639
Megillus
Meg. Assuredly, if we know of a right method of investigating these matters, we are bound to give it a ready hearing.
Athenian
Ath. Let us adopt some such method as this. Suppose that a man were to praise the rearing of goats, and the goat itself as a fine thing to own, and suppose also that another man, who had seen goats grazing without a herd and doing damage on cultivated land, were to run them down, and find fault equally with every animal he saw that was without a master or under a bad master,—would such a man’s censure, about any object whatsoever, be of the smallest value?
Megillus
Meg. Certainly not.
Athenian
Ath. Do we call the man who possesses only nautical science, whether or not he suffers from sea-sickness, a good commander on a ship—or what?
Megillus
Meg. By no means good, if along with his skill he suffers in the way you say.
5
Athenian
Ath. And how about the army commander? Is a man fit for command, provided that he has military science, even though he be a coward and sea-sick with a kind of tipsy terror when danger comes?
Megillus
Meg. Certainly not.
Athenian
Ath. And suppose he has no military skill, besides being a coward?
Megillus
Meg. You are describing an utterly worthless fellow, not a commander of men at all, but of the most womanish of women.