When a friend asked Socrates, how he could bear the scolding of his
wife Xantippe? he retorted, and asked him, how he could bear the
gaggling of his geese? Ay, but my geese lay eggs for me, replied his
friend; so doth my wife bear children, said Socrates.--_Diog. Laert._
Being asked at another time, by a friend, how he could bear her tongue?
he said, she was of this use to him, that she taught him to bear the
impertinences of others with more ease when he went abroad.--_Plat. De
Capiend. ex host. utilit._
Socrates invited his friend Euthymedus to supper. Xantippe, in great
rage, went in to them, and overset the table. Euthymedus, rising in a
passion to go off, My dear friend, stay, said Socrates, did not a hen do
the same thing at your house the other day, and did I show any
resentment?--_Plat. de ira cohibenda._
I could give many more instances of her termagancy, and his philosophy,
if such a proceeding might not look as if I were glad of an opportunity
to expose the fair sex; but, to show that I have no such design, I
declare solemnly, that I had much worse stories to tell of her behaviour
to her husband, which I rather passed over, on account of the great
esteem which I bear the ladies, especially those in the honourable
station of matrimony.
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