,,the ,,memorable ,,thoughts ,,of       
,,socrates4  ,,by ,,xenophon4           
,,translated ,,by ,,edward ,,bysshe4    
,,cassell  ,,company1 ,,limited3        
,,london1 ,,paris1 ,,new ,,york         
,,melbourne4  #ahhh4                    
,,introduction4      ,this translation  
of ,xenophon's ,memorabilia of ,socrates
 was first  published in #agab1 and is  
here printed from the revised edition of
 #agbb4  ,its author was ,edward        
,bysshe1 who had produced in #agjb ,the 
,art of  ,english ,poetry1 a well-known 
work that was near its fifth edition    
when  its author published his          
translation of the ,memorabilia4 ,this  
was a  translation that remained in good
 repute4 ,there was another edition of  
it in #ageh4 ,bysshe translated the     
title of the book into ,the ,memorable  
,things of ,socrates4 ,i have changed   
,things into ,thoughts1 for  whether    
they be sayings or doings1 the words and
 deeds of a wise man are  alike         
expressions of his thought4    ,xenophon

 is said to have been1 when young1 a    
pupil of ,socrates4 ,two  authorities   
have recorded that in the flight from   
the battle of ,delium in  the year      
,b4,c4 #dbd1 when ,xenophon fell from   
his horse1 ,socrates picked him  up and 
carried him on his back for a           
considerable distance4 ,the time of     
,xenophon's death is not known1 but he  
was alive sixty-seven years after  the  
battle of ,delium4    ,when ,cyrus the  
,younger was preparing war against his  
brother ,artaxerxes  ,mnemon1 ,king of  
,persia1 ,xenophon went with him4 ,after
 the death of ,cyrus  on the plains of  
,cunaxa1 the barbarian auxiliaries fled1
 and the ,greeks  were left to return as
 they could from the far region between 
the ,tigris  and ,euphrates4 ,xenophon  
had to take part in the conduct of the  
retreat1  and tells the story of it in  
his ,anabasis1 a history of the         
expedition  of the younger ,cyrus and of
 the retreat of the ,greeks4 ,his return
 into  ,greece was in the year of the   

death of ,socrates1 ,b4,c4 #cii1 but his
  association was now with the          
,spartans1 with whom he fought1 ,b4,c4  
#cid1 at  ,coroneia4 ,afterwards he     
settled1 and lived for about twenty     
years1 at  ,scillus in ,eleia with his  
wife and children4 ,at ,scillus he wrote
  probably his ,anabasis and some other 
of his books4 ,at last he was  driven   
out by the ,eleans4 ,in the battle of   
,mantineia the ,spartans and  ,athenians
 fought as allies1 and ,xenophon's two  
sons were in the battle2  he had sent   
them to ,athens as fellow-combatants    
from ,sparta4 ,his  banishment from     
,athens was repealed by change of times1
 but it does not  appear that he        
returned to ,athens4 ,he is said to have
 lived1 and perhaps  died1 at ,corinth1 
after he had been driven from his home  
at ,scillus4    ,xenophon was a         
philosophic man of action4 ,he could    
make his value felt  in a council of    
war1 take part in battle--one of his    
books is on the  duties of a commander  

of cavalry--and show himself good       
sportsman in the  hunting-field4 ,he    
wrote a book upon the horse2 a treatise 
also upon dogs  and hunting4 ,he        
believed in ,god1 thought earnestly     
about social and  political duties1 and 
preferred ,spartan institutions to those
 of ,athens4  ,he wrote a life of his   
friend ,agesilaus ,,ii41 ,king of       
,sparta4 ,he found  exercise for his    
energetic mind in writing many books4   
,in writing he was  clear and to the    
point2 his practical mind made his work 
interesting4 ,his  ,anabasis is a true  
story as delightful as a fiction2 his   
,cyropaedia  is a fiction full of       
truths4 ,he wrote ,hellenica1 that      
carried on the  history of ,greece from 
the point at which ,thucydides closed   
his history  until the battle of        
,mantineia4 ,he wrote a dialogue between
 ,hiero and  ,simonides upon the        
position of a king1 and dealt with the  
administration  of the little realm of a
 man's household in his ,o,economicus1 a

 dialogue  between ,socrates and        
,critobulus1 which includes the praise  
of  agriculture4 ,he wrote also1 like   
,plato1 a symposium1 in which           
philosophers over their wine reason of  
love and friendship1 and he paints  the 
character of ,socrates4    ,but his best
 memorial of his old guide1 philosopher1
 and friend is this  work1 in which     
,xenophon brought together in simple and
 direct form the  views of life that had
 been made clear to himself by the      
teaching of  ,socrates4 ,xenophon is    
throughout opposing a plain tale to the 
false  accusations against ,socrates4   
,he does not idealise1 but he feels     
strongly1 and he shows clearly the worth
 of the wisdom that touches at  every   
point the actual conduct of the lives of
 men4    ,h4 ,m4          ,,book ,i4    
,,chapter ,i4 ,,socrates ,,not ,a       
,,contemner ,,of ,,the ,,gods ,,of ,,his
 ,,country1 ,,nor ,,an  ,,introducer    
,,of ,,new ,,ones4      ,i have often   
wondered by what show of argument the   

accusers of ,socrates  could persuade   
the ,athenians he had forfeited his life
 to the ,state4 ,for  though the crimes 
laid unto his charge were indeed        
great--,that he did  not acknowledge the
 gods of the ,republic2 that he         
introduced new  ones--and1 farther1 had 
debauched the youth2 yet none of these  
could1  in the least1 be proved against 
him4    ,for1 as to the first1 ,that he 
did not worship the deities which the   
,republic adored1 how could this be made
 out against him1 since1 instead  of    
paying no homage to the gods of his     
country1 he was frequently seen to      
assist in sacrificing to them1 both in  
his own family and in the public        
temples8--perpetually worshipping them  
in the most public1 solemn1 and         
religious manner4    ,what1 in my       
opinion1 gave his accusers a specious   
pretext for alleging  against him that  
he introduced new deities was this--that
 he had  frequently declared in public  
he had received counsel from a divine   

voice1 which he called his ,demon4 ,but 
this was no proof at all of the  matter4
 ,all that ,socrates advanced about his 
demon was no more than what  is daily   
advanced by those who believe in and    
practise divination2 and if  ,socrates1 
because he said he received intelligence
 from his genius1 must  be accused of   
introducing new divinities1 so also must
 they2 for is it  not certain that those
 who believe in divination1 and practise
 that  belief1 do observe the flight of 
birds1 consult the entrails of victims1 
and remark even unexpected words and    
accidental occurrences8 ,but they do    
not1 therefore1 believe that either the 
birds whose flight they observe  or the 
persons they meet accidentally know     
either their good or ill                
fortune--neither did ,socrates--they    
only believe that the gods make use  of 
these things to presage the future2 and 
such1 too1 was the belief of  ,socrates4
 ,the vulgar1 indeed1 imagine it to be  
the very birds and things  which present

 themselves to them that excite them to 
what is good for  them1 or make them    
avoid what may hurt them2 but1 as for   
,socrates1 he  freely owned that a demon
 was his monitor2 and he frequently told
 his  friends beforehand what they      
should do1 or not do1 according to the  
instructions he had received from his   
demon2 and they who believed him1  and  
followed his advice1 always found       
advantage by it2 as1 on the  contrary1  
they who neglected his admonitions1     
never failed to repent  their           
incredulity4 ,now1 it cannot be denied  
but that he ought to have  taken care   
not to pass with his friends either for 
a liar or a visionary2  and yet how     
could he avoid incurring that censure if
 the events had not  justified the truth
 of the things he pretended were        
revealed to him8 ,it  is1 therefore1    
manifest that he would not have spoken  
of things to come  if he had not        
believed he said true2 but how could he 
believe he said  true1 unless he        

believed that the gods1 who alone ought 
to be trusted for  the knowledge of     
things to come1 gave him notice of them8
 and1 if he  believed they did so1 how  
can it be said that he acknowledged no  
gods8    ,he likewise advised his       
friends to do1 in the best manner they  
could1 the  things that of necessity    
they were to do2 but1 as to those whose 
events  were doubtful1 he sent them to  
the oracles to know whether they should 
engage in them or not4 ,and he thought  
that they who design to govern  with    
success their families or whole cities  
had great need of receiving             
instructions by the help of divinations2
 for though he indeed held that  every  
man may make choice of the condition of 
life in which he desires to  live1 and  
that1 by his industry1 he may render    
himself excellent in it1  whether he    
apply himself to architecture or to     
agriculture1 whether he  throw himself  
into politics or economy1 whether he    
engage himself in the  public revenues  

or in the army1 yet that in all these   
things the gods  have reserved to       
themselves the most important events1   
into which men of  themselves can in no 
wise penetrate4 ,thus he who makes a    
fine plantation  of trees1 knows not who
 shall gather the fruit2 he who builds a
 house  cannot tell who shall inhabit   
it2 a general is not certain that he    
shall  be successful in his command1 nor
 a ,minister of ,state in his ministry2 
he  who marries a beautiful woman in    
hopes of being happy with her knows not 
but that even she herself may be the    
cause of all his uneasinesses2 and  he  
who enters into a grand alliance is     
uncertain whether they with whom  he    
allies himself will not at length be the
 cause of his ruin4 ,this made  him     
frequently say that it is a great folly 
to imagine there is not a  ,divine      
,providence that presides over these    
things1 and that they can in  the least 
depend on human prudence4 ,he likewise  
held it to be a weakness  to importune  

the gods with questions which we may    
resolve ourselves2 as  if we should ask 
them whether it be better to take a     
coachman who knows  how to drive than   
one who knows nothing of the matter8    
whether it be more  eligible to take an 
experienced pilot than one that is      
ignorant8 ,in a  word1 he counted it a  
kind of impiety to consult the oracles  
concerning  what might be numbered or   
weighed1 because we ought to learn the  
things  which the gods have been pleased
 to capacitate us to know2 but that we  
ought to have recourse to the oracles to
 be instructed in those that  surpass   
our knowledge1 because the gods are wont
 to discover them to such  men as have  
rendered them propitious to themselves4 
,socrates stayed seldom at home4 ,in the
 morning he went to the places          
appointed for walking and public        
exercises4 ,he never failed to be at the
  hall1 or courts of justice1 at the    
usual hour of assembling there1 and  the
 rest of the day he was at the places   

where the greatest companies  generally 
met4 ,there it was that he discoursed   
for the most part1 and  whoever would   
hear him easily might2 and yet no man   
ever observed the  least impiety either 
in his actions or his words4 ,nor did he
 amuse  himself to reason of the secrets
 of nature1 or to search into the manner
  of the creation of what the sophists  
call the world1 nor to dive into the    
cause of the motions of the celestial   
bodies4 ,on the contrary1 he  exposed   
the folly of such as give themselves up 
to these contemplations2  and he asked  
whether it was1 after having acquired a 
perfect knowledge of  human things1 that
 they undertook to search into the      
divine1 or if they  thought themselves  
very wise in neglecting what concerned  
them to employ  themselves in things    
above them8 ,he was astonished likewise 
that they  did not see it was impossible
 for men to comprehend anything of all  
those  wonders1 seeing they who have the
 reputation of being most knowing in    

them are of quite different opinions1   
and can agree no better than so  many   
fools and madmen2 for as some of these  
are not afraid of the most  dangerous   
and frightful accidents1 while others   
are in dread of what is  not to be      
feared1 so1 too1 among those            
philosophers1 some are of opinion  that 
there is no action but what may be done 
in public1 nor word that may  not freely
 be spoken before the whole world1 while
 others1 on the  contrary1 believe that 
we ought to avoid the conversation of   
men and keep  in a perpetual solitude4  
,some have despised the temples and the 
altars1  and have taught not to honour  
the gods1 while others have been so     
superstitious as to worship wood1       
stones1 and irrational creatures4 ,and  
as to the knowledge of natural things1  
some have confessed but one only  being2
 others have admitted an infinite       
number3 some have believed that  all    
things are in a perpetual motion2 others
 that nothing moves3 some  have held the

 world to be full of continual          
generations and corruptions2  others    
maintain that nothing is engendered or  
destroyed4 ,he said besides  that he    
should be glad to know of those persons 
whether they were in  hopes one day to  
put in practice what they learned1 as   
men who know an  art may practise it    
when they please either for their own   
advantage or  for the service of their  
friends2 or whether they did imagine    
that1 after  they found out the causes  
of all things that happen1 they should  
be able  to cause winds and rains1 and  
to dispose the times and seasons as they
  had occasion for them2 or whether they
 contented themselves with the bare     
knowledge without expecting any farther 
advantage4    ,this was what he said of 
those who delight in such studies4 ,as  
for his  part1 he meditated chiefly on  
what is useful and proper for man1 and  
took  delight to argue of piety and     
impiety1 of honesty and dishonesty1 of  
justice and injustice1 of wisdom and    

folly1 of courage and cowardice1 of  the
 ,state1 and of the qualifications of a 
,minister of ,state1 of the             
,government1 and of those who are fit to
 govern2 in short1 he enlarged on  the  
like subjects1 which it becomes men of  
condition to know1 and of  which none   
but slaves should be ignorant4    ,it is
 not strange1 perhaps1 that the judges  
of ,socrates mistook his  opinion in    
things concerning which he did not      
explain himself2 but ,i am  surprised   
that they did not reflect on what he had
 said and done in the  face of the whole
 world2 for when he was one of the      
,senate1 and had taken  the usual oath  
exactly to observe the laws1 being in   
his turn vested with  the dignity of    
,epistate1 he bravely withstood the     
populace1 who1 against  all manner of   
reason1 demanded that the nine captains1
 two of whom were  ,erasinides and      
,thrasilus1 should be put to death1 he  
would never give  consent to this       
injustice1 and was not daunted at the   

rage of the people1  nor at the menaces 
of the men in power1 choosing rather not
 to violate  the oath he had taken than 
to yield to the violence of the         
multitude1 and  shelter himself from the
 vengeance of those who threatened him4 
,to this  purpose he said that the gods 
watch over men more attentively than the
  vulgar imagine2 for they believe there
 are some things which the gods  observe
 and others which they pass by          
unregarded2 but he held that the  gods  
observe all our actions and all our     
words1 that they penetrate even  into   
our most secret thoughts1 that they are 
present at all our  deliberations1 and  
that they inspire us in all our affairs4
    ,it is astonishing1 therefore1 to   
consider how the ,athenians could suffer
  themselves to be persuaded that       
,socrates entertained any unworthy      
thoughts of the ,deity2 he who never let
 slip one single word against the       
respect due to the gods1 nor was ever   
guilty of any action that savoured  in  

the least of impiety2 but who1 on the   
contrary1 has done and said  things that
 could not proceed but from a mind truly
 pious1 and that are  sufficient to gain
 a man an eternal reputation of piety   
and virtue4        ,,chapter ,,ii4      
,,socrates ,,not ,a ,,debaucher ,,of    
,,youth4      ,what surprises me yet    
more is1 that some would believe that   
,socrates was  a debaucher of young men6
 ,socrates the most sober and most      
chaste of all  men1 who cheerfully      
supported both cold and heat2 whom no   
inconvenience1  no hardships1 no labours
 could startle1 and who had learned to  
wish for  so little1 that though he had 
scarce anything1 he had always enough4  
,then  how could he teach impiety1      
injustice1 gluttony1 impurity1 and      
luxury8  ,and so far was he from doing  
so1 that he reclaimed many persons from 
those vices1 inspiring them with the    
love of virtue1 and putting them in     
hopes of coming to preferment in the    
world1 provided they would take a       

little care of themselves4 ,yet he never
 promised any man to teach him to  be   
virtuous2 but as he made a public       
profession of virtue1 he created in  the
 minds of those who frequented him the  
hopes of becoming virtuous by  his      
example4    ,he neglected not his own   
body1 and praised not those that        
neglected  theirs4 ,in like manner1 he  
blamed the custom of some who eat too   
much1  and afterwards use violent       
exercises2 but he approved of eating    
till  nature be satisfied1 and of a     
moderate exercise after it1 believing   
that  method to be an advantage to      
health1 and proper to unbend and divert 
the  mind4 ,in his clothes he was       
neither nice nor costly2 and what ,i say
 of  his clothes ought likewise to be   
understood of his whole way of living4  
,never any of his friends became        
covetous in his conversation1 and he    
reclaimed them from that sordid         
disposition1 as well as from all others2
  for he would accept of no gratuity    

from any who desired to confer with     
him1 and said that was the way to       
discover a noble and generous heart1    
and that they who take rewards betray a 
meanness of soul1 and sell their  own   
persons1 because they impose on         
themselves a necessity of instructing   
those from whom they receive a salary4  
,he wondered1 likewise1 why a man1  who 
promises to teach virtue1 should ask    
money2 as if he believed not the        
greatest of all gain to consist in the  
acquisition of a good friend1 or1  as if
 he feared1 that he who1 by his means1  
should become virtuous1 and  be obliged 
to him for so great a benefit1 would not
 be sufficiently  grateful for it4      
,quite different from ,socrates1 who    
never boasted of any  such thing1 and   
who was most certain that all who heard 
him and received  his maxims would love 
him for ever1 and be capable of loving  
others also4  ,after this1 whosoever    
says that such a man debauched the      
youth1 must at  the same time say that  

the study of virtue is debauchery4      
,but the accuser says that ,socrates    
taught to despise the constitution  that
 was established in the ,republic1      
because he affirmed it to be a  folly to
 elect magistrates by lots2 since if    
anyone had occasion for a  pilot1 a     
musician1 or an architect1 he would not 
trust to chance for any  such person1   
though the faults that can be committed 
by men in such  capacities are far from 
being of so great importance as those   
that are  committed in the government of
 the ,republic4 ,he says1 therefore1    
that  such arguments insensibly accustom
 the youth to despise the laws1 and     
render them more audacious and more     
violent4 ,but1 in my opinion1 such as   
study the art of prudence1 and who      
believe they shall be able to render    
themselves capable of giving good advice
 and counsel to their  fellow-citizens1 
seldom become men of violent tempers2   
because they know  that violence is     
hateful and full of danger2 while1 on   

