By Roger Davis, A.M.
Periander prepares the banquet, 4. A question proposed to Bias of
Priene, 4. Thales ascertained the height of one of the pyramids, and
how, 5. Need of preparation for an entertainment, 6. Conversation by
the way, 6, 7. Arrival of the company, 7. Anacharsis the Scythian;
Eumetis, 8. The seat assigned to a person a frivolous consideration,
9. A prodigy: a child born of a mare, 10. The explanation, 11. Esop
relates the fable of the Lydian mule, 11. The frugality of Periander,
12. Anacharsis is questioned respecting the Scythians, 12. A letter
is read from Amasis, king of Egypt, proposing a question, 13. Bias
suggests an answer to the question, 14. The seven wise men, in turn,
reply to the question how a people should be governed, 15. The
discussion continued, 16, 17. Answers to other questions, 17, 18.
Riddles and their solutions, 19, 20. How should a state be governed?
20. How to govern a house, 21, 22. Talk about drinking wine, 23.
The end is worth more than the means, 24. The end of drinking is to
nourish and increase friendship, 24. What measure of outward good
should be regarded as sufficient, 26. A spare diet, as recommended
by Hesiod, 27. Extremes to be avoided, 28. Enjoy freely what we
have, but with moderation, 29. A necessity for eating and drinking,
31. But fatal distempers often ensue, 32. The story of Arion and
the dolphins, 33-36. The story of Hesiod and the dolphins, 36, 37.
Another story about dolphins, 38. The creatures obey the impulse of
God, 39. Μηδὲν ἄγαν, “Do not overdo,” 40,
41.