ctice (like the fingers
of a harp-player) to obey the will?

Isch. Precisely so, but now suppose the soil is light in one part and
heavy in another?

Soc. I do not follow; by "light" do you mean weak? and by "heavy"
strong?

Isch. Yes, that is what I mean. And the question which I put to you
is this: Would you allow both sorts of soil an equal share of seed? or
which the larger? [9]

[9] See Theophr. "Hist. Pl." viii. 6. 2; Virg. "Georg." ii. 275.
Holden cf. Adam Dickson, "Husbandry of the Ancients," vol. ii. 35.
33 f. (Edin. 1788), "Were the poor light land in Britain managed
after the manner of the Roman husbandry, it would certainly
require much less seed than under its present management."

Soc. The stronger the wine the larger the dose of water to be added, I
believe. The stronger, too, the man the heavier the weight we will
lay upon his back to carry: or if it is not porterage, but people to
support, there still my tenet holds: the broader and more powerful the
great man's shoulders, the more mouths I should assign to him to feed.
But perhaps a weak soil, like a lean pack-horse, [10] grows stronger the
more corn you pour into it. This I look to you to teach me. [11]

[10] Or, "lean cattle."

[11] Or, "Will you please answer me that question, teacher?"

With a laugh, he answered: Once more you are pleased to jest. Yet rest
assured of one thing, Socrates: if after you have put seed into the
ground, you will await the instant when, while earth is being richly
fed from heaven, the fresh green from the hidden seed first springs, and
take and turn it back again, [12] this sprouting germ will serve as food
for earth: as from manure an inborn strength will presently be added to
the soil. But if you suffer earth to feed the seed of corn within it and
to bring forth fruit in an endless round, at last [13] it will be hard
for the weakened soil to yield large corn crops, even as a weak sow can
hardly rear a large litter of fat pigs.

[12] "If you will plough the seedlings in again."

[13] {dia telous... es telos}, "continually... in the end." See
references in Holden's fifth edition.

Soc. I understand you to say, Ischomachus, that the weaker soil must
receive a scantier dose of seed?

Isch. Most decidedly I do, and you on your side, Socrates, I understand,
give your consent to this opinion in stating your belief that the weaker
the shoulders the lighter the burdens to be laid on them.