r duty also to see that the dried corn is rendered fit and
serviceable for food.

"There is just one of all these occupations which devolve upon you," I
added, "you may not find so altogether pleasing. Should any one of our
household fall sick, it will be your care to see and tend them to the
recovery of their health."

"Nay," she answered, "that will be my pleasantest of tasks, if careful
nursing may touch the springs of gratitude and leave them friendlier
than before."

And I (continued Ischomachus) was struck with admiration at her answer,
and replied: "Think you, my wife, it is through some such traits of
forethought seen in their mistress-leader that the hearts of bees are
won, and they are so loyally affectioned towards her that, if ever she
abandon her hive, not one of them will dream of being left behind; [33]
but one and all must follow her."

[33] Al. "will suffer her to be forsaken."

And my wife made answer to me: "It would much astonish me (said she) did
not these leader's works, you speak of, point to you rather than myself.
Methinks mine would be a pretty [34] guardianship and distribution of
things indoors without your provident care to see that the importations
from without were duly made."

[34] Or, "ridiculous."

"Just so," I answered, "and mine would be a pretty [35] importation if
there were no one to guard what I imported. Do you not see," I added,
"how pitiful is the case of those unfortunates who pour water in their
sieves for ever, as the story goes, [36] and labour but in vain?"

[35] "As laughable an importation."

[36] Or, "how pitiful their case, condemned, as the saying goes, to
pour water into a sieve." Lit. "filling a bucket bored with
holes." Cf. Aristot. "Oec." i. 6; and for the Danaids, see Ovid.
"Met." iv. 462; Hor. "Carm." iii. 11. 25; Lucr. iii. 937; Plaut.
"Pseud." 369. Cp. Coleridge:

Work without hope draws nectar in a sieve,
And hope without an object cannot live.

"Pitiful enough, poor souls," she answered, "if that is what they do."

"But there are other cares, you know, and occupations," I answered,
"which are yours by right, and these you will find agreeable. This, for
instance, to take some maiden who knows naught of carding wool and to
make her proficient in the art, doubling her usefulness; or to receive
another quite ignorant of housekeeping or of service, and to render her
skilful, loyal, serviceable, till she is worth her weight i