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The excerpt represents the core issue or deciding factor on which you must meditate, and is drawn from Polity of Athenians and Lacedaemonians by Xenophon: fixed upon the ground before them. And hereby it would seem to be
proved conclusively that, even in the matter of quiet bearing and
sobreity,[5] the masculine type may claim greater strength than that
which we attribute to the nature of women. At any rate, you might
sooner expect a stone image to find voice than one of those Spartan
youths; to divert the eyes of some bronze stature were less difficult.
And as to quiet bearing, no bride ever stepped in bridal bower[6] with
more natural modesty. Note them when they have reached the public
table.[7] The plainest answer to the question asked--that is all you
need expect to hear from their lips.
[4] See Cic. "pro Coelio," 5.
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