the contrary1 to  win by persuasion is  
full of love and safety4 ,for they1 whom
 we have  compelled1 brood a secret     
hatred against us1 believing we have    
done them  wrong2 but those whom we have
 taken the trouble to persuade continue 
our  friends1 believing we have done    
them a kindness4 ,it is not1 therefore1 
they who apply themselves to the study  
of prudence that become violent1  but   
those brutish intractable tempers who   
have much power in their hands  and but 
little judgment to manage it4--,he      
farther said that when a man  desires to
 carry anything by force1 he must have  
many friends to assist  him3 as1 on the 
contrary1 he that can persuade has need 
of none but  himself1 and is not subject
 to shed blood2 for who would rather    
choose to  kill a man than to make use  
of his services1 after having gained his
  friendship and goodwill by mildness8  
,the accuser adds1 in proof of the ill  
tendency of the doctrine of  ,socrates1 
that ,critias and ,alcibiades1 who were 

two of his most intimate  friends1 were 
very bad men1 and did much mischief to  
their country4 ,for  ,critias was the   
most insatiable and cruel of all the    
thirty tyrants2 and  ,alcibiades the    
most dissolute1 the most insolent1 and  
the most audacious  citizen that ever   
the ,republic had4 ,as for me1 ,i       
pretend not to justify  them1 and will  
only relate for what reason they        
frequented ,socrates4 ,they  were men of
 an unbounded ambition1 and who         
resolved1 whatever it cost1 to  govern  
the ,state1 and make themselves be      
talked of4 ,they had heard that         
,socrates lived very content upon little
 or nothing1 that he entirely  commanded
 his passions1 and that his reasonings  
were so persuasive that  he drew all men
 to which side he pleased4 ,reflecting  
on this1 and being  of the temper we    
mentioned1 can it be thought that they  
desired the  acquaintance of ,socrates1 
because they were in love with his way  
of life1  and with his temperance1 or   

because they believed that by conversing
 with  him they should render themselves
 capable of reasoning aright1 and of    
well-managing the public affairs8 ,for  
my part1 ,i believe that if the  gods   
had proposed to them to live always like
 him1 or to die immediately1  they would
 rather have chosen a sudden death4 ,and
 it is easy to judge  this from their   
actions2 for as soon as they thought    
themselves more  capable than their     
companions1 they forsook ,socrates1 whom
 they had  frequented1 only for the     
purpose ,i mentioned1 and threw         
themselves wholly  into business4    ,it
 may1 perhaps1 be objected that he ought
 not to have discoursed to his  friends 
of things relating to the government of 
the ,state1 till after he  had taught   
them to live virtuously4 ,i have nothing
 to say to this2 but ,i  observe that   
all who profess teaching do generally   
two things3 they work  in presence of   
their scholars1 to show them how they   
ought to do1 and  they instruct them    

likewise by word of mouth4 ,now1 in     
either of these  two ways1 no man ever  
taught to live well1 like ,socrates2    
for1 in his  whole life1 he was an      
example of untainted probity2 and in his
 discourses  he spoke of virtue and of  
all the duties of man in a manner that  
made him  admired of all his hearers4   
,and ,i know too very well that ,critias
 and  ,alcibiades lived very virtuously 
as long as they frequented him2 not that
  they were afraid of him1 but because  
they thought it most conducive to  their
 designs to live so at that time4       
,many who pretend to philosophy will    
here object1 that a virtuous person  is 
always virtuous1 and that when a man has
 once come to be good and  temperate1 he
 will never afterwards become wicked nor
 dissolute2 because  habitudes that can 
be acquired1 when once they are so1 can 
never more be  effaced from the mind4   
,but ,i am not of this opinion2 for as  
they who use  no bodily exercises are   
awkward and unwieldy in the actions of  

the body1  so they who exercise not     
their minds are incapable of the noble  
actions  of the mind1 and have not      
courage enough to undertake anything    
worthy of  praise1 nor command enough   
over themselves to abstain from things  
that  are forbid4 ,for this reason1     
parents1 though they be well enough     
assured  of the good natural disposition
 of their children1 fail not to forbid  
them the conversation of the vicious1   
because it is the ruin of worthy        
dispositions1 whereas the conversation  
of good men is a continual  meditation  
of virtue4 ,thus a poet says1        ,by
 those whom we frequent1 we're ever led3
      ,example is a law by all obeyed4  
,thus with the good1 we are to good     
inclined1      ,but vicious company     
corrupts the mind4    ,and another in   
like manner3        ,virtue and vice in 
the same man are found1      ,and now   
they gain1 and now they lose their      
ground4    ,and1 in my opinion1 they are
 in the right3 for when ,i consider that

 they  who have learned verses by heart 
forget them unless they repeat them     
often1 so ,i believe that they who      
neglect the reasonings of philosophers1 
insensibly lose the remembrance of them2
 and when they have let these  excellent
 notions slip out of their minds1 they  
at the same time lose the  idea of the  
things that supported in the soul the   
love of temperance2  and1 having forgot 
those things1 what wonder is it if at   
length they  forget temperance likewise8
    ,i observe1 besides1 that men who   
abandon themselves to the debauches of  
wine or women find it more difficult to 
apply themselves to things that  are    
profitable1 and to abstain from what is 
hurtful4 ,for many who live  frugally   
before they fall in love become prodigal
 when that passion gets  the mastery    
over them2 insomuch that after having   
wasted their estates1  they are reduced 
to gain their bread by methods they     
would have been  ashamed of before4     
,what hinders then1 but that a man1 who 

has been once  temperate1 should be so  
no longer1 and that he who has led a    
good life at  one time should not do so 
at another8 ,i should think1 therefore1 
that  the being of all virtues1 and     
chiefly of temperance1 depends on the   
practice of them3 for lust1 that dwells 
in the same body with the soul1  incites
 it continually to despise this virtue1 
and to find out the  shortest way to    
gratify the senses only4    ,thus1      
whilst ,alcibiades and ,critias         
conversed with ,socrates1 they were     
able1 with so great an assistance1 to   
tame their inclinations2 but after  they
 had left him1 ,critias1 being retired  
into ,thessaly1 ruined himself  entirely
 in the company of some libertines2 and 
,alcibiades1 seeing  himself courted by 
several women of quality1 because of his
 beauty1 and  suffering himself to be   
corrupted by soothing flatterers1 who   
made their  court to him1 in            
consideration of the credit he had in   
the city and with  the allies2 in a     

word1 finding himself respected by all  
the ,athenians1  and that no man        
disputed the first rank with him1 began 
to neglect  himself1 and acted like a   
great wrestler1 who takes not the       
trouble to  exercise himself1 when he no
 longer finds an adversary who dares to 
contend with him4    ,if we would       
examine1 therefore1 all that has        
happened to them2 if we  consider how   
much the greatness of their birth1 their
 interest1 and their  riches1 had puffed
 up their minds2 if we reflect on the   
ill company they  fell into1 and the    
many opportunities they had of          
debauching themselves1  can we be       
surprised that1 after they had been so  
long absent from  ,socrates1 they       
arrived at length to that height of     
insolence to which  they have been seen 
to arise8 ,if they have been guilty of  
crimes1 the  accuser will load ,socrates
 with them1 and not allow him to be     
worthy of  praise1 for having kept them 
within the bounds of their duty during  

their  youth1 when1 in all appearance1  
they would have been the most disorderly
  and least governable4 ,this1 however1 
is not the way we judge of other        
things2 for whoever pretended that a    
musician1 a player on the lute1 or  any 
other person that teaches1 after he has 
made a good scholar1 ought to  be blamed
 for his growing more ignorant under the
 care of another master8  ,if a young   
man gets an acquaintance that brings him
 into debauchery1  ought his father to  
lay the blame on the first friends of   
his son among  whom he always lived     
virtuously8 ,is it not true1 on the     
contrary1 that  the more he finds that  
this last friendship proves destructive 
to him1  the more reason he will have to
 praise his former acquaintance4 ,and   
are  the fathers themselves1 who are    
daily with their children1 guilty of    
their faults1 if they give them no ill  
example8 ,thus they ought to have       
judged of ,socrates2 if he led an ill   
life1 it was reasonable to esteem  him  

vicious2 but if a good1 was it just to  
accuse him of crimes of which  he was   
innocent8    ,and yet he might have     
given his adversaries ground to accuse  
him1 had he  but approved1 or seemed to 
approve those vices in others1 from     
which he  kept himself free3 but        
,socrates abhorred vice1 not only in    
himself1 but  in everyone besides4 ,to  
prove which1 ,i need only relate his    
conduct  toward ,critias1 a man         
extremely addicted to debauchery4       
,socrates  perceiving that this man had 
an unnatural passion for ,euthydemus1   
and  that the violence of it would      
precipitate him so far a length as to   
make  him transgress the bounds of      
nature1 shocked at his behaviour1 he    
exerted  his utmost strength of reason  
and argument to dissuade him from so    
wild a  desire4 ,and while the          
impetuosity of ,critias' passion seemed 
to scorn  all check or control1 and the 
modest rebuke of ,socrates had been     
disregarded1 the philosopher1 out of an 

ardent zeal for virtue1 broke out  in   
such language1 as at once declared his  
own strong inward sense of  decency and 
order1 and the monstrous shamefulness of
 ,critias' passion4  ,which severe but  
just reprimand of ,socrates1 it is      
thought1 was the  foundation of that    
grudge which he ever after bore him2 for
 during the  tyranny of the ,thirty1 of 
which ,critias was one1 when1 together  
with  ,charicles1 he had the care of the
 civil government of the city1 he failed
  not to remember this affront1 and1 in 
revenge of it1 made a law to forbid     
teaching the art of reasoning in        
,athens3 and having nothing to reproach 
,socrates with in particular1 he        
laboured to render him odious by        
aspersing him with the usual calumnies  
that are thrown on all  philosophers3   
for ,i have never heard ,socrates say   
that he taught this  art1 nor seen any  
man who ever heard him say so2 but      
,critias had taken  offence1 and gave   
sufficient proofs of it3 for after the  

,thirty had  caused to be put to death a
 great number of the citizens1 and even 
of the  most eminent1 and had let loose 
the reins to all sorts of violence and  
rapine1 ,socrates said in a certain     
place that he wondered very much that  a
 man who keeps a herd of cattle1 and by 
his ill conduct loses every day  some of
 them1 and suffers the others to fall   
away1 would not own himself  to be a    
very ill keeper of his herd2 and that he
 should wonder yet more  if a ,minister 
of ,state1 who lessens every day the    
number of his citizens1  and makes the  
others more dissolute1 was not ashamed  
of his ministry1 and  would not own     
himself to be an ill magistrate4 ,this  
was reported to  ,critias and           
,charicles1 who forthwith sent for      
,socrates1 and showing him  the law they
 had made1 forbid him to discourse with 
the young men4 ,upon  which ,socrates   
asked them whether they would permit him
 to propose a  question1 that he might  
be informed of what he did not          

understand in this  prohibition2 and his
 request being granted1 he spoke in this
 manner3 ,i  am most ready to obey your 
laws2 but that ,i may not transgress    
through  ignorance1 ,i desire to know of
 you1 whether you condemn the art of    
reasoning1 because you believe it       
consists in saying things well1 or in   
saying them ill8 ,if for the former     
reason1 we must then1 from              
henceforward1 abstain from speaking as  
we ought2 and if for the latter1  it is 
plain that we ought to endeavour to     
speak well4 ,at these words  ,charicles 
flew into a passion1 and said to him3   
,since you pretend to be  ignorant of   
things that are so easily known1 we     
forbid you to speak to  the young men in
 any manner whatever4 ,it is enough1    
answered  ,socrates2 but that ,i may not
 be in a perpetual uncertainty1 pray    
prescribe to me1 till what age men are  
young4 ,till they are capable of  being 
members of the ,senate1 said ,charicles3
 in a word1 speak to no man  under      

thirty years of age4 ,how6 says         
,socrates1 if ,i would buy  anything of 
a tradesman who is not thirty years old 
am ,i forbid to ask  him the price of   
it8 ,i mean not so1 answered ,charicles3
 but ,i am not  surprised that you ask  
me this question1 for it is your custom 
to ask  many things that you know very  
well4 ,socrates added3 ,and if a young  
man ask me in the street where          
,charicles lodges1 or whether ,i know   
where  ,critias is1 must ,i make him no 
answer8 ,i mean not so neither1         
answered ,charicles4 ,here ,critias1    
interrupting their discourse1 said3     
,for the future1 ,socrates1 you must    
have nothing to do with the city        
tradesmen1 the shoemakers1 masons1      
smiths1 and other mechanics1 whom you   
so often allege as examples of life2 and
 who1 ,i apprehend1 are quite  jaded    
with your discourses4 ,i must then      
likewise1 replied ,socrates1  omit the  
consequences ,i draw from those         
discourses2 and have no more to  do with

 justice1 piety1 and the other duties of
 a good man4 ,yes1 yes1  said           
,charicles2 and ,i advise you to meddle 
no more with those that tend  herds of  
oxen2 otherwise take care you lose not  
your own4 ,and these  last words made it
 appear that ,critias and ,charicles had
 taken offence at  the discourse which  
,socrates had held against their        
government1 when he  compared them to a 
man that suffers his herd to fall to    
ruin4    ,thus we see how ,critias      
frequented ,socrates1 and what opinion  
they had of  each other4 ,i add1        
moreover1 that we cannot learn anything 
of a man whom  we do not like3 therefore
 if ,critias and ,alcibiades made no    
great  improvement with ,socrates1 it   
proceeded from this1 that they never    
liked  him4 ,for at the very time that  
they conversed with him1 they always    
rather courted the conversation of those
 who were employed in the public        
affairs1 because they had no design but 
to govern4--,the following  conference  

of ,alcibiades1 in particular1 which he 
had with ,pericles1 his  governor--who  
was the chief man of the city1 whilst he
 was yet under  twenty years of         
age--concerning the nature of the laws1 
will confirm what  ,i have now advanced4
    ,pray1 says ,alcibiades1 explain to 
me what the law is3 for1 as ,i hear  men
 praised who observe the laws1 ,i       
imagine that this praise could not be   
given to those who know not what the law
 is4 ,it is easy to satisfy  you1       
answered ,pericles3 the law is only what
 the people in a general  assembly      
ordain1 declaring what ought to be done1
 and what ought not to  be done4 ,and   
tell me1 added ,alcibiades1 do they     
ordain to do what is  good1 or what is  
ill8 ,most certainly what is good4      
,alcibiades  pursued3 ,and how would you
 call what a small number of citizens   
should  ordain1 in states where the     
people is not the master1 but all is    
ordered  by the advice of a few persons1
 who possess the sovereignty8 ,i would  

call whatever they ordain a law2 for    
laws are nothing else but the           
ordinances of sovereigns4 ,if a tyrant  
then ordain anything1 will that  be a   
law8 ,yes1 it will1 said ,pericles4 ,but
 what then is violence  and injustice8  
continued ,alcibiades2 is it not when   
the strongest makes  himself be obeyed  
by the weakest1 not by consent1 but by  
force only8 ,in  my opinion it is4 ,it  
follows then1 says ,alcibiades1 that    
ordinances  made by a prince1 without   
the consent of the citizens1 will be    
absolutely  unjust4 ,i believe so1 said 
,pericles2 and cannot allow that the    
ordinances of a prince1 when they are   
made without the consent of the  people1
 should bear the name of laws4 ,and what
 the chief citizens  ordain1 without    
procuring the consent of the greater    
number1 is that  likewise a violence8   
,there is no question of it1 answered   
,pericles2  and in general1 every       
ordinance made without the consent of   
those who  are to obey it1 is a violence

 rather than a law4 ,and is what the    
populace decree1 without the concurrence
 of the chiefs1 to be counted a         
violence likewise1 and not a law8 ,no   
doubt it is1 said ,pericles3 but  when  
,i was of your age1 ,i could resolve all
 these difficulties1 because ,i  made it
 my business to inquire into them1 as   
you do now4 ,would to  ,god1 cried      
,alcibiades1 ,i had been so happy as to 
have conversed with  you then1 when you 
understood these matters better4 ,to    
this purpose was  their dialogue4       
,critias and ,alcibiades1 however1      
continued not long with ,socrates1 after
  they believed they had improved       
themselves1 and gained some advantages  
over the other citizens1 for besides    
that they thought not his  conversation 
very agreeable1 they were displeased    
that he took upon him  to reprimand them
 for their faults2 and thus they threw  
themselves  immediately into the public 
affairs1 having never had any other     
design  but that4 ,the usual companions 

of ,socrates were ,crito1 ,chaerephon1  
,chaerecrates1 ,simmias1 ,cebes1        
,phaedon1 and some others2 none of whom 
frequented him that they might learn to 
speak eloquently1 either in the         
assemblies of the people1 or in the     
courts of justice before the judges2    
but that they might become better men1  
and know how to behave themselves       
towards their domestics1 their          
relations1 their friends1 and their     
fellow-  citizens4 ,all these persons   
led very innocent lives2 and1 whether we
  consider them in their youth or       
examine their behaviour in a more       
advanced age1 we shall find that they   
never were guilty of any bad  action1   
nay1 that they never gave the least     
ground to suspect them of  being so4    
,but the accuser says that ,socrates    
encouraged children to despise their    
parents1 making them believe that he was
 more capable to instruct them  than    
they2 and telling them that as the laws 
permit a man to chain his  own father if

 he can convict him of lunacy1 so1 in   
like manner1 it is but  just that a man 
of excellent sense should throw another 
into chains who  has not so much        
understanding4 ,i cannot deny but that  
,socrates may have  said something like 
this2 but he meant it not in the sense  
in which the  accuser would have it     
taken3 and he fully discovered what his 
meaning by  these words was1 when he    
said that he who should pretend to chain
 others  because of their ignorance1    
ought1 for the same reason1 to submit to
 be  chained himself by men who know    
more than he4 ,hence it is that he      
argued  so often of the difference      
between folly and ignorance2 and then he
  plainly said that fools and madmen    
ought to be chained indeed1 as well  for
 their own interest as for that of their
 friends2 but that they who  are        
ignorant of things they should know1    
ought only to be instructed by  those   
that understand them4    ,the accuser   
goes on1 that ,socrates did not only    

teach men to despise  their parents1 but
 their other relations too2 because he  
said that if a  man be sick1 or have a  
suit in law1 it is not his relations1   
but the  physicians1 or the advocates   
who are of use to him4 ,he further      
alleged  that ,socrates1 speaking of    
friends1 said it was to no purpose to   
bear  goodwill to any man1 if it be not 
in our power to serve him2 and that the 
only friends whom we ought to value are 
they who know what is good for  us1 and 
can teach it to us3 thus1 says the      
accuser1 ,socrates1 by  persuading the  
youth that he was the wisest of all men1
 and the most  capable to set others in 
the right road to wisdom1 made them     
believe that  all the rest of mankind   
were nothing in comparison with him4 ,i 
remember1  indeed1 to have heard him    
sometimes talk after this manner of     
parents1  relations1 and friends2 and he
 observed besides1 if ,i mistake not1   
that  when the soul1 in which the       
understanding resides1 is gone out of   

