Oeconomicus (the Economist): A Treatise On the Science of the Household In the Form of a Dialogue

The Oeconomicus by Xenophon is a Socratic dialogue principally about household management and agriculture. It is one of the earliest works on economics in its original sense of household management, and a significant source for the social and intellectual history of classic Athens. Beyond the emphasis on household economics, the dialogue treats such topics as the qualities and relationships of men and women, rural vs. urban life, slavery, religion, and education. Joseph Epstein states that the Oeconomicus can actually be seen as a treatise on success in leading both an army and a state.