wn his attention; and
on seeing the younger of the two he thus addressed him.

Soc. Tell me, Chaerecrates, you are not, I take it, one of those strange
people who believe that goods are better and more precious than a
brother; (1) and that too although the former are but senseless chattels
which need protection, the latter a sensitive and sensible being who
can afford it; and what is more, he is himself alone, whilst as for them
their name is legion. And here again is a marvellous thing: that a man
should count his brother a loss, because the goods of his brother are
not his; but he does not count his fellow-citizens loss, and yet their
possessions are not his; only it seems in their case he has wits to see
that to dwell securely with many and have enough is better than to own
the whole wealth of a community and to live in dangerous isolation; but
this same doctrine as applied to brothers they ignore. Again, if a
man have the means, he will purchase domestic slaves, because he wants
assistants in his work; he will acquire friends, because he needs their
support; but this brother of his--who cares about brothers? It seems
a friend may be discovered in an ordinary citizen, but not in a blood
relation who is also a brother. And yet it is a great vantage-ground
towards friendship to have sprung from the same loins and to have been
suckled at the same breasts, since even among beasts a certain natural
craving, and sympathy springs up between creatures reared together. (2)
Added to which, a man who has brothers commands more respect from the
rest of the world than the man who has none, and who must fight his own
battles. (3)

(1) Cf. "Merchant of Venice," II. viii. 17: "Justice! the law! my
ducats, and my daughter!"

(2) Or, "a yearning after their foster-brothers manifests itself in
animals." See "Cyrop." VIII. vii. 14 foll. for a parallel to this
discussion.

(3) Lit. "and is less liable to hostility."

Chaer. I daresay, Socrates, where the differences are not profound,
reason would a man should bear with his brother, and not avoid him for
some mere trifle's sake, for a brother of the right sort is, as you say,
a blessing; but if he be the very antithesis of that, why should a man
lay his hand to achieve the impossible?

Soc. Well now, tell me, is there nobody whom Chaerephon can please any
more than he can please yourself; or do some people find him agreeable
enough?

Chaer. Nay, there you hit it. T