PRAXAGORA. Let none contradict nor interrupt me until I have explained my plan. I want all to have a share of everything and all property to be in common; there will no longer be either rich or poor; no longer shall we see one man harvesting vast tracts of land, while another has not ground enough to be buried in, nor one man surround himself with a whole army of slaves, while another has not a single attendant; I intend that there shall only be one and the same condition of life for all. BLEPYRUS. But how do you mean for all? PRAXAGORA. Go and eat your excrements![696] BLEPYRUS. Come, share and share alike! PRAXAGORA. No, no, but you shall not interrupt me. This is what I was going to say: I shall begin by making land, money, everything that is private property, common to all. Then we shall live on this common wealth, which we shall take care to administer with wise thrift. BLEPYRUS. And how about the man who has no land, but only gold and silver coins, that cannot be seen? PRAXAGORA. He must bring them to the common stock, and if he fails he will be a perjured man. BLEPYRUS. That won't worry him much, for has he not gained them by perjury? PRAXAGORA. But his riches will no longer be of any use to him. BLEPYRUS. Why? PRAXAGORA. The poor will no longer be obliged to work; each will have all that he needs, bread, salt fish, cakes, tunics, wine, chaplets and chick-pease; of what advantage will it be to him not to contribute his share to the common wealth? What do you think of it? BLEPYRUS. But is it not the folk who rob most that have all these things? PRAXAGORA. Yes, formerly, under the old order of things; but now that all goods are in common, what will he gain by not bringing his wealth into the general stock? BLEPYRUS. If someone saw a pretty wench and wished to satisfy his fancy for her, he would take some of his reserve store to make her a present and stay the night with her; this would not prevent him claiming his share of the common property. PRAXAGORA. But he can sleep with her for nothing; I intend that women shall belong to all men in common, and each shall beget children by any man that wishes to have her. BLEPYRUS. But all will go to the prettiest woman and beseech her to go with him. PRAXAGORA. The ugliest and the most flat-nosed will be side by side with the most charming, and to win the latter's favours, a man will first have to get into the former. BLEPYRUS. But we old men, shall we have penis enough if we have to satisfy the ugly first? PRAXAGORA. They will make no resistance. BLEPYRUS. To what? PRAXAGORA. Never fear; they will make no resistance. BLEPYRUS. Resistance to what? PRAXAGORA. To the pleasure of the thing. 'Tis thus that matters will be ordered for you. BLEPYRUS. 'Tis right well conceived for you women, for every wench's hole will be occupied; but as regards us poor men, you will leave those who are ugly to run after the handsome fellows.