the  body1 we soon bury the corpse2 and 
even though it be that of our nearest   
relation1 we endeavour to put it out of 
our sight as soon as decently we  can4  
,farther1 though every man loves his own
 body to a great degree1 we  scruple not
 nevertheless to take from it all that  
is superfluous1 for  this reason we cut 
our hair and our nails1 we take off our 
corns and our  warts1 and we put        
ourselves into the surgeons' hands1 and 
endure caustics  and incisions2 and     
after they have made us suffer a great  
deal of pain1  we think ourselves       
obliged to give them a reward3 thus1    
too1 we spit1  because the spittle is of
 no use in the mouth1 but on the        
contrary is  troublesome4 ,but ,socrates
 meant not by these1 or the like        
sayings1 to  conclude that a man ought  
to bury his father alive1 or that we    
ought to  cut off our legs and arms2 but
 he meant only to teach us that what is 
useless is contemptible1 and to exhort  
every man to improve and render  himself

 useful to others2 to the end that if we
 desire to be esteemed by  our father1  
our brother1 or any other relation1 we  
should not rely so  much on our         
parentage and consanguinity1 as not to  
endeavour to render  ourselves always   
useful to those whose esteem we desire  
to obtain4    ,the accuser says further 
against ,socrates1 that he was so       
malicious as to  choose out of the      
famous poets the passages that contained
 the worst  instructions1 and that he   
made use of them in a sly manner1 to    
inculcate  the vices of injustice and   
violence3 as this verse of ,hesiod1     
,blame no employment1 but blame         
idleness4    ,and he pretends that      
,socrates alleged this passage to prove 
that the poet  meant to say that we     
ought not to count any employment unjust
 or  dishonourable1 if we can make any  
advantage of it4 ,this1 however1 was    
far from the thoughts of ,socrates2 but1
 as he had always taught that           
employment and business are useful and  

honourable to men1 and that  idleness is
 an evil1 he concluded that they who    
busy themselves about  anything that is 
good are indeed employed2 but that      
gamesters and  debauched persons1 and   
all who have no occupations1 but such as
 are  hurtful and wicked1 are idle4     
,now1 in this sense1 is it not true to  
say3--        ,blame no employment1 but 
blame idleness8    ,the accuser likewise
 says that ,socrates often repeated1 out
 of ,homer1 a  speech of ,ulysses2 and  
from thence he concludes that ,socrates 
taught that  the poet advised to beat   
the poor and abuse the common people4   
,but it is  plain ,socrates could never 
have drawn such a wild and unnatural    
inference  from those verses of the     
poet1 because he would have argued      
against  himself1 since he was as poor  
as anyone besides4 ,what he meant1      
therefore1 was only this1 that such as  
are neither men of counsel nor          
execution1 who are neither fit to advise
 in the city nor to serve in the  army1 

and are nevertheless proud and insolent1
 ought to be brought to  reason1 even   
though they be possessed of great       
riches4 ,and this was the  true meaning 
of ,socrates1 for he loved the men of   
low condition1 and  expressed a great   
civility for all sorts of persons2      
insomuch that  whenever he was          
consulted1 either by the ,athenians or  
by foreigners1 he  would never take     
anything of any man for the instructions
 he gave them1  but imparted his wisdom 
freely1 and without reward1 to all the  
world2  while they1 who became rich by  
his liberality1 did not afterwards      
behave  themselves so generously1 but   
sold very dear to others what had cost  
them  nothing2 and1 not being of so     
obliging a temper as he1 would not      
impart  their knowledge to any who had  
it not in their power to reward them4   
,in  short1 ,socrates has rendered the  
city of ,athens famous throughout the   
whole earth2 and1 as ,lychas was said to
 be the honour of ,sparta1 because  he  

treated1 at his own expense1 all the    
foreigners who came to the feasts  of   
the ,gymnopaedies1 so it may1 with much 
greater reason1 be said of  ,socrates   
that he was the glory of ,athens1 he who
 all his life made a  continual         
distribution of his goodness and        
virtues1 and who1 keeping open  for all 
the world the treasures of an           
inestimable wealth1 never sent any  man 
out of his company but more virtuous1   
and more improved in the  principles of 
honour1 than formerly he was4           
,therefore1 in my opinion1 if  he had   
been treated according to his merit1    
they should have decreed him  public    
honours rather than have condemned him  
to an infamous death4 ,for  against whom
 have the laws ordained the punishment  
of death8 ,is it not  for thieves1 for  
robbers1 for men guilty of sacrilege1   
for those who sell  persons that are    
free8 ,but where1 in all the world1 can 
we find a man  more innocent of all     
those crimes than ,socrates8 ,can it be 

said of him  that he ever held          
correspondence with the enemy1 that he  
ever fomented  any sedition1 that he    
ever was the cause of a rebellion1 or   
any other the  like mischiefs8 ,can any 
man lay to his charge that he ever      
detained his  estate1 or did him or it  
the least injury8 ,was he ever so much  
as  suspected of any of these things8   
,how then is it possible he should be   
guilty of the crimes of which he was    
accused2 since1 instead of not          
believing in the gods1 as the accuser   
says1 it is manifest he was a  sincere  
adorer of them8 ,instead of corrupting  
the youth1 as he further  alleges       
against him1 he made it his chief care  
to deliver his friends  from the power  
of every guilty passion1 and to inspire 
them with an  ardent love for virtue1   
the glory1 the ornament1 and felicity of
 families  as well as of states8 ,and   
this being fact 7and fact it is1 for who
 can  deny it871 is it not certain that 
the ,republic was extremely obliged to  

him1 and that she ought to have paid him
 the highest honours8        ,,chapter  
,,iii4 ,,how ,,socrates ,,behaved       
,,through ,,the ,,whole ,,of ,,his      
,,life4      ,having1 therefore1        
observed myself that all who frequented 
him improved  themselves very much in   
his conversation1 because he instructed 
them no  less by his example than by his
 discourses1 ,i am resolved to set down1
 in  this work1 all that ,i can         
recollect both of his actions and words4
    ,first1 then1 as to what relates to 
the service of the gods1 he strictly    
conformed to the advice of the oracle1  
who never gives any other answer  to    
those who inquire of him in what manner 
they ought to sacrifice to the  gods1 or
 what honours they ought to render to   
the dead1 than that  everyone should    
observe the customs of his own country4 
,thus in all the  acts of religious     
worship ,socrates took particular care  
to do nothing  contrary to the custom of
 the ,republic1 and advised his friends 

to make  that the rule of their devotion
 to the gods1 alleging it to be an      
argument of superstition and vanity to  
dissent from the established  worship4  
,when he prayed to the gods he besought 
them only to give him what is  good1    
because they know better than we do what
 things are truly good for  us2 and he  
said that men who pray for silver1 or   
for gold1 or for the  sovereign         
authority1 made as foolish requests as  
if they prayed that they  might play or 
fight1 or desired any other thing whose 
event is uncertain1  and that might be  
likely to turn to their disadvantage4   
,when he offered sacrifices he did not  
believe that his poverty rendered  them 
despicable in the presence of the gods2 
and1 while he offered  according to his 
ability1 he thought he gave as much as  
the rich1 who  load the altars with     
costly gifts1 for he held that it would 
be an  injustice in the gods to take    
more delight in costly sacrifices than  
in  poorer ones1 because it would then  

follow that the offerings of the  wicked
 would for the most part be more        
acceptable to them than the gifts  of   
the good2 and that1 if this were so1 we 
ought not to desire to live  one moment 
longer3 he thought1 therefore1 that     
nothing was so acceptable  to the ,deity
 as the homage that is paid him by souls
 truly pious and  innocent4 ,to this    
purpose he often repeated these         
verses3--        ,offer to heaven       
according to thy pow'r3      ,th'       
indulgent gracious gods require no more4
    ,and not only in this1 but in all   
the other occasions of life1 he thought 
the best advice he could give his       
friends was to do all things according  
to their ability4    ,when he believed  
that the gods had admonished him to do  
anything1 it was  as impossible to make 
him take a contrary resolution as it    
would have  been to have prevailed with 
him in a journey to change a guide that 
was  clear-sighted for one that knew not
 the way1 and was blind likewise4 ,for  

this reason he pitied their folly1 who1 
to avoid the derision of men1  live not 
according to the admonitions and        
commands of the gods2 and he  beheld    
with contempt all the subtilties of     
human prudence when he  compared them   
with divine inspirations4    ,his way of
 living was such that whoever follows it
 may be assured1 with  the help of the  
gods1 that he shall acquire a robust    
constitution and a  health not to be    
easily impaired2 and this1 too1 without 
any great  expense1 for he was content  
with so little that ,i believe there was
 not  in all the world a man who could  
work at all but might have earned enough
  to have maintained him4 ,he generally 
ate as long as he found pleasure in     
eating1 and when he sat down to table he
 desired no other sauce but a  sound    
appetite4 ,all sorts of drink were alike
 pleasing to him1 because  he never     
drank but when he was thirsty2 and if   
sometimes he was invited  to a feast1 he
 easily avoided eating and drinking to  

excess1 which many  find very difficult 
to do in those occasions4 ,but he       
advised those who  had no government of 
themselves never to taste of things that
 tempt a man  to eat when he is no      
longer hungry1 and that excite him to   
drink when his  thirst is already       
quenched1 because it is this that spoils
 the stomach1  causes the headache1 and 
puts the soul into disorder4 ,and he    
said1  between jest and earnest1 that he
 believed it was with such meats as     
those that ,circe changed men into      
swine1 and that ,ulysses avoided that   
transformation by the counsel of        
,mercury1 and because he had temperance 
enough to abstain from tasting them4    
,as to love1 his advice was to avoid    
carefully the company of beautiful      
persons1 saying it was very difficult to
 be near them and escape being  taken in
 the snare2 and1 having been told that  
,critobulus had given a  kiss to the son
 of ,alcibiades1 who was a very handsome
 youth1 he held  this discourse to      

,xenophon1 in the presence of           
,critobulus himself4    ,tell me1       
,xenophon1 what opinion have you        
hitherto had of ,critobulus8  ,have you 
placed him in the rank of the temperate 
and judicious2 or with  the debauched   
and imprudent8 ,i have always looked    
upon him1 answered  ,xenophon1 to be a  
very virtuous and prudent man4 ,change  
your  opinion1 replied ,socrates1 and   
believe him more rash than if he threw  
himself on the points of naked swords or
 leapt into the fire4 ,and what  have   
you seen him do1 said ,xenophon1 that   
gives you reason to speak  thus of him8 
,why1 he had the rashness1 answered     
,socrates1 to kiss  the son of          
,alcibiades1 who is so beautiful and    
charming4 ,and is this  all8 said       
,xenophon2 for my part1 ,i think ,i     
could also willingly expose  myself to  
the same danger that he did4 ,wretch1   
that you are6 replied  ,socrates4 ,do   
you consider what happens to you after  
you have kissed a  beautiful face8 ,do  

you not lose your liberty8 ,do you not  
become a  slave8 ,do you not engage     
yourself in a vast expense to procure a 
sinful  pleasure8 ,do you not find      
yourself in an incapacity of doing what 
is  good1 and that you subject yourself 
to the necessity of employing your      
whole time and person in the pursuit of 
what you would despise1 if your  reason 
were not corrupted8 ,good ,god6 cried   
,xenophon1 this is  ascribing a         
wonderful power to a kiss forsooth4 ,and
 are you surprised  at it8 answered     
,socrates4 ,are there not some small    
animals whose bite  is so venomous that 
it causes insufferable pain1 and even   
the loss of the  senses8 ,i know it very
 well1 said ,xenophon1 but these animals
 leave  a poison behind them when they  
sting4 ,and do you think1 you fool1     
added ,socrates1 that kisses of love are
 not venomous1 because you  perceive not
 the poison8 ,know that a beautiful     
person is a more  dangerous animal than 
scorpions1 because these cannot wound   

unless they  touch us2 but beauty       
strikes at a distance3 from what place  
soever we can  but behold her1 she darts
 her venom upon us1 and overthrows our  
judgment4  ,and perhaps for this reason 
the ,loves are represented with bows and
  arrows1 because a beautiful face      
wounds us from afar4 ,i advise you1     
therefore1 ,xenophon1 when you chance to
 see a beauty to fly from it1  without  
looking behind you4 ,and for you1       
,critobulus1 ,i think it  convenient    
that you should enjoin yourself a year's
 absence1 which will  not be too long a 
time to heal you of your wound4    ,as  
for such as have not strength enough to 
resist the power of love1 he  thought   
that they ought to consider and use it  
as an action to which the  soul would   
never consent1 were it not for the      
necessity of the body2 and  which1      
though it be necessary1 ought1          
nevertheless1 to give us no  inquietude4
 ,as for himself1 his continence was    
known to all men1 and it  was more easy 

for him to avoid courting the most      
celebrated beauties1  than it is for    
others to get away from disagreeable    
objects4    ,thus we see what was his   
way of life in eating1 drinking1 and in 
the  affair of love4 ,he believed1      
however1 that he tasted of those        
pleasures  no less than they who give   
themselves much trouble to enjoy them2  
but  that he had not1 like them1 so     
frequent occasions for sorrow and       
repentance4        ,,chapter ,,iv4      
,,socrates ,,proveth ,,the ,,existence  
,,of ,a ,,deity4      ,if there be any  
who believe what some have written by   
conjecture1 that  ,socrates was indeed  
excellent in exciting men to virtue1 but
 that he did  not push them forward to  
make any great progress in it1 let such 
reflect  a little on what he said1 not  
only when he endeavoured to refute those
  that boasted they knew all things1 but
 likewise in his familiar               
conversations1 and let them judge       
afterwards if he was incapable to       

advance his friends in the paths of     
virtue4    ,i will1 in the first place1 
relate a conference which he had with   
,aristodemus1 surnamed the ,little1     
touching the ,deity1 for he had heard   
that he never sacrificed to the gods2   
that he never addressed himself to  them
 in prayer2 that he never consulted the 
oracles1 and even laughed at  those that
 practised these things1 he took him to 
talk in this manner3--    ,tell me1     
,aristodemus1 are there any persons whom
 you value on account of  their merit8  
,he answered1 ,yes1 certainly4 ,tell me 
their names1  added ,socrates4          
,aristodemus replied3 ,for epic poetry  
,i admire ,homer as  the most excellent2
 for dithyrambics1 ,melanippides2       
,sophocles for  tragedy2 ,polycletes for
 statuary2 and ,zeuxis for painting4    
,which  artists1 said ,socrates1 do you 
think to be most worthy of your esteem  
and admiration3 they who make images    
without soul and motion1 or they who    
make animals that move of their own     

accord1 and are endowed with            
understanding8 ,no doubt the last1      
replied ,aristodemus1 provided they     
make them not by chance1 but with       
judgment and prudence4 ,socrates went   
on3 ,as there are some things which we  
cannot say why they were made1 and      
others which are apparently good and    
useful1 tell me1 my friend1 whether  of 
the two you rather take to be the work  
of prudence than of hazard4  ,it is     
reasonable1 said ,aristodemus1 to       
believe that the things which  are good 
and useful are the workmanship of reason
 and judgment4 ,do not  you think then1 
replied ,socrates1 that the first       
,former of mankind  designed their      
advantage when he gave them the several 
senses by which  objects are            
apprehended2 eyes for things visible1   
and ears for sounds8 ,of  what advantage
 would agreeable scents have been to us 
if nostrils suited  to their reception  
had not been given8 ,and for the        
pleasures of the  taste1 how could we   

ever have enjoyed these1 if the tongue  
had not been  fitted to discern and     
relish them8 ,further1 does it not      
appear to you  wisely provided that     
since the eye is of a delicate make1 it 
is guarded  with the eyelid drawn back  
when the eye is used1 and covering it in
  sleep8 ,how well does the hair at the 
extremity of the eyelid keep out  dust1 
and the eyebrow1 by its prominency1     
prevent the sweat of the  forehead from 
running into the eye to its hurt4 ,how  
wisely is the ear  formed to receive all
 sorts of sounds1 and not to be filled  
with any to  the exclusion of others4   
,are not the fore teeth of all animals  
fitted to  cut off proper portions of   
food1 and their grinders to reduce it to
 a  convenient smallness8 ,the mouth1 by
 which we take in the food we like1  is 
fitly placed just beneath the nose and  
eyes1 the judges of its  goodness2 and  
what is offensive and disagreeable to   
our senses is1 for  that reason1 placed 
at a proper distance from them4 ,in     

short1 these  things being disposed in  
such order1 and with so much care1 can  
you  hesitate one moment to determine   
whether it be an effect of providence or
  of chance8 ,i doubt not of it in the  
least1 replied ,aristodemus1 and  the   
more ,i fix my thoughts on the          
contemplation of these things the more  
,i am persuaded that all this is the    
masterpiece of a great workman1 who     
bears an extreme love to men4 ,what say 
you1 continued ,socrates1 to  this1 that
 he gives all animals a desire to       
engender and propagate their  kind2 that
 he inspires the mothers with tenderness
 and affection to bring  up their young2
 and that1 from the very hour of their  
birth1 he infuses  into them this great 
love of life and this mighty aversion to
 death8 ,i  say1 replied ,aristodemus1  
that it is an effect of his great care  
for  their preservation4 ,this is not   
all1 said ,socrates1 answer me yet      
farther2 perhaps you would rather       
interrogate me4 ,you are not1 ,i        

persuade myself1 ignorant that you are  
endowed with understanding2 do you  then
 think that there is not elsewhere an   
intelligent being8  ,particularly1 if   
you consider that your body is only a   
little earth taken  from that great mass
 which you behold4 ,the moist that      
composes you is  only a small drop of   
that immense heap of water that makes   
the sea2 in a  word1 your body contains 
only a small part of all the elements1  
which are  elsewhere in great quantity4 
,there is nothing then but your         
understanding alone1 which1 by a        
wonderful piece of good fortune1 must   
have come to you from ,i know not       
whence1 if there were none in another   
place2 and can it then be said that all 
this universe and all these so  vast and
 numerous bodies have been disposed in  
so much order1 without the  help of an  
intelligent ,being1 and by mere chance8 
,i find it very  difficult to understand
 it otherwise1 answered ,aristodemus1   
because ,i  see not the gods1 who1 you  

