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their　affairs　can　never　surely　find　himself　bereft　of　heavenly
guidance。


VIII

Now　if　any　one　should　be　disposed　to　set　the　statement　of　Socrates
touching　the　divinity＇1＇　which　warned　him　what　he　ought　to　do　or　not
to　do；　against　the　fact　that　he　was　sentenced　to　death　by　the　board　of
judges；　and　argue　that　thereby　Socrates　stood　convicted　of　lying　and
delusion　in　respect　of　this　〃divinity〃　of　his；　I　would　have　him　to
note　in　the　first　place　that；　at　the　date　of　his　trial；　Socrates　was
already　so　far　advanced　in　years　that　had　he　not　died　then　his　life
would　have　reached　its　natural　term　soon　afterwards；　and　secondly；　as
matters　went；　he　escaped　life's　bitterest　load＇2＇　in　escaping　those
years　which　bring　a　diminution　of　intellectual　force　to　allinstead
of　which　he　was　called　upon　to　exhibit　the　full　robustness　of　his　soul
and　acquire　glory　in　addition；＇3＇　partly　by　the　style　of　his　defence
felicitous　alike　in　its　truthfulness；　its　freedom；　and　its
rectitude＇4＇and　partly　by　the　manner　in　which　he　bore　the　sentence
of　condemnation　with　infinite　gentleness　and　manliness。　Since　no　one
within　the　memory　of　man；　it　is　admitted；　ever　bowed　his　head　to　death
more　nobly。　After　the　sentence　he　must　needs　live　for　thirty　days；
since　it　was　the　month　of　the　〃Delia；〃＇5＇　and　the　law　does　not　suffer
any　man　to　die　by　the　hand　of　the　public　executioner　until　the　sacred
embassy　return　from　Delos。　During　the　whole　of　that　period　（as　his
acquaintances　without　exception　can　testify）　his　life　proceeded　as
usual。　There　was　nothing　to　mark　the　difference　between　now　and
formerly　in　the　even　tenour　of　its　courage；　and　it　was　a　life　which　at
all　times　had　been　a　marvel　of　cheerfulness　and　calm　content。＇6＇

＇1＇　Or；　〃the　words　of　Socrates　with　regard　to　a　divine　something　which
　　　　warned　him；〃　etc。

＇2＇　The　phraseology　is　poetical。

＇3＇　Or；　〃in　a　manner　which　redounded　to　his　glory。〃

＇4＇　Or；　〃marvellous　alike　for　the　sincerity　of　its　language；　the　free
　　　　unbroken　spirit　of　its　delivery；　and　the　absolute　rectitude　of　the
　　　　speaker。〃

＇5＇　i。e。　the　lesser　〃Delian〃　solemnities；　an　annual　festival
　　　　instituted；　it　was　said；　by　Theseus。　See　Plut。　〃Theseus；〃　23
　　　　（Clough；　i。　19）；　and　for　the　whole　matter　see　Plat。　〃Phaed。〃　58
　　　　foll。

＇6＇　Cf。　Arist。　〃Frogs；〃　82；　of　Sophocles；　｛o　d'　eukolos　men　enthad'；
　　　　eukolos　d'　ekei｝。

＇Let　us　pause　and　ask　how　could　man　die　more　nobly　and　more
beautifully　than　in　the　way　described？　or　put　it　thus：　dying　so；　then
was　his　death　most　noble　and　most　beautiful；　and　being　the　most
beautiful；　then　was　it　also　the　most　fortunate　and　heaven…blest；　and
being　most　blessed　of　heaven；　then　was　it　also　most　precious　in　the
sight　of　God。＇＇7＇

＇7＇　This　is　bracketed　as　spurious　by　Sauppe　and　other　commentators。
　　　　But　see　〃Cyrop。〃　VIII。　ii。　7；　8；　for　similar　ineptitude　of　style。
　　　　R。　Kuhner　defends　the　passage　as　genuine。

