[170] An allusion to Homer, "Iliad," xiv. 214-217.

[171] Called by the Romans "pronuba Juno." See Verg.
"AEneid," iv. 166; Ovid, "Heroides," vi. 43.

[172] See Pausanias, vi. 25. The statue was made of
ivory and gold.

[173] Compare Terence, "Hecyra," 201. "Uno animo omnes
socrus oderunt nurus." As to stepmotherly feelings, the
"injusta noverca" has passed into a proverb with all
nations. See for example Hesiod, "Works and Days," 823,
[Greek: allote metruie pelei hemere, allote meter].

[174] Wyttenbach compares Seneca's "Fidelem si putaveris
facies." "Ep." iii. p. 6.

[175] Euripides, "Medea," 190-198.

[176] Homer, "Iliad," xiv. 205, 209.

[177] See Mulier Parturiens, Phaedrus' "Fables," i. 18.

[178] Euripides, "Andromache," 930.

[179] Proverb. Cf. Horace, "Oleum adde camino," ii.
"Sat." iii. 321.

[180] See AEsop's Fables, No. 121. Halme. [Greek:
Drapetes] is the title. All readers of Plautus and
Terence know what a bugbear to slaves the threat of
being sent to the mill was. They would have to turn it
instead of horses, or other cattle.

[181] That is, _Yoking oxen for the plough_.

[182] Procreation of children was among the ancients
frequently called _Ploughing_ and _Sowing_. Hence the
allusions in this paragraph. So, too, Shakspere,
"Measure for Measure," Act i. Sc. iv. 41-44.

[183] The reference is to the rites of Cybele. See
Lucretius, ii. 618.

[184] See Erasmus, "Adagia." The French proverb is "La
nuit tous les chats sont gris."

[185] "Laws," p. 729, C.

[186] From the words of Andromache to Hector, "Iliad,"
vi. 429, 430.

[187] Theano was the wife of Pythagoras.

[188] See Livy, xxix. 14. Propertius, v. 11. 51, 52.
Ovid, "Fasti," iv. 305 sq.

[189] And mother of the Gracchi.

[190] Jeremy Taylor, in his beautiful sermon on "The
Marriage Ring," has borrowed not a few hints from this
treatise of Plutarch, as usual investing with a new
beauty whatever he borrows, from whatever source. He had
the classics at his fingers' end, and much of his unique
charm he owes to them. But he read them as a
philosopher, and not as a grammarian.

CONSOLATORY LETTER TO HIS WIFE.

Sec. I. Plutarch to his wife sends greeting. The messenger that you sent to
me to announce the death of our little girl seems