say1 make and govern all things1 as ,i  
see the  artificers who do any piece of 
work amongst us4 ,nor do you see your   
soul neither1 answered ,socrates1 which 
governs your body2 but1 because  you do 
not see it1 will you from thence infer  
you do nothing at all by  its direction1
 but that everything you do is by mere  
chance8 ,aristodemus  now wavering said1
 ,i do not despise the ,deity1 but ,i   
conceive such an  idea of his           
magnificence and self-sufficiency1 that 
,i imagine him to have  no need of me or
 my services4 ,you are quite wrong1 said
 ,socrates1  for by how much the gods1  
who are so magnificent1 vouchsafe to    
regard  you1 by so much you are bound to
 praise and adore them4 ,it is needless 
for me to tell you1 answered            
,aristodemus1 that1 if ,i believed the  
gods  interested themselves in human    
affairs1 ,i should not neglect to       
worship  them4 ,how6 replied ,socrates1 
you do not believe the gods take care   
of men1 they who have not only given to 

man1 in common with other  animals1 the 
senses of seeing1 hearing1 and taste1   
but have also given  him to walk        
upright2 a privilege which no other     
animal can boast of1 and  which is of   
mighty use to him to look forward1 to   
remote objects1 to  survey with facility
 those above him1 and to defend himself 
from any  harm8 ,besides1 although the  
animals that walk have feet1 which serve
  them for no other use than to walk1   
yet1 herein1 have the gods              
distinguished man1 in that1 besides     
feet1 they have given him hands1 the    
instruments of a thousand grand and     
useful actions1 on which account he  not
 only excels1 but is happier than all   
animals besides4 ,and1 further1  though 
all animals have tongues1 yet none of   
them can speak1 like man's2  his tongue 
only can form words1 by which he        
declares his thoughts1 and  communicates
 them to others4 ,not to mention smaller
 instances of their  care1 such as the  
concern they take of our pleasures1 in  

confining men to  no certain season for 
the enjoying them1 as they have done    
other animals4    ,but ,providence      
taketh care1 not only of our bodies1 but
 of our souls3 it  hath pleased the     
great ,author of all1 not only to give  
man so many  advantages for the body1   
but 7which is the greatest gift of all1 
and the  strongest proof of his care7 he
 hath breathed into him an intelligent  
soul1 and that1 too1 the most excellent 
of all1 for which of the other  animals 
has a soul that knows the being of the  
,deity1 by whom so many  great and      
marvellous works are done8 ,is there any
 species but man that  serves and adores
 him8 ,which of the animals can1 like   
him1 protect  himself from hunger and   
thirst1 from heat and cold8 ,which1 like
 him1 can  find remedies for diseases1  
can make use of his strength1 and is as 
capable of learning1 that so perfectly  
retains the things he has seen1 he  has 
heard1 he has known8 ,in a word1 it is  
manifest that man is a god in           

comparison with the other living        
species1 considering the advantages he  
naturally has over them1 both of body   
and soul4 ,for1 if man had a body  like 
to that of an ox the subtilty of his    
understanding would avail him  nothing1 
because he would not be able to execute 
what he should project4  ,on the other  
hand1 if that animal had a body like    
ours1 yet1 being devoid  of             
understanding1 he would be no better    
than the rest of the brute  species4    
,thus the gods have at once united in   
your person the most  excellent         
structure of body and the greatest      
perfection of soul2 and now  can you    
still say1 after all1 that they take no 
care of you8 ,what would  you have them 
do to convince you of the contrary8 ,i  
would have them1  answered ,aristodemus1
 send on purpose to let me know         
expressly all that  ,i ought to do or   
not to do1 in like manner as you say    
they do give you  notice4 ,what6 said   
,socrates1 when they pronounce any      

oracle to all  the ,athenians1 do you   
think they do not address themselves to 
you too1  when by prodigies they make   
known to the ,greeks the things that are
 to  happen1 are they silent to you     
alone1 and are you the only person they 
neglect8 ,do you think that the gods    
would have instilled this notion  into  
men1 that it is they who can make them  
happy or miserable1 if it  were not     
indeed in their power to do so8 ,and do 
you believe that the  human race would  
have been thus long abused without ever 
discovering the  cheat8 ,do you not know
 that the most ancient and wisest       
republics and  people have been also the
 most pious1 and that man1 at the age   
when his  judgment is ripest1 has then  
the greatest bent to the worship of the 
,deity8    ,my dear ,aristodemus1       
consider that your mind governs your    
body according  to its pleasure3 in like
 manner we ought to believe that there  
is a mind  diffused throughout the whole
 universe that disposeth of all things  

according to its counsels4 ,you must not
 imagine that your weak sight can  reach
 to objects that are several leagues    
distant1 and that the eye of  ,god      
cannot1 at one and the same time1 see   
all things4 ,you must not  imagine that 
your mind can reflect on the affairs of 
,athens1 of ,egypt1  and of ,sicily1 and
 that the providence of ,god cannot1 at 
one and the same  moment1 consider all  
things4 ,as1 therefore1 you may make    
trial of the  gratitude of a man by     
doing him a kindness1 and as you may    
discover his  prudence by consulting him
 in difficult affairs1 so1 if you would 
be  convinced how great is the power and
 goodness of ,god1 apply yourself       
sincerely to piety and his worship2     
then1 my dear ,aristodemus1 you shall   
soon be persuaded that the ,deity sees  
all1 hears all1 is present  everywhere1 
and1 at the same time1 regulates and    
superintends all the  events of the     
universe4    ,by such discourses as     
these ,socrates taught his friends never

 to commit  any injustice or            
dishonourable action1 not only in the   
presence of men1  but even in secret1   
and when they are alone1 since the      
,divinity hath  always an eye over us1  
and none of our actions can be hid from 
him4        ,,chapter ,v4 ,,the ,,praise
 ,,of ,,temperance4      ,and if        
temperance be a virtue in man1 as       
undoubtedly it is1 let us see  whether  
any improvement can be made by what he  
said of it4 ,i will here  give you one  
of his discourses on that subject3--    
,if we were engaged in a war1 said he1  
and were to choose a general1  would we 
make choice of a man given to wine or   
women1 and who could not  support       
fatigues and hardships8 ,could we       
believe that such a commander  would be 
capable to defend us and to conquer our 
enemies8 ,or if we were  lying on our   
deathbed1 and were to appoint a guardian
 and tutor for our  children1 to take   
care to instruct our sons in the        
principles of virtue1  to breed up our  

daughters in the paths of honour and to 
be faithful in  the management of their 
fortunes1 should we think a debauched   
person fit  for that employment8 ,would 
we trust our flocks and our granaries in
 the  hands of a drunkard8 ,would we    
rely upon him for the conduct of any    
enterprise2 and1 in short1 if a present 
were made us of such a slave1  should we
 not make it a difficulty to accept him8
 ,if1 then1 we have so  great an        
aversion for debauchery in the person of
 the meanest servant1  ought we not     
ourselves to be very careful not to fall
 into the same  fault8 ,besides1 a      
covetous man has the satisfaction of    
enriching  himself1 and1 though he take 
away another's estate1 he increases his 
own2  but a debauched man is both       
troublesome to others and injurious to  
himself4 ,we may say of him that he is  
hurtful to all the world1 and yet  more 
hurtful to himself1 if to ruin1 not only
 his family1 but his body  and soul     
likewise1 is to be hurtful4 ,who1 then1 

can take delight in the  company of him 
who has no other diversion than eating  
and drinking1 and  who is better pleased
 with the conversation of a prostitute  
than of his  friends8 ,ought we not1    
then1 to practise temperance above all  
things1  seeing it is the foundation of 
all other virtues2 for without it what  
can  we learn that is good1 what do that
 is worthy of praise8 ,is not the  state
 of man who is plunged in voluptuousness
 a wretched condition both  for the body
 and soul8 ,certainly1 in my opinion1 a 
free person ought to  wish to have no   
such servants1 and servants addicted to 
such brutal  irregularities ought       
earnestly to entreat ,heaven that they  
may fall into  the hands of very        
indulgent masters1 because their ruin   
will be otherwise  almost unavoidable4  
,this is what ,socrates was wont to say 
upon this subject4 ,but if he  appeared 
to be a lover of temperance in his      
discourses1 he was yet a more  exact    
observer of it in his actions1 showing  

himself to be not only  invincible to   
the pleasures of the senses1 but even   
depriving himself of  the satisfaction  
of getting an estate2 for he held that a
 man who accepts  of money from others  
makes himself a servant to all their    
humours1 and  becomes their slave in a  
manner no less scandalous than other    
slaveries4        ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,the 
,,dispute ,,of ,,socrates ,,with        
,,antiphon1 ,,the ,,sophist4      ,to   
this end it will not be amiss to relate1
 for the honour of ,socrates1  what     
passed between him and the sophist      
,antiphon1 who designed to seduce  away 
his hearers1 and to that end came to him
 when they were with him1  and1 in their
 presence1 addressed himself to him in  
these words3--,i  imagined1 ,socrates1  
that philosophers were happier than     
other men2 but1  in my opinion1 your    
wisdom renders you more miserable1 for  
you live at  such a rate that no footman
 would live with a master that treated  
him in  the same manner4 ,you eat and   

drink poorly1 you are clothed very      
meanly--the same suit serves you in     
summer and winter--you go barefoot1  and
 for all this you take no money1 though 
it is a pleasure to get it2  for1 after 
a man has acquired it1 he lives more    
genteely and more at his  ease4 ,if1    
therefore1 as in all other sorts of     
arts1 apprentices  endeavour to imitate 
their masters1 should these who frequent
 your  conversation become like you1 it 
is certain that you will have taught    
them nothing but to make themselves     
miserable4    ,socrates answered him in 
the following manner3--,you think1      
,antiphon1 ,i  live so poorly that ,i   
believe you would rather die than live  
like me4 ,but  what is it you find so   
strange and difficult in my way of      
living8 ,you  blame me for not taking   
money2 is it because they who take money
 are  obliged to do what they promise1  
and that ,i1 who take none1 entertain   
myself only with whom ,i think fit8 ,you
 despise my eating and drinking2  is it 

because my diet is not so good nor so   
nourishing as yours1 or  because it is  
more scarce and dearer1 or lastly1      
because your fare seems  to you to be   
better8 ,know that a man who likes what 
he eats needs no  other ragout1 and that
 he who finds one sort of drink pleasant
 wishes  for no other4 ,as to your      
objection of my clothes1 you appear to  
me1  ,antiphon1 to judge quite amiss of 
the matter2 for1 do you not know that   
we dress ourselves differently only     
because of the hot or cold weather1  and
 if we wear shoes it is because we would
 walk the easier8 ,but1 tell  me1 did   
you ever observe that the cold hath     
hindered me from going  abroad8 ,have   
you ever seen me choose the cool and    
fresh shades in hot  weather8 ,and1     
though ,i go barefoot1 do not you see   
that ,i go wherever ,i  will8 ,do you   
not know that there are some persons of 
a very tender  constitution1 who1 by    
constant exercise1 surmount the weakness
 of their  nature1 and at length endure 

fatigues better than they who are       
naturally  more robust1 but have not    
taken pains to exercise and harden      
themselves  like the others8 ,thus1     
therefore1 do not you believe that ,i1  
who have  all my life accustomed myself 
to bear patiently all manner of         
fatigues1  cannot now more easily submit
 to this than you1 who have never       
thought of  the matter8 ,if ,i have no  
keen desire after dainties1 if ,i sleep 
little1  if ,i abandon not myself to any
 infamous amour1 the reason is because  
,i  spend my time more delightfully in  
things whose pleasure ends not in the   
moment of enjoyment1 and that make me   
hope besides to receive an  everlasting 
reward4 ,besides1 you know very well1   
that when a man sees  that his affairs  
go ill he is not generally very gay2 and
 that1 on the  contrary1 they who think 
to succeed in their designs1 whether in 
agriculture1 traffic1 or any other      
undertaking1 are very contented in      
their minds4 ,now1 do you think that    

from anything whatsoever there can      
proceed a satisfaction equal to the     
inward consciousness of improving  daily
 in virtue1 and acquiring the           
acquaintance and friendship of the  best
 of men8 ,and if we were to serve our   
friends or our country1 would  not a man
 who lives like me be more capable of it
 than one that should  follow that      
course of life which you take to be so  
charming8 ,if it were  necessary to     
carry arms1 which of the two would be   
the best soldier1 he  who must always   
fare deliciously1 or he who is satisfied
 with what he  finds8 ,if they were to  
undergo a siege who would hold out      
longest1 he  who cannot live without    
delicacies1 or he who requires nothing  
but what  may easily be had8 ,one would 
think1 ,antiphon1 that you believe      
happiness  to consist in good eating and
 drinking1 and in an expensive and      
splendid  way of life4 ,for my part1 ,i 
am of opinion that to have need of      
nothing  at all is a divine perfection1 

and that to have need but of little is  
to  approach very near the ,deity1 and  
hence it follows that1 as there is      
nothing more excellent than the ,deity1 
whatever approaches nearest to it  is   
likewise most near the supreme          
excellence4    ,another time ,antiphon  
addressed himself to ,socrates3 ,i      
confess you are  an honest1 well-meaning
 man1 ,socrates2 but it is certain you  
know little  or nothing1 and one would  
imagine you own this to be true1 for you
 get  nothing by your teaching4 ,and    
yet1 ,i persuade myself1 you would not  
part  with your house1 or any of the    
furniture of it1 without some gratuity1 
because you believe them of some small  
value2 nay1 you would not part  with    
them for less than they are worth3 if1  
therefore1 you thought your  teaching   
worth anything you would be paid for it 
according to its value2  in this1       
indeed1 you show yourself honest1       
because you will not1 out of  avarice1  
cheat any man1 but at the same time you 

discover1 too1 that you  know but       
little1 since all your knowledge is not 
worth the buying4    ,socrates answered 
him in this manner3--,there is a great  
resemblance  between beauty and the     
doctrine of philosophers2 what is       
praiseworthy in  the one is so in the   
other1 and both of them are subject to  
the same  vice3 for1 if a woman sells   
her beauty for money1 we immediately    
call her  a prostitute2 but if she knows
 that a man of worth and condition is   
fallen in love with her1 and if she     
makes him her friend1 we say she is a   
prudent woman4 ,it is just the same with
 the doctrine of philosophers2  they    
that sell it are sophists1 and like the 
public women1 but if a  philosopher     
observe a youth of excellent parts1 and 
teacheth him what he  knows1 in order to
 obtain his friendship1 we say of him1  
that he acts the  part of a good and    
virtuous citizen4 ,thus as some delight 
in fine  horses1 others in dogs1 and    
others in birds2 for my part all my     

delight  is to be with my virtuous      
friends4 ,i teach them all the good ,i  
know1 and  recommend them to all whom ,i
 believe capable to assist them in the  
way to  perfection4 ,we all draw        
together1 out of the same fountain1 the 
precious  treasures which the ancient   
sages have left us2 we run over their   
works1  and if we find anything         
excellent we take notice of it and      
select it3 in  short1 we believe we have
 made a great improvement when we begin 
to love  one another4 ,this was the     
answer he made1 and when ,i heard him   
speak in  this manner ,i thought him    
very happy1 and that he effectually     
stirred up  his hearers to the love of  
virtue4    ,another time when ,antiphon 
asked him why he did not concern himself
 with  affairs of ,state1 seeing he     
thought himself capable to make others  
good  politicians8 he returned this     
answer3--,should ,i be more serviceable 
to  the ,state if ,i took an employment 
whose function would be wholly bounded  

in my person1 and take up all my time1  
than ,i am by instructing every one  as 
,i do1 and in furnishing the ,republic  
with a great number of citizens  who are
 capable to serve her8        ,,chapter 
,,vii4 ,,in ,,what ,,manner ,,socrates  
,,dissuaded ,,men ,,from                
,,self-,,conceit ,,and  ,,ostentation4  
,but let us now see whether by          
dissuading his friends from a vain      
ostentation he did not exhort them to   
the pursuit of virtue4 ,he  frequently  
said that there was no readier way to   
glory than to render  oneself excellent1
 and not to affect to appear so4 ,to    
prove this he  alleged the following    
example3--,let us suppose1 said he1 that
 any one  would be thought a good       
musician1 without being so in reality2  
what  course must he take8 ,he must be  
careful to imitate the great masters in 
everything that is not of their art2 he 
must1 like them1 have fine  musical     
instruments2 he must1 like them1 be     
followed by a great number of  persons  

wherever he goes1 who must be always    
talking in his praise4 ,and  yet he must
 not venture to sing in public3 for then
 all men would  immediately perceive not
 only his ignorance1 but his presumption
 and  folly likewise4 ,and would it not 
be ridiculous in him to spend his       
estate to ruin his reputation8 ,in like 
manner1 if any one would appear a  great
 general1 or a good pilot1 though he    
knew nothing of either1 what  would be  
the issue of it8 ,if he cannot make     
others believe it1 it  troubles him1 and
 if he can persuade them to think so he 
is yet more  unhappy1 because1 if he be 
made choice of for the steering of      
ships1 or  to command an army1 he will  
acquit himself very ill of his office1  
and  perhaps be the cause of the loss of
 his best friends4 ,it is not less      
dangerous to appear to be rich1 or      
brave1 or strong1 if we are not so      
indeed1 for this opinion of us may      
procure us employments that are above   
our capacity1 and if we fail to effect  

what was expected of us there is  no    
remission for our faults4 ,and if it be 
a great cheat to wheedle one  of your   
neighbours out of any of his ready money
 or goods1 and not  restore them to him 
afterwards1 it is a much greater        
impudence and cheat  for a worthless    
fellow to persuade the world that he is 
capable to govern  a ,republic4 ,by     
these and the like arguments he inspired
 a hatred of  vanity and ostentation    
into the minds of those who frequented  
him4          ,,book ,,ii4              
,,chapter ,i4 ,a ,,conference ,,of      
,,socrates ,,with ,,aristippus          
,,concerning ,,pleasure  ,,and          
,,temperance4      ,in the same manner1 
likewise1 he encouraged his hearers by  
the following  arguments to support     
hunger and thirst1 to resist the        
temptations of  love1 to fly from       
laziness1 and inure themselves to all   
manner of  fatigues4 ,for1 being told   
that one of them lived too luxuriously1 
he  asked him this question3 ,if you    