And　now　I　will　mention　further　certain　things　which　I　have　heard　from
Hermogenes；　the　son　of　Hipponicus；＇8＇　concerning　him。　He　said　that
even　after　Meletus＇9＇　had　drawn　up　the　indictment；　he　himself　used　to
hear　Socrates　conversing　and　discussing　everything　rather　than　the
suit　impending；　and　had　ventured　to　suggest　that　he　ought　to　be
considering　the　line　of　his　defence；　to　which；　in　the　first　instance；
the　master　answered：　〃Do　I　not　seem　to　you　to　have　been　practising
that　my　whole　life　long？〃　And　upon　his　asking　〃How？〃　added　in
explanation　that　he　had　passed　his　days　in　nothing　else　save　in
distinguishing　between　what　is　just　and　what　is　unjust　（right　and
wrong）；　and　in　doing　what　is　right　and　abstaining　from　what　is　wrong；
〃which　conduct〃　（he　added）　〃I　hold　to　be　the　finest　possible　practice
for　my　defence〃；　and　when　he　（Hermogenes）；　returning　to　the　point
again；　pleaded　with　Socrates：　〃Do　you　not　see；　Socrates；　how　commonly
it　happens　that　an　Athenian　jury；　under　the　influence　of　argument；
condemns　innocent　people　to　death　and　acquits　real　criminals？〃
Socrates　replied；　〃I　assure　you；　Hermogenes；　that　each　time　I　have
essayed　to　give　my　thoughts　to　the　defence　which　I　am　to　make　before
the　court；　the　divinity＇10＇　has　opposed　me。〃　And　when　he　（Hermogenes）
exclaimed；　〃How　strange！〃〃Do　you　find　it　strange〃　（he　continued）；
〃that　to　the　Godhead　it　should　appear　better　for　me　to　close　my　life
at　once？　Do　you　not　know　that　up　to　the　present　moment　there　is　no　man
whom　I　can　admit　to　have　spent　a　better　or　happier　life　than　mine。
Since　theirs　I　regard　as　the　best　of　lives　who　study　best　to　become　as
good　as　may　be；　and　theirs　the　happiest　who　have　the　liveliest　sense
of　growth　in　goodness；　and　such；　hitherto；　is　the　happy　fortune　which
I　perceive　to　have　fallen　to　my　lot。　To　such　conclusion　I　have　come；
not　only　in　accidental　intercourse　with　others；　but　by　a　strict
comparison　drawn　between　myself　and　others；　and　in　this　faith　I
continue　to　this　day；　and　not　I　only；　but　my　friends　continue　in　a
like　persuasion　with　regard　to　me；　not　for　the　lame　reason　that　they
are　my　friends　and　love　me　（or　else　would　others　have　been　in　like
case　as　regards　their　friends）；　but　because　they　are　persuaded　that　by
being　with　me　they　will　attain　to　their　full　height　of　goodness。　But；
if　I　am　destined　to　prolong　my　days；　maybe　I　shall　be　enforced　to　pay
in　full　the　penalties　of　old　ageto　see　and　hear　less　keenly；　to　fail
in　intellectual　force；　and　to　leave　school；　as　it　were；　more　of　a
dunce　than　when　I　came；　less　learned　and　more　forgetfulin　a　word；　I
shall　fall　from　my　high　estate；　and　daily　grow　worse　in　that　wherein
aforetime　I　excelled。　But　indeed；　were　it　possible　to　remain
unconscious　of　the　change；　the　life　left　would　scarcely　be　worth
living；　but　given　that　there　is　a　consciousness　of　the　change；　then
must　the　existence　left　to　live　be　found　by　comparison　insipid；
joyless；　a　death　in　life；　devoid　of　life's　charm。　But　indeed；　if　it　is
reserved　for　me　to　die　unjustly；　then　on　those　who　unjustly　slay　me
lies　the　shame　＇since；　given　injustice　is　base；　how　can　any　unjust
action　whatsoever　fail　of　baseness？＇＇11＇　But　for　me　what　disgrace　is
it　that　others　should　fail　of　a　just　decision　and　right　acts
concerning　me？　。　。　。　I　see　before　me　a　long　line　of　predecessors　on
this　road；　and　I　mark　the　reputation　also　among　posterity　which　they
have　left。＇12＇　I　note　how　it　varies　according　as　they　did　or　suffered
wrong；　and　for　myself　I　know　that　I　too；　although　I　die　to…day；　shall
obtain　from　mankind　a　consideration　far　different　from　that　which　will
be　accorded　to　those　who　put　me　to　death。　I　know　that　undying　witness
will　be　borne　me　to　this　effect；　that　I　never　at　any　time　did　wrong　to
any　man；　or　made　him　a　worse　man；　but　ever　tried　to　make　those　better
who　were　with　me。〃

