most gladly on his return![2] In any good which shall betide him they
rejoice together; or if they see him overtaken by misfortune, they
rush to his assistance as one man.[3]

[1] Reading {an ate}, or if {an apie}, transl. "have yearning hearts
when he must leave them."

[2] See Anton Rubinstein, "Die Musik and ihre Meister," p. 8, "Some
Remarks on Beethoven's Sonata Op. 81."

[3] Cf. "Cyrop." I. vi. 24 for a repetition of the sentiment and
phraseology.

Nay! it has not escaped the observation of states and governments that
friendship is the greatest boon, the sweetest happiness which men may
taste. At any rate, the custom holds[4] in many states "to slay the
adulterer" alone of all "with impunity,"[5] for this reason clearly
that such miscreants are held to be destroyers of that friendship[6]
which binds the woman to the husband. Since where by some untoward
chance a woman suffers violation of her chastity,[7] husbands do not
the less honour them, as far as that goes, provided true affection
still appear unsullied.[8]

[4] Lit. "many of the states have a law and custom to," etc. Cf. "Pol.
Lac." ii. 4.

[5] Cf. Plat. "Laws," 874 C, "if a man find his wife suffering
violence he may kill the violator and be guiltless in the eye of
the law." Dem. "in Aristocr." 53, {ean tis apokteine en athlois
akon . . . e epi damarti, k.t.l. . . . touton eneka me pheugein