were entrusted1 ,aristippus1 with the   
education of two young men1 one to be a 
prince and the other a private  man1 how
 would you educate them8 ,let us begin  
with their nourishment1 as  being the   
foundation of all4 ,it is true1 said    
,aristippus1 that  nourishment is the   
foundation of our life1 for a man must  
soon die if he  be not nourished4 ,you  
would accustom both of them1 said       
,socrates1 to  eat and drink at a       
certain hour8 ,it is likely ,i should8  
,but which  of the two1 said ,socrates1 
would you teach to leave eating before  
he  was satisfied1 to go about some     
earnest business8 ,him1 without doubt1  
answered ,aristippus1 whom ,i intended  
to render capable to govern1 to the  end
 that under him the affairs of the      
,republic might not suffer by  delay4   
,which of the two1 continued ,socrates1 
would you teach to  abstain from        
drinking when he was thirsty1 to sleep  
but little1 to go  late to bed1 to rise 
early1 to watch whole nights1 to live   

chastely1 to  get the better of his     
favourite inclinations1 and not to avoid
 fatigues1  but expose himself freely to
 them8 ,the same still1 replied         
,aristippus4 ,and if there be any art   
that teaches to overcome our  enemies1  
to which of the two is it rather        
reasonable to teach it8 ,to  him to1    
said ,aristippus1 for without that art  
all the rest would avail  him nothing4  
,i believe1 said ,socrates1 that a man1 
who has been  educated in this manner1  
would not suffer himself to be so easily
  surprised by his enemies as the most  
part of animals do4 ,for some perish  by
 their gluttony1 as those whom we allure
 with a bait1 or catch by  offering them
 to drink1 and who fall into the snares1
 notwithstanding  their fears and       
distrust4 ,others perish through their  
lasciviousness1 as  quails and          
partridges1 who suffer themselves to be 
decoyed by the  counterfeit voice of    
their females1 and blindly following the
 amorous  warmth that transports them1  

fall miserably into the nets4 ,you say  
true1 said ,aristippus4 ,well1 then1    
pursued ,socrates1 is it not  scandalous
 for a man to be taken in the same      
snares with irrational  animals8 ,and   
does not this happen to adulterers1 who 
skulk and hide  themselves in the       
chambers and closets of married women1  
though they know  they run a very great 
risk1 and that the laws are very strict 
and  rigorous against those crimes8     
,they know themselves to be watched1 and
  that1 if they are taken1 they shall   
not be let go with impunity4 ,in a      
word1 they see punishment and infamy    
hanging over the heads of criminals     
like themselves4 ,besides1 they are not 
ignorant1 that there are a  thousand    
honourable diversions to deliver them   
from those infamous  passions1 and yet  
they run hand over head into the midst  
of these  dangers1 and what is this but 
to be wretched and desperate to the     
highest  degree8 ,i think it so1        
answered ,aristippus4 ,what say you to  

this1  continued ,socrates1 that the    
most necessary and most important       
affairs  of life1 as those of war and   
husbandry1 are1 with others of little   
less  consequence1 performed in the     
fields and in the open air1 and that the
  greatest part of mankind accustom     
themselves so little to endure the      
inclemency of the seasons1 to suffer    
heat and cold8 ,is not this a great     
neglect8 and do you not think that a man
 who is to command others ought  to     
inure himself to all these hardships8 ,i
 think he ought1 answered  ,aristippus4 
,therefore1 replied ,socrates1 if they  
who are patient and  laborious1 as we   
have said1 are worthy to command1 may we
 not say that  they who can do nothing  
of all this1 ought never to pretend to  
any  office8 ,aristippus agreed to it1  
and ,socrates went on4    ,since then   
you know the rank which either of these 
two sorts of men  ought to hold1 amongst
 which would you have us place you8 ,me6
 said  ,aristippus2 why truly1 not      

amongst those that govern2 for that is  
an  office ,i would never choose4 ,let  
those rule who have a mind for it2 for  
my part1 ,i envy not their condition4   
,for1 when ,i reflect that we find it   
hard enough to supply our own wants1 ,i 
do not approve of loading  ourselves1   
besides1 with the necessities of a whole
 people2 and that  being often compelled
 to go without many things that we      
desire1 we should  engage ourselves in  
an employment that would render us      
liable to blame1  if we did not take    
care to supply others with everything   
they want3 ,i  think there is folly in  
all this4 ,for republics make use of    
their  magistrates as ,i do of my       
slaves1 who shall get me my meat and    
drink1 and  all other necessaries1 as ,i
 command1 and not presume to touch any  
of it  themselves2 so1 too1 the people  
will have those1 who govern the ,state1 
take care to provide them with plenty of
 all things1 and will not suffer  them  
to do anything for their own advantage4 

,i think1 therefore1 that  all who are  
pleased with a hurry of affairs1 and in 
creating business for  others1 are most 
fit to govern1 provided they have been  
educated and  instructed in the manner  
we mentioned4 ,but1 for my part1 ,i     
desire to  lead a more quiet and easy   
life4    ,let us1 said ,socrates1       
consider whether they who govern lead   
more  happy lives than their subjects3  
among the nations that are known to us  
in ,asia1 the ,syrians1 the ,phrygians1 
and the ,lydians1 are under the  empire 
of the ,persians4 ,in ,europe1 the      
,maeotians are subject to the           
,scythians2 in ,africa1 the             
,carthaginians reign over the rest of   
the  ,africans4 ,which now1 in your     
opinion1 are the most happy8 ,let us    
look  into ,greece1 where you are at    
present4 ,whose condition1 think you1 is
  most to be desired1 that of the       
nations who rule1 or of the people who  
are under the dominion of others8 ,i can
 never1 said ,aristippus1  consent to be

 a slave2 but there is a way between    
both that leads  neither to empire nor  
subjection1 and this is the road of     
liberty1 in  which ,i endeavour to walk1
 because it is the shortest to arrive at
 true  quiet and repose4 ,if you had    
said1 replied ,socrates1 that this way1 
which leads neither to empire nor       
subjection1 is a way that leads far     
from all human society1 you would1      
perhaps1 have said something2 for1 how  
can we live among men1 and neither      
command nor obey8 ,do you not observe   
that the mighty oppress the weak1 and   
use them as their slaves1 after  they   
have made them groan under the weight of
 oppression1 and given them  just cause 
to complain of their cruel usage1 in a  
thousand instances1  both general and   
particular8 ,and if they find any who   
will not submit to  the yoke1 they      
ravage their countries1 spoil their     
corn1 cut down their  trees1 and attack 
them1 in short1 in such a manner that   
they are  compelled to yield themselves 

up to slavery1 rather than undergo so   
unequal a war8 ,among private men       
themselves1 do not the stronger and     
more bold trample on the weaker8 ,to the
 end1 therefore1 that this may  not     
happen to me1 said ,aristippus1 ,i      
confine myself not to any  republic1 but
 am sometimes here1 sometimes there1 and
 think it best to be  a stranger        
wherever ,i am4 ,this invention of      
yours1 replied ,socrates1  is very      
extraordinary4 ,travellers1 ,i believe1 
are not now so much  infested on the    
roads by robbers as formerly1 deterred1 
,i suppose1 by the  fate of ,sinnis1    
,scyron1 ,procrustes1 and the rest of   
that gang4 ,what  then8 ,they who are   
settled in their own country1 and are   
concerned in  the administration of the 
public affairs1 they have the laws in   
their  favours1 have their relations and
 friends to assist them1 have fortified 
towns and arms for their defence3 over  
and above1 they have alliances  with    
their neighbours3 and yet all these     

favourable circumstances cannot         
entirely shelter them from the attempts 
and surprises of wicked men4 ,but  can  
you1 who have none of these advantages1 
who are1 for the most part1  travelling 
on the roads1 often dangerous to most   
men1 who never enter a  town1 where you 
have not less credit than the meanest   
inhabitant1 and are  as obscure as the  
wretches who prey on the properties of  
others2 in these  circumstances1 can    
you1 ,i say1 expect to be safe1 merely  
because you are  a stranger1 or perhaps 
have got passports from the ,states that
 promise  you all manner of safety      
coming or going1 or should it be your   
hard  fortune to be made a slave1 you   
would make such a bad one1 that a master
  would be never the better for you8    
,for1 who would suffer in his family a  
man who would not work1 and yet expected
 to live well8 ,but let us see  how     
masters use such servants4    ,when they
 are too lascivious1 they compel them to
 fast till they have  brought them so   

low1 that they have no great stomach to 
make love1 if  they are thieves1 they   
prevent them from stealing1 by carefully
 locking  up whatever they could take3  
they chain them for fear they should run
  away3 if they are dull and lazy1 then 
stripes and scourges are the  rewards we
 give them4 ,if you yourself1 my friend1
 had a worthless slave1  would you not  
take the same measures with him8 ,i     
would treat such a  fellow1 answered    
,aristippus1 with all manner of         
severity1 till ,i had  brought him to   
serve me better4 ,but1 ,socrates1 let us
 resume our former  discourse4    ,in   
what do they who are educated in the art
 of government1 which you  seem to think
 a great happiness1 differ from those   
who suffer through  necessity8 ,for you 
say they must accustom themselves to    
hunger and  thirst1 to endure cold and  
heat1 to sleep little1 and that they    
must  voluntarily expose themselves to a
 thousand other fatigues and hardships4 
,now1 ,i cannot conceive what difference

 there is between being whipped         
willingly and by force1 and tormenting  
one's body either one way or the  other1
 except that it is a folly in a man to  
be willing to suffer pain4  ,how1 said  
,socrates1 you know not this difference 
between things  voluntary and           
constrained1 that he who suffers hunger 
because he is  pleased to do so may     
likewise eat when he has a mind2 and he 
who suffers  thirst because he is       
willing may also drink when he pleases4 
,but it is  not in the power of him who 
suffers either of them through          
constraint and  necessity to relieve    
himself by eating and drinking the      
moment he desires  it8 ,besides1 he that
 voluntarily embraceth any laborious    
exercise finds  much comfort and content
 in the hope that animates him4 ,thus   
the  fatigues of hunting discourage not 
the hunters1 because they hope to take  
the game they pursue4 ,and yet what they
 take1 though they think it a  reward   
for all their toil1 is certainly of very

 little value4 ,ought not  they1 then1  
who labour to gain the friendship of    
good men1 or to overcome  their enemies1
 or to render themselves capable of     
governing their  families1 and of       
serving their country1 ought not these1 
,i say1 joyfully  to undertake the      
trouble1 and to rest content1 conscious 
of the inward  approbation of their own 
minds1 and the regard and esteem of the 
virtuous8 ,and to convince you that it  
is good to impose labours on  ourselves1
 it is a maxim among those who instruct 
youth that the  exercises which are     
easily performed at the first attempt1  
and which we  immediately take delight  
in1 are not capable to form the body to 
that  vigour and strength that is       
requisite in great undertakings1 nor of 
imprinting in the soul any considerable 
knowledge3 but that those which  require
 patience1 application1 labour1 and     
assiduity1 prepare the way to           
illustrious actions and great           
achievements4 ,this is the opinion of   

good  judges1 and of ,hesiod in         
particular1 who says somewhere--        
',to ,vice1 in crowded ranks1 the course
 we steer1      ,the road is smooth1 and
 her abode is near2      ,but ,virtue's 
heights are reached with sweat and pain1
      ,for thus did the immortal powers 
ordain4      ,a long and rough ascent   
leads to her gate1      ,nor1 till the  
summit's gained1 doth toil abate4'      
,and to the same purpose ,epicharmus3-- 
,the gods confer their blessings at the 
price      ,of labour--4    ,who remarks
 in another place--        ,thou son of 
sloth1 avoid the charms of ease1        
,lest pain succeed--4    ,of the same   
opinion is ,prodicus1 in the book he has
 written of the life  of ,hercules1     
where ,virtue and ,pleasure make their  
court to that hero  under the appearance
 of two beautiful women4 ,his words1 as 
near as ,i can  remember1 are as        
follows3--    ',when ,hercules1' says   
the moralist1 'had arrived at that part 
of his  youth in which young men        

commonly choose for themselves1 and     
show1 by the  result of their choice1   
whether they will1 through the          
succeeding stages  of their lives1 enter
 into and walk in the path of virtue or 
that of  vice1 he went out into a       
solitary place fit for contemplation1   
there to  consider with himself which of
 those two paths he should pursue4      
',as he was sitting there in suspense he
 saw two women of a larger  stature than
 ordinary approaching towards him4 ,one 
of them had a genteel  and amiable      
aspect2 her beauty was natural and easy1
 her person and shape  clean and        
handsome1 her eyes cast towards the     
ground with an agreeable  reserve1 her  
motion and behaviour full of modesty1   
and her raiment white  as snow4 ,the    
other wanted all the native beauty and  
proportion of the  former2 her person   
was swelled1 by luxury and ease1 to a   
size quite  disproportioned and         
uncomely4 ,she had painted her          
complexion1 that it  might seem fairer  

and more ruddy than it really was1 and  
endeavoured to  appear more graceful    
than ordinary in her mien1 by a mixture 
of  affectation in all her gestures4    
,her eyes were full of confidence1 and  
her dress transparent1 that the         
conceited beauty of her person might    
appear through it to advantage4 ,she    
cast her eyes frequently upon  herself1 
then turned them on those that were     
present1 to see whether any  one        
regarded her1 and now and then looked on
 the figure she made in her  own shadow4
    ',as they drew nearer1 the former   
continued the same composed pace1 while 
the latter1 striving to get before her1 
ran up to ,hercules1 and addressed      
herself to him in the following         
manner3--    ,i perceive1 my dear       
,hercules1 you are in doubt which path  
in life you  should pursue4 ,if1 then1  
you will be my friend and follow me1 ,i 
will  lead you to a path the most easy  
and most delightful1 wherein you shall  
taste all the sweets of life1 and live  

exempt from every trouble4 ,you  shall  
neither be concerned in war nor in the  
affairs of the world1 but  shall only   
consider how to gratify all your        
senses--your taste with the  finest     
dainties and most delicious drink1 your 
sight with the most  agreeable objects1 
your scent with the richest perfumes and
 fragrancy of  odours1 how you may enjoy
 the embraces of the fair1 repose on the
 softest  beds1 render your slumbers    
sweet and easy1 and by what means enjoy1
  without even the smallest care1 all   
those glorious and mighty blessings4    
,and1 for fear you suspect that the     
sources whence you are to derive  those 
invaluable blessings might at some time 
or other fail1 and that you  might1 of  
course1 be obliged to acquire them at   
the expense of your mind  and the united
 labour and fatigue of your body1 ,i    
beforehand assure you  that you shall   
freely enjoy all from the industry of   
others1 undergo  neither hardship nor   
drudgery1 but have everything at your   

command that  can afford you any        
pleasure or advantage4    ',hercules1   
hearing the lady make him such offers1  
desired to know her  name1 to which she 
answered1 ,my friends1 and those who are
 well  acquainted with me1 and whom ,i  
have conducted1 call me ,happiness2 but 
my  enemies1 and those who would injure 
my reputation1 have given me the name   
of ,pleasure4    ',in the meantime1 the 
other lady approached1 and in her turn  
accosted  him in this manner3--,i also  
am come to you1 ,hercules1 to offer my  
assistance2 ,i1 who am well acquainted  
with your divine extraction and  have   
observed the excellence of your nature1 
even from your childhood1  from which ,i
 have reason to hope that1 if you would 
follow the path that  leadeth to my     
residence1 you will undertake the       
greatest enterprises and  achieve the   
most glorious actions1 and that ,i shall
 thereby become more  honourable and    
illustrious among mortals4 ,but before  
,i invite you into  my society and      

friendship ,i will be open and sincere  
with you1 and must  lay down this as an 
established truth1 that there is nothing
 truly  valuable which can be purchased 
without pains and labour4 ,the gods have
  set a price upon every real and noble 
pleasure4 ,if you would gain the  favour
 of the ,deity you must be at the pains 
of worshipping ,him2 if you  would be   
beloved by your friends you must study  
to oblige them2 if you  would be        
honoured by any city you must be of     
service to it2 and if you  would be     
admired by all ,greece1 on account of   
your probity and valour1  you must exert
 yourself to do her some eminent        
service4 ,if you would  render your     
fields fruitful1 and fill your arms with
 corn1 you must  labour to cultivate the
 soil accordingly4 ,would you grow rich 
by your  herds1 a proper care must be   
taken of them2 would you extend your    
dominions by arms1 and be rendered      
capable of setting at liberty your      
captive friends1 and bringing your      

enemies to subjection1 you must not     
only learn of those that are experienced
 in the art of war1 but exercise        
yourself also in the use of military    
affairs2 and if you would excel in  the 
strength of your body you must keep your
 body in due subjection to  your mind1  
and exercise it with labour and pains4  
',here ,pleasure broke in upon her      
discourse--,do you see1 my dear         
,hercules1 through what long and        
difficult ways this woman would lead you
  to her promised delights8 ,follow me1 
and ,i will show you a much shorter  and
 more easy way to happiness4    ,alas6  
replied the ,goddess of ,virtue1 whose  
visage glowed with a passion  made up of
 scorn and pity1 what happiness can you 
bestow1 or what  pleasure can you taste1
 who would never do anything to acquire 
it8 ,you  who will take your fill of all
 pleasures before you feel an appetite  
for  any2 you eat before you are hungry1
 you drink before you are athirst2  and1
 that you may please your taste1 must   

have the finest artists to  prepare your
 viands2 the richest wines that you may 
drink with pleasure1  and to give your  
wine the finer taste1 you search every  
place for ice and  snow luxuriously to  
cool it in the heat of summer4 ,then1 to
 make your  slumbers uninterrupted1 you 
must have the softest down and the      
easiest  couches1 and a gentle ascent of
 steps to save you from any the least   
disturbance in mounting up to them4 ,and
 all little enough1 heaven knows6  for  
you have not prepared yourself for sleep
 by anything you have done1  but seek   
after it only because you have nothing  
to do4 ,it is the same in  the          
enjoyments of love1 in which you rather 
force than follow your  inclinations1   
and are obliged to use arts1 and even to
 pervert nature1 to  keep your passions 
alive4 ,thus is it that you instruct    
your  followers--kept awake for the     
greatest part of the night by           
debaucheries1  and consuming in         
drowsiness all the most useful part of  

the day4 ,though  immortal1 you are an  
outcast from the gods1 and despised by  
good men4  ,never have you heard that   
most agreeable of all sounds1 your own  
praise1  nor ever have you beheld the   
most pleasing of all objects1 any good  
work  of your own hands4 ,who would ever
 give any credit to anything that you   
say8 ,who would assist you in your      
necessity1 or what man of sense would   
ever venture to be of your mad parties8 
,such as do follow you are robbed  of   
their strength when they are young1 void
 of wisdom when they grow old4  ,in     
their youth they are bred up in         
indolence and all manner of delicacy1   
and pass their old age with difficulties
 and distress1 full of shame for  what  
they have done1 and oppressed with the  
burden of what they are to  do1         
squanderers of pleasures in their youth1
 and hoarders up of  afflictions for    
their old age4    ,on the contrary1 my  
conversation is with the gods1 and with 
good men1  and there is nothing         

excellent performed by either without my
 influence4  ,i am respected above all  
things by the gods and by the best of   
mortals1  and it is just ,i should4 ,i  
am an agreeable companion to the        
artisan1 a  faithful security to masters
 of families1 a kind assistant to       
servants1 a  useful associate in the    
arts of peace1 a faithful ally in the   
labours of  war1 and the best uniter of 
all friendships4    ,my votaries1 too1  
enjoy a pleasure in everything they     
either eat or  drink1 even without      
having laboured for it1 because they    
wait for the  demand of their appetites4
 ,their sleep is sweeter than that of   
the  indolent and inactive2 and they are
 neither overburdened with it when  they
 awake1 nor do they1 for the sake of it1
 omit the necessary duties of  life4 ,my
 young men have the pleasure of being   
praised by those who are  in years1 and 
those who are in years of being honoured
 by those who are  young4 ,they look    
back with comfort on their past actions1

 and delight  themselves in their       
present employments4 ,by my means they  
are favoured  by the gods1 beloved by   
their friends1 and honoured by their    
country2 and  when the appointed period 
of their lives is come they are not lost
 in a  dishonourable oblivion1 but live 
and flourish in the praises of mankind1 
even to the latest posterity4    ,thus1 
my dear ,hercules1 who are descended of 
divine ancestors1 you may  acquire1 by  
virtuous toil and industry1 this most   
desirable state of  perfect happiness4  
,such was the discourse1 my friend1     
which the goddess had with ,hercules1   
according to ,prodicus4 ,you may believe
 that he embellished the thoughts  with 
more noble expressions than ,i do4 ,i   
heartily wish1 my dear  ,aristippus1    
that you should make such an improvement
 of those divine  instructions1 as that 
you too may make such a happy choice as 
may render  you happy during the future 
course of your life4        ,,chapter   
,,ii4 ,,socrates' ,,discourse ,,with    

