In order to retaliate, an Athenian has only to point out the licence which exists among your women.

To all such accusations, whether they are brought against the Tarentines, or us, or you, there is one answer which exonerates the practice in question from impropriety.

When a stranger expresses wonder at the singularity of what he sees, any inhabitant will naturally answer him:--Wonder not, O stranger; this is our custom, and you may very likely have some other custom about the same things.

Now we are speaking, my friends, not about men in general, but about the merits and defects of the lawgivers themselves.

Let us then discourse a little more at length about intoxication, which is a very important subject, and will seriously task the discrimination of the legislator.