Ath。Thepracticeismoreeasyforustounderstandthanforyou，byreasonofcertainamusementswhicharecarriedtoexcessbyusatAthens。Notonlyboys，butoftenolderpersons，areinthehabitofkeepingquailsandcocks，whichtheytraintofightoneanother。Andtheyarefarfromthinkingthatthecontestsinwhichtheystirthemuptofightwithoneanotheraresufficientexercise；for，inadditiontothis，theycarrythemabouttuckedbeneaththeirarmpits，holdingthesmallerbirdsintheirhands，thelargerundertheirarms，andgoforawalkofagreatmanymilesforthesakeofhealth，thatistosay，nottheirown，health，butthehealthofthebirds；wherebytheyprovetoanyintelligentperson，thatallbodiesarebenefitedbyshakingsandmovements，whentheyaremovedwithoutweariness，whethermotionproceedsfromthemselves，oriscausedbyaswing，oratsea，oronhorseback，orbyotherbodiesinwhateverwaymoving，andthatthusgainingthemasteryoverfoodanddrink，theyareabletoimpartbeautyandhealthandstrength。Butadmittingallthis，whatfollows？Shallwemakearidiculouslawthatthepregnantwomanshallwalkaboutandfashiontheembryowithinaswefashionwaxbeforeithardens，andafterbirthswathetheinfantfortwoyears？
　　Supposethatwecompelnurses，underpenaltyofalegalfine，tobealwayscarryingthechildrensomewhereorother，eithertothetemples，orintothecountry，ortotheirrelations，houses，untiltheyarewellabletostand，andtotakecarethattheirlimbsarenotdistortedbyleaningonthemwhentheyaretooyoung-theyshouldcontinuetocarrythemuntiltheinfanthascompleteditsthirdyear；thenursesshouldbestrong，andthereshouldbemorethanoneofthem。Shallthesebeourrules，andshallweimposeapenaltyfortheneglectofthem？No，no；thepenaltyofwhichwewerespeakingwillfalluponourownheadsmorethanenough。
　　Cle。Whatpenalty？
　　Ath。Ridicule，andthedifficultyofgettingthefeminineandservant-likedispositionsofthenursestocomply。
　　Cle。Thenwhywasthereanyneedtospeakofthematteratall？
　　Ath。Thereasonisthatmastersandfreemeninstates，whentheyhearofit，areverylikelytoarriveatatrueconvictionthatwithoutdueregulationofprivatelifeincities，stabilityinthelayingdownoflawsishardlytobeexpected；andhewhomakesthisreflectionmayhimselfadoptthelawsjustnowmentioned，and，adoptingthem，mayorderhishouseandstatewellandbehappy。
　　Cle。Likelyenough。
　　Ath。Andthereforeletusproceedwithourlegislationuntilwehavedeterminedtheexerciseswhicharesuitedtothesoulsofyoungchildren，inthesamemannerinwhichwehavebeguntogothroughtherulesrelatingtotheirbodies。
　　Cle。Byallmeans。
　　Ath。Letusassume，then，asafirstprincipleinrelationbothtothebodyandsoulofveryyoungcreatures，thatnursingandmovingaboutbydayandnightisgoodforthemall，andthattheyoungertheyare，themoretheywillneedit；infantsshouldlive，ifthatwerepossible，asiftheywerealwaysrockingatsea。Thisisthelessonwhichwemaygatherfromtheexperienceofnurses，andlikewisefromtheuseoftheremedyofmotionintheritesoftheCorybantes；forwhenmotherswanttheirrestlesschildrentogotosleeptheydonotemployrest，but，onthecontrary，motion-rockingthemintheirarms；nordotheygivethemsilence，buttheysingtothemandlaptheminsweetstrains；andtheBacchicwomenarecuredoftheirfrenzyinthesamemannerbytheuseofthedanceandofmusic。
　　Cle。Well，Stranger，andwhatisthereasonofthis？
　　Ath。Thereasonisobvious。
　　Cle。What？
　　Ath。TheaffectionbothoftheBacchantesandofthechildrenisanemotionoffear，whichspringsoutofanevilhabitofthesoul。
　　Andwhensomeoneappliesexternalagitationtoaffectionsofthissort，themotioncomingfromwithoutgetsthebetteroftheterribleandviolentinternalone，andproducesapeaceandcalminthesoul，andquietstherestlesspalpitationoftheheart，whichisathingmuchtobedesired，sendingthechildrentosleep，andmakingtheBacchantes，althoughtheyremainawake，todancetothepipewiththehelpoftheGodstowhomtheyofferacceptablesacrifices，andproducinginthemasoundmind，whichtakestheplaceoftheirfrenzy。
　　And，toexpresswhatImeaninaword，thereisagooddealtobesaidinfavourofthistreatment。
　　Cle。Certainly。
　　Ath。Butiffearhassuchapowerweoughttoinferfromthesefacts，thateverysoulwhichfromyouthupwardhasbeenfamiliarwithfears，willbemademoreliabletofear，andeveryonewillallowthatthisisthewaytoformahabitofcowardiceandnotofcourage。
　　Cle。Nodoubt。
　　Ath。And，ontheotherhand，thehabitofovercoming，fromouryouthupwards，thefearsandterrorswhichbesetus，maybesaidtobeanexerciseofcourage。
　　Cle。True。
　　Ath。Andwemaysaythattheuseofexerciseandmotionintheearliestyearsoflifegreatlycontributestocreateapartofvirtueinthesoul。
　　Cle。Quitetrue。
　　Ath。Further，acheerfultemper，orthereverse，mayberegardedashavingmuchtodowithhighspiritontheonehand，orwithcowardiceontheother。
　　Cle。Tobesure。
　　Ath。Thennowwemustendeavourtoshowhowandtowhatextentwemay，ifweplease，withoutdifficultyimplanteithercharacterintheyoung。
　　Cle。Certainly。
　　Ath。Thereisacommonopinion，thatluxurymakesthedispositionofyouthdiscontentedandirascibleandvehementlyexcitedbytrifles；