,,his ,,eldest ,,son ,,lamprocles       
,,concerning ,,the ,,respect ,,due ,,to 
,,parents4      ,socrates observing his 
eldest son ,lamprocles in a rage with   
his mother1  spoke to him in this       
manner3--,come hither1 my son4 ,have you
 ever heard  of a certain sort of men1  
who are called ungrateful8 ,very often1 
answered the young man4 ,and do you     
know1 said ,socrates1 why they are      
called so8 ,we call a man ungrateful1   
answered ,lamprocles1 who1  having      
received a kindness1 does not return the
 like if occasion offers4  ,i think1    
therefore1 said ,socrates1 ingratitude  
is a kind of  injustice8 ,i think so    
too1 answered ,lamprocles4 ,socrates    
went  on3--,have you never considered of
 what nature this injustice is8 ,for    
since it is an injustice to treat our   
friends ill1 and on the contrary1 a     
piece of justice to make our enemies    
smart for their conduct1 may it be      
said1 with like reason1 that it is an   
injustice to be ungrateful towards  our 

friends1 and that it is just to be      
ungrateful towards our enemies4  ,on    
mature consideration1 answered          
,lamprocles1 ,i think it is criminal  to
 do injustice to either of them4 ,if1   
then1 pursued ,socrates1  ingratitude be
 an injustice1 it follows that the      
greater the favours are  which we have  
received1 the greater is the injustice  
in not acknowledging  them4 ,lamprocles 
granted this consequence1 and ,socrates 
continued--,can  there be any stricter  
obligations than those that children are
 laid under  to their parents8 ,for it  
is they who gave them a being1 and who  
have put  them in a condition to behold 
all the wonders of ,nature1 and to      
partake  of the many good things        
exhibited before them by the bounty of  
,providence1 and which are so           
delightful1 that there is not anything  
that  all men more dread than to leave  
them2 insomuch that all governments have
  ordained death to be the punishment of
 the most enormous crimes1 because      

there is nothing can more effectually   
put a stop to the rage of the  wicked   
than the apprehension of death4 ,in the 
affair of marriage1 it is  not merely   
the gratification of the appetite which 
,nature has so strongly  implanted in   
both sexes for their preservation that  
we regard2 no1 that  passion can be     
satisfied in a less expensive manner1   
even in our streets1  and other places2 
but when we design to enter into that   
state1 we make  choice of a woman of    
such a form and shape1 by whom we may   
expect to have  fine children1 and of   
such a temper and disposition as to     
assure us of  future happiness4 ,when   
that is finished1 it is then the chief  
care of  the husband to maintain his    
wife1 and to provide for his children   
things  useful for life in the greatest 
abundance he can4 ,on the part of the   
wife1 many are her anxieties and        
troubles for the preservation of her    
offspring during the time of her        
pregnancy2 she gives it then part of her

  nourishment and life2 and after having
 suffered the sharpest pangs at the     
moment of its birth1 she then gives it  
suck1 and continues her care and  love  
to it4 ,all this she does to the poor   
helpless infant1 so void of  reason1    
that it knows not even her that is so   
good to it1 nor can ask her  for its own
 necessities4 ,full of tenderness for   
the welfare and  happiness of her babe1 
her whole time1 day and night1 is spent 
in  pleasing it1 without the least      
prospect of any recompense for all her  
fatigue4 ,after this1 when the children 
are come to an age fit to be            
instructed1 the fathers teach them all  
the good things they can for the        
conduct of their life2 and if they know 
any man more capable to instruct  them  
than themselves1 they send them to him1 
without regard to the  expense1 thus    
indicating by their whole conduct1 what 
sincere pleasure it  would afford them  
to see their children turn out men of   
virtue and  probity4 ,undoubtedly1      

answered ,lamprocles1 if my mother had  
done all  this1 and an hundred times as 
much1 no man could suffer her           
ill-humours8  ,do not you think1 said   
,socrates1 that the anger of a beast is 
much  more difficult to support than    
that of a mother8 ,not of a mother like 
her1 said ,lamprocles4 ,socrates        
continued1 ,what strange thing has she  
done to you8 ,has she bit you1 has she  
kicked you1 as beasts do when they  are 
angry8 ,she has a tongue that no mortal 
can suffer1 answered  ,lamprocles4 ,and 
you1 replied ,socrates1 how many crosses
 did you give  her in your infancy by   
your continual bawling and importunate  
actions8  how much trouble by night and 
by day8 how much affliction in your     
illnesses8 ,at worst1 answered          
,lamprocles1 ,i never did nor said      
anything that might make her blush4     
,alas6 said ,socrates1 is it more       
difficult for you to hear in patience   
the hasty expressions of your  mother1  
than it is for the comedians to hear    

what they say to one another  on the    
stage when they fall into the most      
injurious reproaches8 ,for they  easily 
suffer it1 knowing well that when one   
reviles another1 he reviles  him not    
with intent to injure him2 and when one 
threatens another1 he  threatens not    
with design to do him any harm4 ,you who
 are fully  convinced likewise of the   
intentions of your mother1 and who know 
very  well that the hard words she gives
 you do not proceed from hate1 but that 
she has a great affection for you1 how  
can you1 then1 be angry with her8  ,is  
it because you imagine that she wishes  
you ill8 ,not in the least1  answered   
,lamprocles2 ,i never had such a        
thought4 ,what6 continued  ,socrates2 a 
mother that loves you2 a mother who1 in 
your sickness1 does  all she can to     
recover your health1 who takes care that
 you want for  nothing1 who makes so    
many vows to heaven for you2 you say    
this is an ill  mother8 ,in truth1 if   
you cannot live with her1 ,i will say   

you cannot  live at your ease4 ,tell me1
 in short1 do you believe you ought to  
have  any reverence or respect for any  
one whatever8 ,or do you not care for   
any man's favour and goodwill1 neither  
for that of a general1 suppose1 or  of  
any other magistrate8 ,on the contrary1 
said ,lamprocles1 ,i am very  careful to
 gain the goodwill of all men4 ,perhaps 
you would endeavour  to acquire the     
goodwill of your neighbour1 to the end  
he might do you  kind offices1 such as  
giving you fire when you want it1 or1   
when any  misfortune befalls you1       
speedily relieve you8 ,yes1 ,i would4   
,and if  you were travelling with any   
man1 either by sea or land1 would you   
count  it a matter of indifference      
whether you were loved by him or not8   
,no1  indeed4 ,are you then so          
abandoned1 ,lamprocles1 replied         
,socrates1  that you would take pains to
 acquire the goodwill of those persons1 
and  yet will do nothing to your mother1
 who loves you incomparably better  than

 they8 ,know you not that the ,republic 
concerns not herself with  common       
instances of ingratitude2 that she takes
 no cognisance of such  crimes1 and that
 she neglects to punish those who do not
 return the  civilities they receive8   
,but if any one be disrespectful to his 
parents  there is a punishment provided 
for such ingratitude2 the laws reject   
him  as an outlaw1 and will not allow   
him to be received into any public      
office1 because it is a maxim commonly  
received amongst us1 that a  sacrifice1 
when offered by an impious hand1 cannot 
be acceptable to the  gods1 nor         
profitable to the ,republic4 ,nobody can
 believe1 that a person  of such a      
character can be capable to perform any 
great or worthy action1  or to act the  
part of a righteous judge4 ,the same    
punishment is ordained  likewise for    
those who1 after the death of their     
parents1 neglect to  honour their       
funerals3 and this is particularly      
examined into in the  inquiry that is   

made into the lives of such as stand    
candidates for  offices4    ,therefore1 
my son1 if you be wise1 you will beseech
 ,heaven to pardon you  the offences    
committed against your mother1 to the   
end that the favours  of the ,deity may 
be still continued to you1 and that you 
may not forfeit  them by an ungrateful  
behaviour4 ,take care1 likewise1 that   
the public  may not discover the        
contempt you show her1 for then would   
you be blamed  and abandoned by all the 
world2 for1 if it were suspected that   
you did  not gratefully resent the      
benefits conferred on you by your       
parents1 no  man could believe you would
 be grateful for any kind actions that  
others  might do you4        ,,chapter  
,,iii4 ,,socrates ,,reconciles          
,,chaerephon ,,and ,,chaerecrates1 ,,two
  ,,brothers ,,who ,,were ,,formerly    
,,at ,,variance4      ,two brothers1    
whose names were ,chaerephon and        
,chaerecrates1 were at  enmity with each
 other4 ,socrates was acquainted with   

them1 and had a  great mind to make them
 friends4 ,meeting therefore with       
,chaerecrates1 he  accosted him         
thus3--,are you1 too1 one of those who  
prefer the being rich  to the having a  
brother1 and who do not consider that   
riches1 being  inanimate things1 have   
need of being defended1 whereas a       
brother is  himself a good defence1 and1
 after all1 that there is more money    
than  brothers8 ,for is it not          
extravagant in such men to imagine that 
a  brother does them wrong because they 
enjoy not his estate8 ,why say they  not
 likewise1 that all the world does them 
wrong1 because they are not in          
possession of what belongs to the rest  
of mankind8 ,but they believe1  with    
great reason1 that it is better to live 
in society and to be ensured  of a      
moderate estate than to have the sole   
possession of all that is  their        
neighbours'1 and to be exposed to the   
dangers that are inseparable  from      
solitude4 ,nevertheless1 they are not of

 the same opinion as to the  company of 
their brothers4 ,if they are rich they  
buy themselves slaves  to serve them1   
they procure themselves friends to stand
 by them2 but for  their brothers they  
neglect them2 as if a brother were not  
so fit to make  a friend of as another  
person4 ,and yet it is of great efficacy
 towards  the begetting and establishing
 of friendships to have been born of the
  same parents and brought up together1 
since even beasts1 we see1 retain  some 
inclination for those who have come from
 the same dams1 and have  been bred up  
and nourished together4 ,besides1 a man 
who has a brother is  the more regarded 
for it1 and men are more cautious to    
offend him4  ,chaerecrates answered him 
thus3--    ,you are indeed in the right 
to say that a good brother is a great   
happiness2 and1 unless there be a very  
strong cause of dissension1 ,i  think   
that brothers ought a little to bear    
with one another1 and not part  on a    
slight occasion2 but when a brother     

fails in all things1 and is  quite the  
reverse of what he ought to be1 would   
you have a man do what is  impossible   
and continue in good amity with such a  
person8 ,socrates  replied1 ,does your  
brother give offence to all the world as
 well as to  you8 ,does nobody speak    
well of him8 ,that1 said ,chaerecrates1 
is one  of the chief causes of the      
hatred ,i bear him1 for he is sly enough
 to  please others2 but whenever we two 
happen to meet you would think his  sole
 design were to fall out with me4       
,socrates replied1 ,does not this       
proceed from what ,i am going to say8   
,when any man would make use of a       
horse1 and knows not how to govern him1 
he can expect nothing from him  but     
trouble4 ,thus1 if we know not in what  
manner to behave ourselves  toward our  
brother1 do you think we can expect     
anything from him but  uneasiness8 ,why 
do you imagine1 said ,chaerecrates1 that
 ,i am  ignorant in what manner ,i ought
 to carry myself to a brother1 since ,i 

can  show him as much love and respect1 
both in my words and actions1 as he  can
 show me in his8 ,but when ,i see a man 
endeavour to disoblige me all  manner of
 ways1 shall ,i express any goodwill for
 that man8 ,no2 this is  what ,i cannot 
do1 and will not so much as endeavour   
it4 ,i am  astonished to hear you talk  
after this manner1 said ,socrates2 pray 
tell  me1 if you had a dog that were    
good to keep your flocks1 who should    
fawn  on your shepherds1 and grin his   
teeth and snarl whenever you come in his
  way1 whether1 instead of being angry  
with him1 you would not make much of    
him to bring him to know you8 ,now1 you 
say that a good brother is a  great     
happiness2 you confess that you know how
 to oblige1 and yet you put  it not in  
practice to reconcile yourself with     
,chaerephon4 ,i fear ,i  have not skill 
enough to compass it4 ,i think1 said    
,socrates1 there  will be no need of any
 extraordinary skill in the matter2 and 
am certain  that you have enough to     

engage him to wish you well1 and to have
 a great  value for you4 ,pray1 cried   
,chaerecrates1 if you know any art ,i   
have  to make myself beloved1 let me    
know it immediately1 for hitherto ,i    
never  perceived any such thing4 ,answer
 me1 said ,socrates4 ,if you desired    
that one of your friends should invite  
you to his feast when he offered a      
sacrifice1 what course would you take8  
,i would begin first to invite  him to  
mine4 ,and if you would engage him to   
take care of your affairs  in your      
absence on a journey1 what would you do8
 ,i would first1 during  his absence1   
take care of his4 ,and if you would have
 a foreigner  entertain you in his      
family when you come into his country1  
what method  would you take8 ,i would   
make him welcome at my house when he    
came to  this town1 and would endeavour 
to further the dispatch of his business1
  that he might do me the like favour   
when ,i should be in the city where he  
lives4 ,strange1 said ,socrates1 that   

you1 who know the common methods  of    
ingratiating yourself1 will not be at   
the pains of practising them4  ,why do  
you scruple to begin to practise those  
methods8 ,is it because you  are afraid 
that1 should you begin with your        
brother1 and first do him a  kindness1  
you would appear to be of a             
mean-spirited and cringing  disposition8
 ,believe me1 my friend1 you will never1
 on that account1  appear such4 ,on the 
contrary1 ,i take it to be the part of  
an heroic and  generous soul to prevent 
our friends with kindness and our       
enemies with  valour4 ,indeed1 had ,i   
thought that ,chaerephon had been more  
proper than  you to propose the         
reconciliation1 ,i would have           
endeavoured to have  persuaded him to   
prevent you2 but ,i take you to be more 
fit to manage  this matter1 and believe 
you will bring it to pass rather than   
he4 ,what  you say is absurd and        
unworthy of you1 replied ,chaerecrates4 
,would you  have me break the ice2 ,i1  

who am the younger brother8 ,do you     
forget that  among all nations the      
honour to begin is reserved to the      
elder8 ,how do  you mean8 said          
,socrates4 ,must not a younger brother  
give the  precedency to the older8 ,must
 he not rise up when he comes in1 give  
him  the best place1 and hold his peace 
to let him speak8 ,delay1 therefore1  no
 longer to do what ,i desire you2 go and
 try to appease your brother4 ,he  will 
receive you with open arms2 it is enough
 that he is a friend to  honour1 and of 
a generous temper1 for as there is no   
readier way to gain  the goodwill of the
 mean and poor than by being liberal to 
them1 so  nothing has more influence on 
the mind of a man of honour and note    
than  to treat him with respect and     
friendship4 ,chaerecrates objected3 ,but
  when ,i have done what you say1 if my 
brother should not be better  tempered1 
what then8 ,what harm would it be to    
you8 said ,socrates4 ,it  will show your
 goodness1 and that you love him1 and   

make him appear to be  ill-natured1 and 
not deserving to be obliged by any man4 
,but ,i am of  opinion this will not    
happen1 and when he sees that you attack
 him with  civilities and good offices1 
,i am certain he will endeavour to get  
the  better of you in so kind and       
generous a contention4 ,you are now in  
the  most wretched condition imaginable4
 ,it is as if the hands which ,god has  
given us reciprocally to aid each other 
were employed only to hinder one        
another1 or as if the feet1 which by the
 divine providence were made to  assist 
each other to walk1 were busied only in 
preventing one another  from going      
forward4 ,would it not1 then1 be a great
 ignorance1 and at the  same time a     
great misfortune1 to turn to our        
disadvantage what was made  only for our
 utility8 ,now1 it is certain that ,god 
has given us brothers  only for our     
good2 and that two brothers are a       
greater advantage to one  another than  
it can be to either of them to have two 

hands1 two feet1 two  eyes1 and other   
the like members1 which are double in   
our body1 and which  ,nature has        
designed as brothers4 ,for the hands    
cannot at the same time  reach two      
things several fathoms distant from one 
another2 the feet  cannot stretch       
themselves from the end of one fathom to
 another2 the  eyes1 which seem to      
discover from so far1 cannot1 at the    
same time1 see  the fore and hind-part  
of one and the same object2 but when two
 brothers  are good friends1 no distance
 of place can hinder them from serving  
each  other4        ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,a  
,,discourse ,,of ,,socrates ,,concerning
 ,,friendship4      ,i remember likewise
 a discourse which ,i have heard him    
make concerning  friendship1 and that   
may be of great use to instruct us by   
what means we  ought to procure         
ourselves friends1 and in what manner we
 should live  with them4 ,he said that  
most men agree that a true friend is a  
precious  treasure1 and that            

