and alarmed that I was making my- divinities." Such is the accusation. self odious; however, it appeared 14 It says that I act unjustly in necessary to regard the oracle as of corrupting the youth: Is it not evithe greatest importance, and that, dently (according to the indictment in order to discover its meaning, I which you have preferred) by teachmust go to all who had the reputa-ing them not to believe in the gods tion of possessing any knowledge. in whom the city believes, but in II From this investigation, then, other strange deities? Do you not O Athenians! many enmities have say that by teaching these things, I arisen against me, and those the corrupt the youth? most grievous and severe; so that 15 Come, then, tell me; do you many calumnies have sprung from not consider it of the greatest imthem, and amongst them this appel-portance that the youth should be lation of being wise. For those made as virtuous as possible? Tell who are from time to time present me further, whether is it better to think that I am wise in those things, dwell with good or bad citizens? Anwith respect to which I expose the swer, my friend: for I ask you nothignorance of others. ing difficult. Do not the bad work some evil to those that are continually near them, but the good some good?

12 The oracle, however, O Athenians! appears to be really wise, and to mean this, That human wisdom is worth little or nothing. And it is clear that it did not say this of Socrates, but made use of my name, putting me forward as an example; as if it had said, That man is the wisest among you, who, like Socrates, knows that he is in reality worth nothing with respect to wisdom.

16 What, then, Melitus, are you at your time of life so much wiser than I am at my time of life, as not to know that the evil are always working some evil to those that are most near to them, and the good some good? Have I arrived at such a pitch of ignorance as not to know, that if I make any one of my associates depraved, I shall be in danger of receiving some evil from him? And yet, as you say, I have designedly brought about this so great evil.

13 With respect, then, to the charges which my first accusers have alleged against me, let this be a sufficient apology to you. To Melitus, that good and patriotic man (as he 17 In this I cannot believe you, says), and to my later accusers, I will Melitus, nor do I think would any next endeavor to give an answer; other man in the world: but either and here again, as there are different I do not corrupt the youth, or if I do accusers, let us take up their depo- corrupt them I do it undesignedly: sition. It is pretty much as follows: so that in both cases you speak "Socrates," it says, "acts unjustly falsely. in corrupting the youth, and in not believing in those gods in whom the city believes, but in other strange

18 But if I corrupt them undesignedly, for such involuntary offences it is not usual to accuse one here;

but to take one apart and to teach delight to hear those closely quesand admonish one. For it is evi- tioned who think that they are wise dent that if I am taught, I shall cease but are not: for this is by no means doing what I do undesignedly. But disagreeable. you shunned me and were not will- 23 But this duty, as I say, has ing to associate with and instruct | been enjoined me by the Deity; me; but you accuse me here, where through oracles, through dreams, it is usual to accuse those who need and through every mode by which punishment and not instruction. any other divine decree has ever enjoined any thing to man to do.

24 These things, O Athenians! are both true, and easily confuted if not true. For if I am now corrupting

19 But I, through the whole of my life, if I have done any thing in public, shall be found to be a man, and the very same in private, who has never made a concession to any some of the youths, and have already one contrary to justice: neither to corrupted others, it were fitting, any other, nor to any one of these surely, that if any of them, having whom my calumniators say are my become advanced in life, had disdisciples.

20 I, however, was never the preceptor of any one; but if any one desired to hear me speaking and to see me busied about my own mission, whether he were young or old, I never refused him. Nor do I discourse when I receive money, and not when I do not receive any, but I allow both rich and poor alike to question me; and, if any one wishes it, to answer me and hear what I have to say.

covered that I gave them bad advice when they were young, they should now rise up against me, accuse me, and have me punished; or if they were themselves unwilling to do this, some of their kindred, their fathers, or brothers, or other relatives (if their kinsmen have ever sustained any damage from me), should now call it to mind.

25 Many of them, however, are here present, whom I see some of whom certainly Melitus ought to 21 And for these, whether any one have adduced in his speech as a witproves to be a good man or not, I ness. If, however, he then forgot to cannot justly be responsible, because do so, let him now adduce them; I I never either promised them any give him leave to do so, and let him instruction or taught them at all. say it, if he has any thing of the But if any one says that he has ever kind to allege. But quite contrary learned or heard any thing from me to this, you will find, O Athenians! all ready to assist me, who have " corrupted and injured their relatives," as Melitus and Anytus say. 22 But why do some delight to 26 For those who have been themspend so long a time with me? Ye selves corrupted might perhaps have have heard, O Athenians! I have some reason for assisting me; but told you the whole truth, that they those who have not been corrupted,

in private, which all others have not, be well assured that he does not speak the truth.

-men now advanced in life, their truth; wherever any one has posted relatives, what other reason can himself, either thinking it to be they have for assisting me, except better, or has been posted by his that right and just one, that they chief, there, as it appears to me, he know that Melitus speaks falsely, ought to remain and meet danger; and that I speak the truth. taking no account either of death or any thing else in comparison with disgrace.

27 And if I had derived any profit from this course, and had received pay for my exhortations, there would 3 I then should be acting strangehave been some reason for this ly if, when the generals whom you charge; but now you see yourselves, chose to command me assigned me that my accusers, who have so shame- my post at Potidæa, at Amphipolis, lessly calumniated me in every thing and at Delium, I then remained else, have not had the impudence to where they posted me, like any charge me with this, and to bring other person, and encountered the witnesses to prove that I ever either danger of death; but when the exacted or demanded any reward. Deity, as I thought and believed, And I think I produce a sufficient assigned it as my duty to pass my proof that I speak the truth, namely, my poverty.

