[5885] “Opulentiores pauperiorum ut filias
        Indotas dicant uxores domum: 
        Et multo fiet civitas concordior,
        Et invidia nos minore utemur, quam utimur.”

       “That rich men would marry poor maidens some,
        And that without dowry, and so bring them home,
        So would much concord be in our city,
        Less envy should we have, much more pity.”

If they would care less for wealth, we should have much more content and quietness in a commonwealth.  Beauty, good bringing up, methinks, is a sufficient portion of itself, [5886]_Dos est sua forma puellis_, “her beauty is a maiden’s dower,” and he doth well that will accept of such a wife.  Eubulides, in [5887]Aristaenetus, married a poor man’s child, facie non illaetabili, of a merry countenance, and heavenly visage, in pity of her estate, and that quickly.  Acontius coming to Delos, to sacrifice to Diana, fell in love with Cydippe, a noble lass, and wanting means to get her love, flung a golden apple into her lap, with this inscription upon it,

       “Juro tibi sane per mystica sacra Dianae,
        Me tibi venturum comitem, sponsumque futurum.”

       “I swear by all the rites of Diana,
        I’ll come and be thy husband if I may.”

She considered of it, and upon some small inquiry of his person and estate, was married unto him.

       “Blessed is the wooing,
        That is not long a doing.”

As the saying is; when the parties are sufficiently known to each other, what needs such scrupulosity, so many circumstances? dost thou know her conditions, her bringing-up, like her person? let her means be what they will, take her without any more ado. [5888]Dido and Aeneas were accidentally driven by a storm both into one cave, they made a match upon it; Massinissa was married to that fair captive Sophonisba, King Syphax’ wife, the same day that he saw her first, to prevent Scipio Laelius, lest they should determine otherwise of her.  If thou lovest the party, do as much:  good education and beauty is a competent dowry, stand not upon money. Erant olim aurei homines (saith Theocritus) et adamantes redamabant, in the golden world men did so, (in the reign of [5889]Ogyges belike, before staggering Ninus began to domineer) if all be true that is reported:  and some few nowadays will do as much, here and there one; ’tis well done methinks, and all happiness befall them for so doing. [5890]Leontius, a philosopher of Athens, had a fair daughter called Athenais, multo corporis lepore ac Venere, (saith mine author) of a comely carriage, he gave her no portion but her bringing up, occulto formae, praesagio, out of some secret foreknowledge of her fortune, bestowing that little which he had amongst his other children.  But she, thus qualified, was preferred by some friends to Constantinople, to serve Pulcheria, the emperor’s sister, of whom she was baptised and called Eudocia.