Lectures · Lecture 11

11.1

There is also another means of livelihood, in no way worse than this, and one that might not unreasonably be judged even better for a man of vigorous body: that which comes from the land, whether one has his own land or not. For many indeed, farming another's land, whether public or private, are able to support not only themselves but their children and wives as well; and some, being self-reliant workers and fond of labor, even become quite prosperous from this. For the earth repays most beautifully and most justly those who tend it, giving many times what it receives and furnishing an abundance of all the necessities of life to the man who is willing to work — and this in a fitting way, with nothing shameful in any of it. For there is no one, unless he is soft and given to luxury, who would say that any of the tasks of farming is shameful or unfitting for a good man. For how is planting not a fine thing? And plowing? And tending vines? And sowing, reaping, threshing — are not all these the work of free men and fitting for good men? Indeed, just as tending flocks did not disgrace Hesiod nor prevent him from being dear to the gods and skilled in the Muses' arts, so it would prevent no one else either. And to me this is the most pleasing of all the tasks in farming, that it affords the soul greater leisure to reflect on something and to pursue what belongs to education. For those tasks that strain the body severely and bend it also force the soul to attend to them alone, or chiefly, being strained together with the body; but those tasks that allow the body not to be overstrained do not prevent the soul from reasoning out something of the higher things, and from such reasonings becoming wiser than it was — which is indeed what every philosopher most desires. For these reasons I especially welcome the herdsman's life; but if in fact a man philosophizes and farms at the same time, I would compare no other life to this, nor would I prefer any other means of livelihood.

11.2

For how is it not more in accordance with nature to be nourished from the earth, which is our nurse and mother, than from some other source? And how is it not more manly to live on the land than to sit in the city, as the sophists do? And how is living outdoors not more healthful than being reared in the shade? And what of this — is it not more befitting a free man to provide the necessities for himself than to receive them from others? For it is evident that not needing another for one's own requirements is far more dignified than needing him. So fine, so conducive to happiness, and so dear to the gods is a life lived from farming — provided one does not neglect nobility of character — that God proclaimed Myson of Chenae to be wise, and called Aglaus of Psophis happy, each of them living in the countryside, engaging in labor with his own hands, and keeping away from life in the town. Is it not, then, worth emulating and imitating these men, and cleaving with zeal to farming? What then? Someone might perhaps say that it is a strange thing for a man capable of teaching and of leading young men forward into philosophy to work the land and to labor with his body like the country people. Yes, this would indeed be strange, if working the land prevented one from philosophizing or from helping others toward philosophy. But as it is, young men would seem to me to be benefited even more by not being with their teacher in the city, nor listening to him lecture in the school, but by seeing him at work on the farm and demonstrating in deed the very things that reason teaches: that one ought to labor and to endure hardship with the body rather than to depend on another for one's nourishment. And what is there to prevent the pupil, even while working, from at the same time hearing the teacher saying something about self-control, or justice, or endurance? For those who are to philosophize well do not need many words, nor must the young take in wholesale that crowd of theoretical points over which we see the sophists puffed up; for these are indeed enough to wear away a man's whole life.

11.3

But to learn what is most necessary and most useful is not impossible even for those engaged in the work of farming, especially when they are not going to be working continuously but will have periods of rest. Now few, I know precisely, will be willing to learn in this way; but it is better that the majority of those young men who claim to philosophize should not even approach the philosopher at all — those who are unsound and soft, through whose approach philosophy is filled with stains. For among the true lovers of philosophy there is not one who would not be willing to spend his time in the countryside with a good man, even if the place should happen to be quite harsh, since he stands to gain great benefit from this way of life: from being with his teacher night and day, from being away from the evils of the city, which are a hindrance to philosophizing, and from not being able to escape notice whether he does anything well or badly — which is indeed the greatest benefit to those being educated; and to eat and drink and sleep under the watchful eye of a good man is a great benefit too. Now the things that would necessarily arise from such association in the countryside are praised by Theognis as well, in the verses where he says: "And drink and eat among these men, and sit among them, and please those whose power is great." That he means none other than good men when he says that they have great power for the benefit of human beings, if one eats and drinks and sits with them, he has made clear in these words: "For from the noble you will learn noble things; but if you mingle with the base, you will destroy even the mind you have." So let no one say that farming is a hindrance to learning or to teaching what one ought. For it does not seem to be so, if indeed it is most of all in this way, and to the greatest degree, that the learner would be with his teacher, and the teacher would keep the learner under his hand. This being so, the means of livelihood that comes from farming appears to be the most fitting for the philosopher.