nevertheless there is nothing about     
which we give  ourselves so little      
trouble as to make men our friends4 ,we 
take care1  said he1 to buy houses1     
lands1 slaves1 flocks1 and household    
goods1 and  when we have them we        
endeavour to keep them1 but though a    
friend is  allowed to be capable of     
affording us a far greater happiness    
than any or  all of these1 yet how few  
are solicitous to procure themselves a  
friend1  or1 when they have1 to secure  
his friendship8 ,nay1 some men are so   
stupid as to prefer their very slaves to
 their friends4 ,how else can we        
account for their want of concern about 
the latter when either in  distress or  
sickness1 and at the same time their    
extreme anxiety for the  recovery of the
 former when in the same condition8 ,for
 then immediately  physicians are sent  
for1 and all remedies that can be       
thought of applied  to their relief4    
,should both of them happen to die1 they
 will regret  more the loss of their    

slave than of their friend1 and shed    
more tears  over the grave of the former
 than of the latter4 ,they take care of 
everything but their friends2 they will 
examine into and take great  notice of  
the smallest trifle in their affairs1   
which perhaps stand in no  need of their
 care1 but neglect their friends that   
do4 ,in short1 though  they have many   
estates1 they know them all2 but though 
they have but few  friends1 yet they    
know not the number of them2 insomuch   
that if they are  desired to name them1 
they are puzzled immediately1 so little 
are their  friends in their thoughts4   
,nevertheless1 there is nothing         
comparable to  a good friend2 no slave  
is so affectionate to our person or     
interest2 no  horse can render us so    
great service2 in a word1 nothing is so 
useful to  us in all occasions4 ,for a  
true friend supplies all the wants and  
answers all the demands of another1     
either in the conduct of his private    
affairs or in the management of the     

public4 ,if1 for instance1 his friend   
be obliged to do a kindness to any man1 
he puts him in the way of it2 if  he be 
assaulted with any danger he immediately
 flies to his relief4 ,at  one time he  
gives him part of his estate1 at another
 he assists him with  the labour of his 
hands2 sometimes he helps him to        
persuade1 sometimes he  aids him to     
compel2 in prosperity he heightens his  
delight by rejoicing  with him2 in      
adversity he diminisheth his sorrows by 
bearing a share of  them4 ,the use a man
 may make of his hands1 his eyes1 his   
ears1 his feet1  is nothing at all when 
compared with the service one friend may
 render  another4 ,for often what we    
cannot do for our own advantage1 what we
 have  not seen1 nor thought1 nor heard 
of1 when our own interests were         
concerned1 what we have not pursued for 
ourselves1 a friend has done for  his   
friend4 ,how foolish were it to be at so
 much trouble in cultivating  a small   
orchard of trees1 because we expect some

 fruit from it1 and yet  be at no pains 
to cultivate that which is instead of a 
whole estate--,i  mean ,friendship--a   
soil the most glorious and fertile where
 we are sure  to gather the fairest and 
best of fruit6        ,,chapter ,v4 ,,of
 ,,the ,,worth ,,and ,,value ,,of       
,,friends4      ,to what ,i have        
advanced above ,i shall here relate     
another discourse of  his1 as far as ,i 
can remember1 in which he exhorted his  
hearers to  examine themselves1 that    
they might know what value their friends
 might  set upon them2 for seeing a man 
who had abandoned his friend in extreme 
poverty1 he asked ,antisthenes this     
question in presence of that very man   
and several others3 ,can we set a price 
upon friends as we do upon  slaves8 ,one
 slave may be worth twenty crowns1      
another not worth five2  such a one will
 cost fifty crowns1 another will yield a
 hundred4 ,nay1 ,i  am told that        
,nicias1 the son of ,niceratus1 gave    
even six hundred crowns  for one slave  

to be inspector of his silver mines4 ,do
 you think we might  likewise set prices
 upon friends8 ,i believe we may1       
answered  ,antisthenes2 for there are   
some men by whom ,i would rather choose 
to be  loved than to have twenty crowns2
 others for whose affection ,i would not
  spend five4 ,i know some1 too1 for    
whose friendship ,i would give all ,i am
  worth4 ,if it be so1 said ,socrates1  
it would be well that each man  should  
consider how much he can be worth to his
 friends1 and that he  should endeavour 
to render himself as valuable as he can 
in their regard1  to the end they might 
not abandon him2 for when ,i hear one   
complain that  his friend has betrayed  
him2 another that he1 whom he thought   
faithful1  has preferred a small gain to
 the preservation of his friendship1 ,i 
reflect on these stories1 and ask       
whether1 as we sell a good-for-nothing  
slave for what we can get for him1 we   
are not likewise tempted to get rid  of 
an ill-friend when we are offered more  

for him than he is worth8  because ,i do
 not see men part with their slaves if  
they be good1 nor  abandon their friends
 if they be faithful4        ,,chapter  
,,vi4 ,,of ,,the ,,choice ,,of          
,,friends4      ,the following          
conversation of ,socrates with          
,critobulus may teach us how  we ought  
to try friends1 and with whom it is good
 to contract  friendship3--,if we were  
to choose a friend1 said ,socrates to   
him1 what  precaution ought we to take8 
,ought we not to look out for a man who 
is  not given to luxury1 to drunkenness1
 to women1 nor to idleness8 ,for with   
these vices he could never be very      
useful to his friend nor to himself4    
,that is certain1 answered ,critobulus4 
,then1 said ,socrates1 if we  found a   
man that loved to live great1 though he 
had not an estate to  support the       
expense1 and who having daily occasion  
to employ the purses  of his friends    
should show by his actions that whatever
 you lend him is  so much lost1 and that

 if you do not lend him he will take it 
ill of you1  do you not think that such 
a man would be very improper to make a  
friend  of8 ,there is no doubt of it1   
said ,critobulus4 ,and if we found      
another1 continued ,socrates1 who was   
saving of what he had1 but who1 on  the 
other hand1 was so covetous that it     
would be quite unfit to have  anything  
to do with him1 because he would always 
be very ready to receive  and never to  
give again8 ,in my opinion1 said        
,critobulus1 this would  be a worse     
friend than the former4 ,and if we      
should find a man who was  so carried   
away with the desire of enriching       
himself that he applied his  mind to    
nothing else1 but getting all he could  
scrape together8 ,we  ought not to have 
anything to do with him neither1        
answered ,critobulus1  for he would be  
good to no man but himself4 ,if we found
 a quarrelsome  man1 continued          
,socrates1 who was every day like to    
engage all his  friends in new broils   

and squabbles1 what would you think of  
him8 ,that  he ought to be avoided1     
answered ,critobulus4 ,and if a man1    
said  ,socrates1 were free from all     
these faults1 and were only of a humour 
to  desire to receive kindnesses1 but   
never to concern himself to return      
them1 what would you think of him8 ,that
 neither he1 too1 would be  proper to   
make a friend of1 replied ,critobulus2  
and indeed1 after  having rejected so   
many1 ,i can scarce tell whom we should 
take4 ,we  ought to take1 said          
,socrates1 a man who were the reverse of
 all those  we have mentioned1 who would
 be temperate in his manners1 faithful  
in his  promises1 and sincere in all his
 actions2 who would think it a point of 
honour not to be outdone in civilities  
so that it would be of advantage  to    
have to do with him4 ,but how can we be 
certain of all this1 said  ,critobulus1 
before we have tried him8 ,when we would
 give our judgment  of statuaries1 we   
have no regard1 replied ,socrates1 to   

what they say of  themselves1 but       
consider their works2 and he who has    
already made good  statues is the person
 of whom we have the best opinion for   
those he shall  make for the future4    
,apply this to the question you asked   
me1 and be  assured that a man who has  
served his former friends well will be  
likely  to show no less affection for   
those that come after2 as we may        
strongly  conjecture that a groom1 whom 
we have formerly seen dress horses very 
well1 is capable of dressing others4    
,but1 said ,critobulus1 when we  have   
found a man worthy of our choice1 how   
ought we to contract a  friendship with 
him8 ,in the first place1 answered      
,socrates1 we must  inquire whether the 
gods approve of it4 ,but supposing they 
do not  dissuade us1 how are we to take 
this precious prey8 ,not by hunting1 as 
we catch hares1 said ,socrates2 nor in  
nets1 as we take birds1 nor by  force1  
as we take our enemies2 for it is very  
difficult to gain any man's  friendship 

against his will1 or stop him by force1 
and detain him in  prison as a slave1   
seeing such ill-usage would oblige him  
rather to wish  us ill than to love us4 
,what1 then1 ought we to do8 pursued    
,critobulus4 ,it is reported1 replied   
,socrates1 that there are some  words so
 powerful that they who know them make  
themselves loved by  pronouncing them1  
and that there are likewise other charms
 for the same  purpose4 ,and where can  
one learn these words8 added            
,critobulus4 ,have  you not read in     
,homer1 answered ,socrates1 what the    
,syrens said to  enchant ,ulysses8 ,the 
beginning of it is thus--        ',oh1  
stay6 oh1 pride of ,greece1 ,ulysses1   
stay6'    ,you say true1 continued      
,critobulus2 but did not they say as    
much to  the others1 to stop them too8  
,not at all1 said ,socrates1 they       
enchanted with these words only the     
generous men who were in love with      
virtue4 ,i begin to understand you1 said
 ,critobulus1 and seeing this  charm1   

which is so powerful to enchant and     
captivate the mind1 is nothing  but     
praise1 you mean that we ought to praise
 a man in such a manner that  he may not
 distrust we laugh at him2 otherwise1   
instead of gaining his  affection1 we   
shall incur his hate2 for it would be   
insupportable to a  man1 who knows he is
 little and weak1 to be praised for his 
graceful  appearance1 for being         
well-shaped1 and of a robust            
constitution4 ,but  do you know no other
 charms8 ,no1 answered ,socrates2 but ,i
 have  indeed heard it said1 that       
,pericles knew a great many1 by means of
 which  he charmed the ,republic1 and   
gained the favour and esteem of all4    
,critobulus continued1 ,what was it that
 ,themistocles did to make himself  so  
esteemed8 ,he used no other charms1 said
 ,socrates1 than the  eminent services  
he rendered to the ,state4 ,which is as 
much as to  say1 replied ,critobulus1   
that to gain the friendship of the      
great1 we  must render ourselves capable

 to perform great actions4    ,and could
 you think it possible1 said ,socrates1 
that any one should  share in the       
friendship of men of merit without being
 possessed of one  good quality8 ,why   
not8 answered ,critobulus2 ,i have seen 
despicable  rhetoricians beloved by the 
most famous orators1 and persons who    
knew  nothing of war live in familiarity
 with great generals4 ,but have you     
seen men who are fit for nothing 7for   
that is the question we speak of7  get  
any friends of consequence8 ,i confess  
,i have not1 answered  ,critobulus2     
nevertheless1 since it is impossible for
 a man of no worth  whatever to have the
 friendship of men of condition and     
merit1 tell me  whether the man who     
acquires the character of worth and     
merit obtains1 at  the same time1 the   
friendship of all who possess that      
excellent  character8 ,the reason1 ,i   
suppose1 why you ask this question1     
answered  ,socrates1 is because you     
frequently observe dissensions among    

those who  equally cherish honour1 and  
would all of them rather die than commit
 a  base action2 and you are surprised1 
that instead of living in friendship1   
they disagree among themselves1 and are 
sometimes more difficult to  reconcile  
than the vilest of all man4 ,this is a  
misfortune1 added  ,critobulus1 that    
arrives not among private men only2 for 
dissensions1  nay1 even wars1 will      
happen sometimes1 to break out in the   
best-governed  republics1 where virtue  
is in the highest repute1 and where vice
 is held  in the utmost contempt4 ,now1 
when ,i revolve these considerations in 
my  mind1 ,i know not where to go in    
search of friends2 for it is impossible1
  we see1 for the wicked to cultivate a 
true friendship among themselves4  ,can 
there subsist a true and lasting        
friendship amongst the ungrateful1  the 
idle1 the covetous1 the treacherous1 and
 the dissolute8 ,no1 for  persons of    
such a character will mutually expose   
themselves to hatred and  contempt2 to  

hatred1 because of the hurtful effects  
of their vices2 to  contempt1 on account
 of the deformity of them4 ,neither1 on 
the other  hand1 can we expect1 as you  
have well observed1 to find friendship  
between a virtuous man and a person of  
the opposite character4 ,for how  can   
they who commit crimes be in good amity 
with those that abhor them8  ,but what  
puzzles me most1 my dear ,socrates1 is  
to see men of merit and  virtue         
harassing one another1 and endeavouring1
 to the utmost of their  power1 to crush
 and ruin their antagonists1 when1 in   
different interests1  both are          
contending for the most lucrative posts 
of the ,republic4 ,i am  quite at a loss
 to account for such a conduct on the   
principles of  friendship2 for when ,i  
daily observe the noblest affections of 
the mind  rooted up by the sordid views 
of interest1 ,i am in a great doubt     
whether  there is any real friendship   
and affection in the world4 ,my dear    
friend1 replied ,socrates1 this matter  

is very intricate2 for1 if ,i  mistake  
not1 ,nature has placed in men the      
principles both of friendship  and      
dissension4 ,of friendship1 because they
 have need of one another1  they have   
compassion of their miseries1 they      
relieve one another in their            
necessities1 and they are grateful for  
the assistances which they lend  one    
another3 of dissension1 because one and 
the same thing being  agreeable to many 
they contend to have it1 and endeavour  
to prejudice and  thwart one another in 
their designs4 ,thus strife and anger   
beget war1  avarice stifles benevolence1
 envy produces hate4 ,but friendship    
overcoming all these difficulties1 finds
 out the virtuous1 and unites  them     
together4 ,for1 out of a motive of      
virtue they choose rather to live       
quietly in a mean condition1 than to    
gain the empire of the whole earth  by  
the calamities of war4 ,when they are   
pinched with hunger or thirst1  they    
endure them with constancy1 till they   

can relieve themselves without  being   
troublesome to any one4 ,when at any    
time their desires for the  enjoyments  
of love grow violent and headstrong1    
then reason1 or  self-government1 lays  
hold on the reins1 checks the           
impetuosity of the  passion1 keeps it   
within due bounds1 and will not allow   
them to  transgress the great rule of   
their duty4 ,they enjoy what is lawfully
  their own1 and are so far from        
usurping the rights and properties of   
others1 that they even give them part of
 what they have4 ,they agree  their     
differences in such a manner1 that all  
are gainers1 and no man has  reason to  
complain4 ,they are never transported   
with anger so far as to  commit any     
action of which they may afterwards     
repent4 ,envy is a passion  they are    
ignorant of1 because they live in a     
mutual communication of what  they      
possess1 and consider what belongs to   
their friends as things in  their own   
possession4 ,from hence you see that the

 virtuous do not only  not oppose1 but  
that they aid one another in the        
employments of the  ,republic2 for they 
who seek for honours and great offices1 
only to have  an opportunity of         
enriching themselves1 and exercising a  
cruel tyranny1  or to live an easy and  
effeminate life1 are certainly very     
wicked and  unjust1 nor can they ever   
hope to live in friendship with any man4
    ,but why should he who desires not  
any authority1 but only the better to   
defend himself from the wicked1 or to   
assist his friends1 or be  serviceable  
to his country2 why should such a man1  
,i say1 not agree with  another1 whose  
intentions are the same with his own8   
,is it because he  would be less capable
 to serve the ,republic1 if he had      
virtuous  associates in the             
administration of affairs8 ,if1 in the  
tournaments and  other games1 the most  
strong were permitted to enter into a   
league  against the weaker1 they would  
infallibly be victors in all the        

courses1  and win all the prizes2 for   
which reason they are not suffered to do
 so4  ,therefore1 in affairs of ,state1 
since no man is hindered from joining   
with whom he pleases1 to do good to the 
,republic1 is it not more  advantageous1
 when we concern ourselves in the       
government1 to make  friendship with men
 of honour and probity1 who are         
generally1 too1 the  most knowing and   
capable1 and to have them for our       
associates than to  make them our       
adversaries8 ,for it is manifest1 that  
when a man is  engaged in a combat1 he  
ought to have some to assist him1 and   
that he  will have need of a great many1
 if those whom he opposes be valiant and
  powerful4 ,besides1 he must be        
liberal1 and give presents to those who 
espouse his quarrel1 to encourage them  
to make a more resolute and  vigorous   
defence4 ,now1 it is beyond all dispute1
 that it is much better  to oblige the  
good1 though they are but a few1 than   
the wicked1 of whom  there is a great   

number1 because the former are easily   
gained over to  your side2 whereas the  
latter are hardly won by the best       
favours1 and  those in the greatest     
abundance1 too1 to espouse your         
interest4    ,however it be1            
,critobulus1 take courage1 endeavour    
only to become  virtuous1 and then      
boldly pursue the friendship of honest  
men2 this is a  sort of chase in which  
,i may be helpful to you1 because ,i am 
naturally  inclined to love4 ,i attack  
briskly those ,i love1 and lay out all  
my  skill to make myself beloved by     
them4 ,i endeavour to kindle in their   
minds a flame like mine1 and to make    
them desire my company1 as ardently  as 
,i long for theirs4 ,you stand in need  
of this address when you would  contract
 a friendship with any one4 ,hide not1  
then1 the secrets of your  soul from me1
 but let me know who they are for whom  
you have a regard3  for1 having made it 
my study to please those who were       
agreeable to me1 ,i  believe that1 by   

long experience1 ,i have now got some   
considerable  insight into the pursuits 
and ways of men4 ,i have longed a great 
while1 said ,critobulus1 to learn this  
art1 especially if it may be  employed  
to gain me the friendship of those whose
 persons are not only  comely and       
genteel1 but whose minds are replenished
 and adorned with all  virtue4 ,socrates
 replied3 ,but my method forbids to use 
violence1 and ,i  am of opinion that all
 men fled from the wretch ,scylla1      
because she  detained them by force3    
whereas the ,syrens did no violence to  
any man1  and employed only their       
tuneful voices to detain those who      
passed near  them1 so that all stopped  
to hear1 and suffered themselves to be  
insensibly charmed by the music of their
 songs4 ,be sure1 said  ,critobulus1    
that ,i will use no violence to them    
whose friendship ,i would  gain1 and    
therefore delay no longer to teach me   
your art4 ,will you  give me your word  
likewise1 said ,socrates1 that you will 

not even give  them a kiss8 ,i promise  
you1 said ,critobulus1 ,i will not1     
unless they  are very beautiful persons4
 ,you mistake the matter1 replied       
,socrates2  the beautiful permit not    
those liberties2 but the ugly grant them
 freely  enough1 because they know very 
well that should any beauty be ascribed 
to  them1 it is only in consideration of
 that of the soul4 ,i will not          
transgress in this point1 said          
,critobulus2 only impart to me the      
secret  you know to gain friends4       
,when you would contract a friendship   
with any one1 said ,socrates1 you  must 
give me leave to tell him that you have 
a great esteem for him1 and  that you   
desire to be his friend4 ,with all my   
heart1 answered  ,critobulus2 for sure  
no man can wish ill to a man who esteems
 him4 ,and  if ,i add besides1 continued
 ,socrates1 that because you set a great
  value on his merit you have much      
affection for his person1 will you not  
take it amiss8 ,not at all1 said        

