Ischomachus describes to Sokrates, in reply to a string of successive questions, both his scheme of life and his scheme of husbandry. He had married his wife before she was fifteen years of age: having first ascertained that she had been brought up carefully, so as to have seen and heard as little as possible, and to know nothing but spinning and weaving.[26] He describes how he took this very young wife into training, so as to form her to the habits which he himself approved. He declares that the duties and functions of women are confined to in-door work and superintendence, while the out-door proceedings, acquisition as well as defence, belong to men:[27] he insists upon such separation of functions emphatically, as an ordinance of nature--holding an opinion the direct reverse of that which we have seen expressed by Plato.[28] He makes many remarks on the arrangements of the house, and of the stores within it: and he dwells particularly on the management of servants, male and female. [Footnote 26: Xen. Oekon. vii. 3-7. [Greek: to\n d' e)/mprosthen chro/non e)/zê u(po\ pollê=s e)pimelei/as, o(/pôs ô(s e)la/chista me\n o)/psoito, e)la/chista de\ a)kou/soito, e)la/chista de\ e)/roito]. The [Greek: didaskali/a] addressed to Sokrates by Ischomachus is in the form of [Greek: e)rô/têsis], xix. 15. The Sokratic interrogation is here brought to bear _upon_ Sokrates, instead of by Sokrates: like the Elenchus in the Parmenidês of Plato.] [Footnote 27: Xen. Oekon. vii. 22-32.] [Footnote 28: See below, ch. xxxvii. Compare also Aristotel. Politic. iii. 4, 1277, b. 25, where Aristotle lays down the same principle as Xenophon.] [Side-note: Text upon which Xenophon insists--capital difference between command over subordinates willing, and subordinates unwilling.] It is upon this last point that he lays more stress than upon any other. To know how to command men--is the first of all accomplishments in the mind of Xenophon. Ischomachus proclaims it as essential that the superior shall not merely give orders to his subordinates, but also see them executed, and set the example of personal active watchfulness in every way. Xenophon aims at securing not simply obedience, but cheerful and willing obedience--even attachment from those who obey. "To exercise command over willing subjects"[29] (he says) "is a good more than human, granted only to men truly consummated in virtue of character essentially divine. To exercise command over unwilling subjects, is a torment like that of Tantalus." [Footnote 29: Xen. Oekon. xxi. 10-12. [Greek: ê)/thous basilikou=--thei=on gene/sthai. Ou) ga\r pa/nu moi\ dokei= touti\ to\ a)gatho\n a)nthrô/pinon ei)=nai, a)lla\ thei=on, to\ _e)thelo/ntôn a)/rchein_; saphô=s de\ di/dotai toi=s a)lêthinô=s sôphrosu/nê| tetelesme/nois. To\ de\ a)ko/ntôn turannei=n dido/asin, ô(s e)moi\ dokei=, ou(\s a)\n ê(gô=ntai a)xi/ous ei)=nai bioteu/ein, ô(/sper o( Ta/ntalos e)n a(/|dou le/getai]. Compare also iv. 19, xiii. 3-7.]