Kitap 1
3.6
Whenever he accepted an invitation to dinner, he resisted without difficulty the common temptation to exceed the limit of satiety; and he advised those who could not do likewise to avoid appetizers that encouraged them to eat and drink what they did not want: for such trash was the ruin of stomach and brain and soul.
3.7
I believe, he said in jest, it was by providing a feast of such things that Circe made swine; and it was partly by the prompting of Hermes,In Odyssey, X. 281 f. partly through his own self-restraint and avoidance of excessive indulgence in such things, that Odysseus was not turned into a pig.
3.8
This was how he would talk on the subject, half joking, half in earnest.Of sensual passion he would say: Avoid it resolutely: it is not easy to control yourself once you meddle with that sort of thing. Thus, on hearing that Critobulus had kissed Alcibiades’ pretty boy, he put this question to Xenophon before Critobulus:
3.9
Tell me, Xenophon, did you not suppose Critobulus to be a sober person, and by no means rash; prudent, and not thoughtless or adventurous?Certainly, said Xenophon.Then you are to look on him henceforth as utterly hot-headed and reckless: the man would do a somersault into a ring of knives; he would jump into fire.
3.10
What on earth has he done to make you think so badly of him? asked Xenophon.What has the man done? He dared to kiss Alcibiades’ son, and the boy is very good-looking and attractive.Oh, if that is the sort of adventure you mean, I think I might make that venture myself.Poor fellow!
3.11
What do you think will happen to you through kissing a pretty face? Won’t you lose your liberty in a trice and become a slave, begin spending large sums on harmful pleasures, have no time to give to anything fit for a gentleman, be forced to concern yourself with things that no madman even would care about?