SELECTION VI.

life in pursuit of Wisdom, and in examining myself and others, I should on that occasion, through fear of death or any thing else whatsoever, desert my post.

Fragmentary selections from Socrates' defence before the Athenian tribunal, in 4 Strange indeed would it be; which loyalty to convictions of truth and and then in truth any one might duty are advocated; and death shown justly bring me to trial, and accuse to be desirable rather than an unfaithful me of not believing in the gods; or useless life.

does not know. Now, no one knows but that death is the greatest of all goods to man; but men fear it, as if they well knew that it is the greatest of evils.

because I disobeyed the oracle, fearPERHAPS, however, some one ing death, and thinking myself to may say, Are you not ashamed, be wise when I am not. For to fear Socrates, to have pursued a study, death is nothing else than to appear from which you are now in danger to be wise, without being so; for of dying? To such a person I it is to appear to know what one should answer with good reason: You do not say well, friend, if you think that a man, who is even of the least value, ought to take into account the risk of life or death; and ought not to consider that alone 5 And how is not this the most when he performs any action, reprehensible ignorance, to think that whether he is acting justly or un-one knows what one does not know? justly, and the part of a good man But I, O Athenians! in this perhaps or bad man. differ from most men; and if I 2 For thus it is, O Athenians: in should say that I am in any thing

wiser than another, it would be in glory and honor; but care not nor this that not having a complete take any thought for wisdom and knowledge of things in the World truth, and for your soul, how it may of the Departed, I also think that I he made most perfect? have not such knowledge. But to 8 And if any one of you should act unjustly, and to disobey my su-question my assertion, and affirm that perior, whether God or man, I know he does care for these things, I is evil and base. I shall never, there- should not at once let him go, nor defore, fear or shun things which, for part, but I should question him, sift aught I know, may be good, before and prove him. And if he should evils which I know to be evils. appear to me not to possess virtue, but to pretend that he does, I should reproach him for that he sets the least value on things of the greatest worth, but the highest on things that are worthless.

6 So that even if you should now dismiss me, not yielding to the instances of Anytus, (who said that either I should not appear here at all, or that, if I did appear, it was impossible not to put me to death; 9 Thus I should act to all whom I telling you that if I escaped, your should meet, both young and old, sons, studying what Socrates teaches, stranger and citizen, but rather to would all be utterly corrupted); if you, my fellow-citizens, because ye you should address me thus: Soc- are more nearly allied to me. For, rates, we shall not now yield to be well assured, this the Deity comAnytus, but dismiss you; on this mands. condition, however, that you no IO And I think that no greater longer persevere in your researches good has ever befallen you in the nor study Wisdom, and if hereafter city, than my zeal for the service of you are detected in so doing, you shall die, —if, as I said, you should dismiss me on these terms, I should say to you :

7 O Athenians! I honor and love you: but I shall obey God rather than you and as long as I breathe and am able, I shall not cease the pursuit of Wisdom, and exhorting you and warning any one of you I may happen to meet, saying as I have been accustomed to do: O best of men, seeing you are an Athenian, of a city the most powerful and most renowned for wisdom and strength, are you not ashamed of being careful for riches, how you may acquire them in greatest abundance, and for

God. For I go about doing nothing else than persuading you, both young and old, to take no care either for the body or for riches, prior to, or so much as for, the soul, how it may be made most perfect; telling you that virtue does not spring from riches, but riches and all other human blessings, both private and public, from virtue.

otherwise, even though I must die damanthus, acus and Triptolemus, many deaths.

and such others of the demigods as were just during their own life, would this be a sad removal?

16 At what price would you not estimate a conference with Orpheus

12 Perhaps, however, some one will say, Can you not, Socrates, when you have gone from us, live a silent and quiet life? This is the most difficult thing of all to persuade and Musæus, Hesiod and Homer? some of you. For if I say that that would be to disobey the Deity, and that therefore it is impossible for me to live quietly, you would not believe me, thinking I spoke ironically.

I indeed should be willing to die often, if this be true.

17 You, therefore, O my judges! ought to entertain good hopes with respect to death, and to meditate on 13 If, on the other hand, I say this one truth :—that to a good man that this is the greatest good to man, nothing is evil, neither while living to discourse daily on virtue, and oth-nor when dead, nor are his concerns er things which you have heard me neglected by the Immortals. discussing, examining both myself and others; but that a life without investigation is not worth living for, still less would you believe me if I said this. Such, however, is the case, as I affirm, O Athenians! though it is not easy to persuade you.

14 The cause of this is that which you have often and in many places heard me mention: because I am moved by a certain divine and spiritual influence, which also Melitus, through mockery, has set out in the indictment. This began with me from childhood, being a kind of voice which, when present, always diverts me from what I am about to do, but never urges me on.

18 And what has befallen me is not the effect of chance; but this is clear to me, that now to die, and be freed from my cares, is better for me. On this account the warning in no way turned me aside; and I bear no resentment toward those who condemned me, or against my accusers, although they did not condemn and accuse me with this intention, but thinking to injure me: in this they deserve to be blamed.

19 In the next place, I desire to predict to you who have condemned me, what will be your fate: for I am now in that condition in which men most frequently prophesy, namely, when they are about to die. I say 15 But if death is a removal from then to you, O Athenians! who have hence to another place, and what is condemned me to death, that imsaid be true, that all the dead are mediately after my death a punishthere, what greater blessing can ment will overtake you, far more there be than this, my judges? For severe than that which you have if, on arriving in the World of the inflicted on me. Departed, released from these who pretend to be judges, one shall find those who are true judges, and who are said to judge there, Minos and Rha- your life. The very contrary, how

20 For you have done this, thinking you should be freed from the necessity of giving an account of