Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c14.24

c14.24

Arrian also observes as follows on the same subject: "The sophists are not so numerous as the others, but hold the supreme place of dignity and honour; for they are under no necessity of doing any bodily labour at all or of contributing from the produce of their labour anything to the common stock, nor, indeed, is any duty absolutely binding on them, except to perform the sacrifice offered to the gods on behalf of the State."