mothers.[127] [Footnote 121: Plato, Republic, v. pp. 457-458.] [Footnote 122: Plato, Republic, v. p. 458 E.] [Footnote 123: Plato, Republic, v. p. 459 A.] [Footnote 124: Plato, Republic, v. p. 459 D-E. [Greek: dei= me\n e)k tô=n ô(mologême/nôn tou\s a)ri/stous tai=s a)ri/stais suggi/gnesthai ô(s pleista/kis, tou\s de\ phaulota/tous tai=s phaulota/tais tou)nanti/on, kai\ tô=n me\n ta\ e)/kgona tre/phein, tô=n de\ mê/, ei) me/llei to\ poi/mnion o(/, ti a)kro/taton ei)=nai; kai\ tau=ta pa/nta gigno/mena lantha/nein plê\n au)tou\s tou\s a)/rchontas, ei) au)= ê( a)ge/lê tô=n phula/kôn o(/, ti ma/lista a)stasi/astos e)/stai.]] [Footnote 125: Plato, Republic, v. p. 460 A.] [Footnote 126: Plato, Republic, v. p. 460 B.] [Footnote 127: Plato, Republic, v. p. 460 C-D.] [Side-note: Regulations about age, for procreation--Children brought up under public authority.] The age for such intermarriages, destined to be procreative for the benefit of the city, must be from thirty to fifty-five, for men--from twenty to forty, for women. No man or woman, above or below these limits of age, will be allowed to meddle with the function of intermarriage and procreation for the public; which function must always be conducted under superintendence of the authorities, with proper sacrifice and prayers to the Gods. Nor will any man, even within the licensed age, be allowed to approach any woman except by assignment from the authorities. If any infringement of this law should occur, the offspring arising from it will be pronounced spurious and outcast.[128] But when the above limits of age are passed, both men and women may have intercourse with whomsoever they please, except fathers with daughters or sons with mothers: under condition, however, that no offspring shall be born from such intercourse, or that if any offspring be born, it shall be exposed.[129] [Footnote 128: Plato, Republic, v. p. 461 A-B.] [Footnote 129: Plato, Republic, v. p. 461 C.] How is the father to know his own daughter (it is asked), or the son his own mother? They cannot know (replies Sokrates): but each couple will consider every child born in the seventh month or tenth month after their marriage, as their child, and will address him or her by the appellation of son or daughter. The fathers and mothers will be fathers and mothers of all the children born at that time: the sons and daughters will be in filial relation to all the couples brought together at the given antecedent period.[130] [Footnote 130: Plato, Republic, v. p. 461 D.] [Side-note: Perfect communion of sentiment and interest among the Guardians--Causes of pleasure and pain the same to all, like parts of the same organism.]