After the practices of adulteration naturally follow the practices of retail trade.  Concerning these, we will first of all give a word of counsel and reason, and the law shall come afterwards.  Retail trade in a city is not by nature intended to do any harm, but quite the contrary; for is not he a benefactor who reduces the inequalities and incommensurabilities of goods to equality and common measure?  And this is what the power of money accomplishes, and the merchant may be said to be appointed for this purpose.  The hireling and the tavern-keeper, and many other occupations, some of them more and others less seemly—­all alike have this object—­they seek to satisfy our needs and equalize our possessions.  Let us then endeavour to see what has brought retail trade into ill-odour, and wherein lies the dishonour and unseemliness of it, in order that if not entirely, we may yet partially, cure the evil by legislation.  To effect this is no easy matter, and requires a great deal of virtue.

Cleinias:  What do you mean?

Athenian:  Dear Cleinias, the class of men is small—­they must have been rarely gifted by nature, and trained by education—­who, when assailed by wants and desires, are able to hold out and observe moderation, and when they might make a great deal of money are sober in their wishes, and prefer a moderate to a large gain.  But the mass of mankind are the very opposite:  their desires are unbounded, and when they might gain in moderation they prefer gains without limit; wherefore all that relates to retail trade, and merchandise, and the keeping of taverns, is denounced and numbered among dishonourable things.  For if what I trust may never be and will not be, we were to compel, if I may venture to say a ridiculous thing, the best men everywhere to keep taverns for a time, or carry on retail trade, or do anything of that sort; or if, in consequence of some fate or necessity, the best women were compelled to follow similar callings, then we should know how agreeable and pleasant all these things are; and if all such occupations were managed on incorrupt principles, they would be honoured as we honour a mother or a nurse.  But now that a man goes to desert places and builds houses which can only be reached by long journeys, for the sake of retail trade, and receives strangers who are in need at the welcome resting-place, and gives them peace and calm when they are tossed by the storm, or cool shade in the heat; and then instead of behaving to them as friends, and showing the duties of hospitality to his guests, treats them as enemies and captives who are at his mercy, and will not release them until they have paid the most unjust, abominable, and extortionate ransom—­these are the sort of practises, and foul evils they are, which cast a reproach upon the succour of adversity.  And the legislator ought always to be devising a remedy for evils of this nature.  There is an ancient saying, which is also a true one—­’To