14
You are quite right, said Cleodorus; for it is clear that Hesiod has knowledge of medicine, since there is no lack of attention or experience shown in what he has to say about the daily course of life,Hesiod, Works and Days, 405-821. mixing wine, Ibid. 368-9; 744-5 may be referred to. the great value of water, Ibid. 595, 737-741. bathing, Ibid. 736-741, 753. women, Ibid. 373-5, 699-705. the proper time for intercourse, Ibid. 735-6, 812. and the way in which infants should sit. Ibid. 750-2. But it seems to me that Aesop with better right than Epimenides can declare himself the pupil of Hesiod. For the words of the hawk to the nightingale Ibid. 203. first suggested to Aesop the idea of this beautiful and ingenious wisdom uttered by many different tongues. But I should be glad to listen to Solon; for it is likely that he, having been associated with Epimenides for along time at Athens, Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Solon, chap. xii. (p. 84 C). has learned what experience of his or what sophistical argument induced him to resort to such a course of living.
15
Solon said, What need was there to ask him this? For it is plain that the next best thing to the greatest and highest of all good is to require the minimum amount of food; or is it not the general opinion that the greatest good is to require no food at all?j
