But in our day we
entrust the infant to a little Greek servant-girl who is attended by one or
two, commonly the worst of all the slaves, creatures utterly unfit for any
important work. Their stories and their prejudices from the very first fill
the child's tender and uninstructed mind. No one in the whole house cares
what he says or does before his infant master. Even parents themselves
familiarise their little ones, not with virtue and modesty, but with jesting
and glib talk, which lead on by degrees to shamelessness and to contempt for
themselves as well as for others. Really I think that the characteristic and
peculiar vices of this city, a liking for actors and a passion for
gladiators and horses, are all but conceived in the mother's womb. When
these occupy and possess the mind, how little room has it left for worthy
attainments! Few indeed are to be found who talk of any other subjects in
their homes, and whenever we enter a classroom, what else is the
conversation of the youths. Even with the teachers, these are the more
frequent topics of talk with their scholars. In fact, they draw pupils, not
by strictness of discipline or by giving proof of ability, but by assiduous
court and cunning tricks of flattery.