manner of living. That you may know then, men and women wear the
same kind of garment, suited for war. The women wear the toga below the
knee, but the men above. And both sexes are instructed in all the arts
together. When this has been done as a start, and before their third
year, the boys learn the language and the alphabet on the walls by
walking round them. They have four leaders, and four elders, the first
to direct them, the second to teach them, and these are men approved
beyond all others. After some time they exercise themselves with
gymnastics, running, quoits, and other games, by means of which all
their muscles are strengthened alike. Their feet are always bare, and so
are their heads as far as the seventh ring. Afterwards they lead them to
the offices of the trades, such as shoemaking, cooking, metal-working,
carpentry, painting, &c. In order to find out the bent of the genius of
each one, after their seventh year, when they have already gone through
the mathematics on the walls, they take them to the readings of all the
sciences; there are four lectures at each reading, and in the course of
four hours the four in their order explain everything.

For some take physical exercise or busy themselves with public services
or functions, others apply themselves to reading. Leaving these studies
all are devoted to the more abstruse subjects, to mathematics, to
medicine, and to other sciences. There is continual debate and studied
argument amongst them, and after a time they become magistrates of those
sciences or mechanical arts in which they are the most proficient; for
every one follows the opinion of his leader and judge, and goes out to
the plains to the works of the field, and for the purpose of becoming
acquainted with the pasturage of the dumb animals. And they consider him
the more noble and renowned who has dedicated himself to the study of
the most arts and knows how to practise them wisely. Wherefore they
laugh at us in that we consider our workmen ignoble, and hold those to
be noble who have mastered no pursuit; but live in ease, and are so many
slaves given over to their own pleasure and lasciviousness; and thus as
it were from a school of vices so many idle and wicked fellows go forth
for the ruin of the state.

The rest of the officials, however, are chosen by the four chiefs, Hoh,
Pon, Sin and Mor, and by the teachers of that art over which they are
fit to preside. And these teachers know well who