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Aspasia reasoned thus with
Xenophon's wife and Xenophon himself:
"Please tell me madam, if your neighbor had a better gold
ornament
than you have, would you prefer that one or your own?"
"That one"
"Well, now, if she had a better husband than you have, would
you
prefer your husband or hers?" At this the woman blushed.
"I wish you would tell me Xenophon, if your neighbor had a
better horse
than yours, would you prefer your horse or his?"
"His."
"Now, if he had a better wife than you have, would you
prefer yours or
his?"
And at this Xenophon, too, was
himself silent. . . .
"Therefore, unless you can contrive that there be no better
man or
finer woman on earth you will certainly always be in dire want of
what
you consider best, namely, that you be the husband of the very
best of
wives, and that she be wedded to the very best of men."
--Cicero, De Inventione
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