＇8＇　See　above；　II。　x。　3；　〃Symp。〃　i。　3；　iii。　14；　iv。　47　foll。；　vi。　2；
　　　　〃Apol。〃　2；　Plat。　〃Crat。〃　384。

＇9＇　See　above；　I。　i。　1。

＇10＇　｛to　daimonion｝〃the　divine　（voice）。〃

＇11＇　This　passage　also　may；　perhaps；　be　regarded　as　spurious。

＇12＇　Or；　〃There　floats　before　my　eyes　a　vision　of　the　many　who　have
　　　　gone　this　same　gate。　I　note　their　legacies　of　fame　among
　　　　posterity。〃

Such　are　the　words　which　he　spoke　in　conversation　with　Hermogenes　and
the　rest。　But　amongst　those　who　knew　Socrates　and　recognised　what
manner　of　man　he　was；　all　who　make　virtue　and　perfection　their　pursuit
still　to　this　day　cease　not　to　lament　his　loss　with　bitterest　regret；
as　for　one　who　helped　them　in　the　pursuit　of　virtue　as　none　else
could。

To　me；　personally；　he　was　what　I　have　myself　endeavoured　to　describe：
so　pious　and　devoutly　religious＇13＇　that　he　would　take　no　step　apart
from　the　will　of　heaven；　so　just　and　upright　that　he　never　did　even　a
trifling　injury　to　any　living　soul；　so　self…controlled；　so　temperate；
that　he　never　at　any　time　chose　the　sweeter　in　place　of　the　better；　so
sensible；　and　wise；　and　prudent　that　in　distinguishing　the　better　from
the　worse　he　never　erred；　nor　had　he　need　of　any　helper；　but　for　the
knowledge　of　these　matters；　his　judgment　was　at　once　infallible　and
self…sufficing。　Capable　of　reasonably　setting　forth　and　defining　moral
questions；＇14＇　he　was　also　able　to　test　others；　and　where　they　erred；
to　cross…examine　and　convict　them；　and　so　to　impel　and　guide　them　in
the　path　of　virtue　and　noble　manhood。　With　these　characteristics；　he
seemed　to　be　the　very　impersonation　of　human　perfection　and
happiness。＇15＇

＇13＇　Or；　〃of　such　piety　and　religious　devotedness　。　。　。　of　such
　　　　rectitude　。　。　。　of　such　sobreity　and　self…control　。　。　。　of　such
　　　　sound　sense　and　wisdom　。　。　。〃

＇14＇　Or；　〃gifted　with　an　ability　logically　to　set　forth　and　to　define
　　　　moral　subtleties。〃

＇15＇　Or；　〃I　look　upon　him　as　at　once　the　best　and　happiest　of　men。〃

Such　is　our　estimate。　If　the　verdict　fail　to　satisfy　I　would　ask　those
who　disagree　with　it　to　place　the　character　of　any　other　side　by　side
with　this　delineation；　and　then　pass　sentence。







End