,critobulus2 for ,i am sensible we  have
 a great kindness for those who bear us 
goodwill4 ,i may1 then1  said ,socrates1
 speak in that manner to those whom you 
desire to love3  but will you likewise  
give me leave to advance that your      
greatest  pleasure is to have good      
friends1 that you take great care of    
them1 that  you behold their good       
actions with as much joy as if you      
yourself had  performed them1 and that  
you rejoice at their good fortune as    
much as at  your own3 that you are never
 weary when you are serving them1 and   
that  you believe it the glory of a man 
of honour to surpass his friends in     
benefits1 and his enemies in valour8 ,by
 this means ,i think ,i shall be  very  
useful to you in procuring you good     
friends4 ,why do you ask me  leave1 said
 ,critobulus1 as if you might not say of
 me whatever you  please8 ,no1 indeed1  
answered ,socrates1 for ,i remember what
 ,aspasia  once said1 that match-makers 
are successful in their business when   

they  tell truth of the persons in whose
 behalf they court1 but that the        
marriages made by their lies are        
unfortunate1 because they who are       
deceived hate one another1 and hate yet 
more the person that put them  together4
 ,and therefore1 for the same reason1 ,i
 think ,i ought not to  tell lies in    
your praise4 ,you are then so far only  
my friend1 replied  ,critobulus1 that if
 ,i have any good qualities to make     
myself be  esteemed1 you will assist me2
 if not1 you will invent nothing in my  
behalf4 ,and do you think1 said         
,socrates1 that ,i should do you more   
service in giving you false praises1    
that are not your due1 than by          
exhorting you to merit the praise of all
 men8 ,if you doubt of this1  consider  
the consequences of it4 ,if1 for        
instance1 ,i should tell the  owner of a
 ship that you are an excellent pilot1  
and he upon that should  give you the   
conduct of the vessel1 what hopes could 
you have that you  should not perish8   

,or if ,i should say1 publicly1 that you
 are an  experienced general1 or a great
 politician1 and if you1 by that        
character  which ,i should unjustly have
 obtained for you1 should be promoted to
 the  supreme magistracy1 to what       
dangers would you expose your own life1 
and  the fortune of the ,state8 ,or if  
,i should make any private person       
believe  that you were a good economist1
 and he should trust you afterwards with
  the care of his family1 would not you 
be the ruin of his estate1 and  expose  
yourself to ridicule and contempt8      
,which is as much as to say1            
,critobulus1 that the shortest and      
surest way to live with honour in the   
world is to be in reality what we would 
appear to be3 and if you observe1  you  
will find that all human virtues        
increase and strengthen themselves  by  
the practice and experience of them4    
,take my advice1 then1 and labour  to   
acquire them3 but if you are of a       
different opinion1 pray let me know  it4

 ,i might well be ashamed1 answered     
,critobulus1 to contradict you3  for no 
good nor solid objection can be brought 
against so rational an  assertion4      
,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,socrates ,,showeth   
,,aristarchus ,,how ,,to ,,get ,,rid    
,,of ,,poverty4      ,socrates had an   
extreme tenderness for his friends1 and 
if through  imprudence they fell into   
any misfortune1 he endeavoured to       
comfort them  by his good counsels2 if  
they laboured under poverty he did all  
he could  to relieve them1 teaching all 
men that they ought mutually to assist  
one  another in necessity4 ,i will set  
down some examples of his behaviour in  
these occasions4    ,meeting            
,aristarchus1 who looked very dejected1 
he said to him1 ,i see1  ,aristarchus1  
that something troubles you1 but impart 
the cause of your  grief to your        
friends1 and perhaps we may comfort you4
 ,indeed1 said  he1 ,i am in great      
affliction2 for since the late troubles1
 many persons  having fled for shelter  

to the ,piraeus1 it has so fallen out   
that my  sisters1 nieces1 and cousins   
have all thrown themselves upon me1 so  
that  ,i have no less than fourteen of  
them to maintain4 ,you know very well   
that we receive no profit of our lands1 
the enemies being masters of the  open  
country2 our houses in the city are     
uninhabited1 there being at  present    
very little company in ,athens2 nobody  
will buy any goods2 no man  will lend   
money upon any interest whatever1 and ,i
 believe we may as soon  take it up in  
the middle of the streets as find where 
to borrow it4 ,and  ,i am much concerned
 that ,i shall not be able to assist my 
relations whom  ,i see ready to perish1 
while it is impossible for me to        
maintain them in  the present scarcity  
of all things4 ,socrates having heard   
him  patiently1 said to him1 ,how comes 
it to pass that ,ceramon1 who has so    
many persons in his family1 finds means 
not only to maintain them1 but  likewise
 to enrich himself by the profit he     

makes of them1 and that you  are afraid 
of starving to death1 because you have a
 great many in your  family8 ,the       
reason1 answered ,aristarchus1 is this1 
,ceramon has none  but slaves to take   
care of1 and ,i am to provide for       
persons who are  free4 ,socrates went   
on3 ,for which have you most esteem1 for
 ,ceramon's  slaves1 or for the persons 
who are at your house8 ,there is no     
comparison between them1 said           
,aristarchus4 ,is it not then a shameful
  thing1 replied ,socrates1 that        
,ceramon should grow rich by means of   
those whom you acknowledge to be of less
 value1 and that you should grow  poor  
and be reduced to straits1 though you   
keep men of condition in your  house1   
whom you value more8 ,by no means1 said 
,aristarchus1 there is  a wide          
difference betwixt the two2 the slaves  
that ,ceramon keeps follow  some trades1
 but the persons ,i have with me have   
had a liberal education  and follow     
none4 ,may not he1 replied ,socrates1   

who knows how to do  anything that is   
useful be said to know a trade8 ,yes1   
certainly4 ,and  are not1 continued     
,socrates1 oatmeal1 bread1 the clothes  
of men and  women1 cassocks1 coats1 and 
other the like manufactures1 things very
  useful8 ,without doubt4 ,and do not   
the persons at your house know  how to  
make any of these things8 ,on the       
contrary1 said ,aristarchus1  ,i believe
 they know how to make all of them4     
,what are you then afraid  of1 added    
,socrates8 ,why do you complain of      
poverty1 since you know how  to get     
rich8 ,do not you observe how wealthy   
,nausicides is become1 what  numerous   
herds he is master of1 and what vast    
sums he lends the ,republic8  ,now what 
made this man so rich8 ,why1 nothing but
 one of those  manufactures we          
mentioned1 that of making oatmeal4 ,you 
see1 too1 that  ,cirthes keeps all his  
family1 and lives at his ease upon what 
he has got  by being a baker4 ,and how  
doth ,demeas1 of the village of         

,colyttus1 get  his livelihood8 ,by     
making cassocks4 ,what makes ,menon live
 so  comfortably8 ,his cloak            
manufacture4 ,and are not most of the   
inhabitants  of ,megara in good         
circumstances enough by the trade which 
they drive of  coats and short jackets8 
,i grant all this1 said ,aristarchus1   
but  still there is a difference betwixt
 these persons and me3 for1 whereas1    
they have with them some barbarians whom
 they have bought1 and compel to  work  
what brings them in gain2 ,i1 for my    
part1 keep only ladies and  gentlemen at
 my house1 persons who are free1 and    
some of them my own  relations4 ,now    
would you have me to set them to work8  
,and because  they are free and your    
relations1 said ,socrates1 do you think 
they  ought to do nothing but eat and   
sleep8 ,do you observe that they1 who   
live thus idle and at their ease1 lead  
more comfortable lives than  others8 ,do
 you think them more content1 more      
cheerful1 that is to say1  more happy   

than those who employ themselves in any 
of those manufactures  we have          
mentioned1 or in whatever else tends to 
the utility or  convenience of life8 ,do
 you imagine that idleness and laziness 
contribute toward our learning things   
necessary2 that they can enable us  to  
retain those things we have already     
learnt2 that they help to  strengthen   
the body or keep it in health2 that they
 can assist us to get  riches1 or keep  
what we have got already2 and do you    
believe that labour  and industry are   
good for nothing8 ,why did your ladies  
learn what you  say they know4 ,did they
 believe them to be useless things1 and 
had they  resolved never to put them in 
practice8 ,or1 on the contrary1 was it  
with  design to employ themselves in    
those matters1 and to get something by  
them8 ,is it a greater piece of wisdom  
to sit still and do nothing1 than  to   
busy oneself in things that are of use  
in life1 and that turn to  account8 ,and
 is it not more reasonable for a man to 

work than to be with  his arms across1  
thinking how he shall do to live8 ,shall
 ,i tell you my  mind1 ,aristarchus8    
,well1 then1 ,i am of opinion that in   
the condition you  are in you cannot    
love your guests1 nor they you for this 
reason1 that  you1 on the one hand1 feel
 they are a burden to you1 and they1 on 
the  other1 perceive you uneasy and     
discontented on their account4 ,and it  
is  to be feared that the discontent    
will increase on both sides1 and that   
the sense of past favours will wear off2
 but when you set them to work  you will
 begin to love them1 because they will  
bring you some profit2 and  when they   
find that you regard them with more     
complacency they will not  fail to have 
more love for you4 ,the remembrance of  
your kindnesses will  be more grateful  
to them1 and the obligations they have  
to you will be  the greater4 ,in a word1
 you will be kinder relations and better
 friends4  ,indeed1 if what they were to
 do was a thing worthy of blame1 it     

would be  better to die than to think of
 it2 but what they can do is honourable1
  and becoming of their sex1 and whoever
 knows how to do a thing well will      
acquit himself of it with honour and    
pleasure4 ,therefore defer no longer  to
 make the proposal to them1 since it    
will be so advantageous to all of  you1 
and be assured they will receive it with
 joy and pleasure4 ,good  ,god6 what a  
fine scheme you have proposed6 ,indeed1 
,i cannot but approve  of it2 nay1 it   
has made such a wonderful impression on 
my mind1 that  whereas ,i was lately    
against borrowing money at all1 because 
,i saw that  when ,i had spent it ,i    
should not be in a condition to repay   
it1 ,i am now  resolved to go try where 
,i can take some up upon any terms1 to  
buy tools  and other materials to set   
ourselves to work4    ,what was proposed
 was forthwith executed4 ,aristarchus   
bought what he  wanted2 he laid in a    
provision of wool1 and the ladies worked
 from  morning to night4 ,this          

occupation diverted their melancholy1   
and1  instead of the uneasiness there   
was before between them and             
,aristarchus1  they began to live in a  
reciprocal satisfaction4 ,the ladies    
loved him as  their protector1 and he   
considered them as persons who were very
 useful  and necessary to him4    ,to   
conclude1 some time afterwards          
,aristarchus came to see ,socrates1 and 
related the whole matter to him with    
great content1 and told him the  women  
began to complain that none but he was  
idle4 ,why do you not put  them in mind1
 said ,socrates1 of the fable of the    
dog8 ,for1 in the days  when beasts     
could speak1 according to the fable1 the
 sheep said to her  master1 ',you are a 
strange man2 we yield you wool1 lambs1  
and cheeses1  and yet you give us       
nothing but what we can get upon the    
ground2 and the  dog1 who brings you in 
no profit1 is kindly used1 for you feed 
him with  the same bread you eat        
yourself4' ,the dog1 overhearing this   

complaint1  answered her3 ',it is not   
without reason that ,i am used so well4 
,it is ,i  who protect you2 it is ,i who
 hinder thieves from taking you away1   
and  wolves from sucking your blood4 ,if
 ,i were not always keeping watch about 
you1 you would not dare so much as to go
 to feed4' ,this answer was the  reason 
that the sheep yielded freely to the dog
 the honour they pretended  to before4  
,in like manner do you also let these   
ladies know that it is  you who are     
their guardian and protector1 and that  
you watch over them  for their safety   
with as much care as a faithful and     
courageous dog  watcheth over a herd    
committed to his charge4 ,tell them that
 because of  you no man dares hurt them1
 and that it is by your means that they 
live  at ease and in safety4            
,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,socrates ,,persuades
 ,,eutherus ,,to ,,abandon ,,his        
,,former ,,way ,,of  ,,living1 ,,and    
,,to ,,betake ,,himself ,,to ,,some     
,,more ,,useful ,,and ,,honourable      

,,employment4      ,another time1       
meeting with ,eutherus1 one of his old  
friends1 whom he had  not seen for a    
great while before1 he inquired of him  
from whence he  came8 ,at present1      
answered ,eutherus1 ,i come not from    
abroad2 but  towards the end of the war 
,i returned from a voyage ,i had made1  
for1  after having lost all the estate  
,i had upon the frontiers1 and my father
  having left me nothing in ,attica1 ,i 
was forced to work for my living1 and   
,i believe it better to do so than to be
 troublesome to others2 besides1 ,i  can
 no longer borrow anything1 because ,i  
have nothing left to mortgage4  ,and how
 much longer1 said ,socrates1 do you    
think you shall be able to  work for    
your living8 ,alas6 but a short while1  
answered ,eutherus4  ,nevertheless1     
replied ,socrates1 when you come to be  
old it will cost  you something to      
maintain yourself1 and yet you will not 
then be able to  earn anything4 ,you say
 very true4 ,you had best1 then1        

continued  ,socrates1 employ yourself   
now in business that will enable you to 
lay by  something for your old age1 and 
get into the service of some rich man1  
who has occasion for an economist1 to   
have the inspection over his  workmen1  
to gather in his fruits1 to preserve    
what belongs to him1 that  he may reward
 you for the service you do him4 ,i     
should find it very  difficult1 replied 
,eutherus1 to submit to be a slave4     
,yet1 said  ,socrates1 the magistrates  
in republics1 and all that are in       
employments1  are not1 therefore1       
reputed slaves2 on the contrary1 they   
are esteemed  honourable4 ,be that as it
 will1 said ,eutherus1 ,i can never     
think of  entering into any office where
 ,i might be liable to blame1 for ,i    
would  not like to be censured by       
another4 ,but where1 said ,socrates1    
will  you find any employment in which a
 man is absolutely perfect1 and         
altogether free from blame8 ,for it is  
very difficult to be so exact as  not to

 fail sometimes1 and even though we     
should not have failed1 it is  hard to  
escape the censure of bad judges2 and ,i
 should think it a very  odd and        
surprising thing if in that very        
employment wherein you say you  are now 
engaged you were so dexterous and expert
 as that no man should  find anything   
amiss4    ,what you are1 therefore1 to  
observe is to avoid those who make it   
their  business to find fault without   
reason1 and to have to do with more     
equitable persons2 to undertake what you
 can actually perform1 to reject  what  
you find yourself unfit to do2 and when 
you have taken in hand to do  anything1 
to accomplish it in a manner the most   
excellent and perfect you  can4 ,thus   
you will be less subject to be blamed1  
will find relief to  your poverty1 lead 
an easier life1 be out of danger1 and   
will  sufficiently provide for the      
necessities of your old age4            
,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,in ,,what ,,manner    
,,socrates ,,taught ,,his ,,friend      

,,crito ,,to ,,rid  ,,himself ,,of      
,,some ,,informers1 ,,who ,,took ,,the  
,,advantage ,,of ,,his ,,easy ,,temper4 
,one day ,crito1 happening to meet      
,socrates1 complained to him that it was
  very difficult for a man who would    
keep what he had to live in ,athens2    
for1 said he1 ,i am now sued by some    
men1 though ,i never did them the  least
 injury1 but only because they know that
 ,i had rather give them a  little money
 than embroil myself in the troubles of 
law4 ,socrates said  to him1 ,do you    
keep dogs to hinder the wolves from     
coming at your  flocks8 ,you need not   
doubt but ,i do1 answered ,crito4 ,ought
 you not  likewise1 replied ,socrates1  
to keep a man who were able to drive    
away  all those that trouble you without
 cause8 ,i would with all my heart1     
said ,crito1 but that ,i fear that in   
the end he1 too1 would turn against  me4
 ,why so8 said ,socrates2 is it not     
better to serve a man like you1  and to 
receive favours from him1 than to have  

him for an enemy8 ,you may  be certain  
that there are in this city many men who
 would think  themselves very happy to  
be honoured with your friendship4       
,after this they happened to see a      
certain person name ,archedemus1 who was
  a man of very good parts1 eloquent1   
and extremely skilful in the  management
 of affairs2 but withal very poor and in
 a low condition1 for  he was not of    
that sordid disposition to take all he  
could get1 by what  means soever1 but he
 was a lover of justice and of honest   
men1 and  abhorred to make rich1 or to  
raise himself by informing and          
backbiting2  for he held that nothing   
was more base than that wretched        
practice of  those miscreants called    
sycophants or informers4 ,crito cast an 
eye upon  him1 and as often as they     
brought him any corn1 or wine1 or oil1  
or any  other thing from his            
country-houses1 he sent him some of it2 
when he  offered sacrifices he invited  
him to the feasts1 and showed him many  

civilities of the like nature4          
,archedemus1 seeing the doors of that   
house open to him at all times1 and that
 he always found so favourable a        
reception1 laid aside all his former    
dependences1 and trusted himself  wholly
 to ,crito2 then he made it his business
 immediately to inquire into  the       
characters of those sycophants who had  
slandered ,crito or informed  against   
him1 and found them to be guilty of many
 crimes1 and that they  had a great     
number of enemies4 ,this encouraged him 
to take them to task1  and he prosecuted
 one of them for a crime which would    
have subjected him  to a corporal       
punishment1 or at least to a pecuniary  
mulct4 ,this fellow1  who knew his case 
to be bad1 and that he could not justify
 himself1  employed all sorts of        
stratagems to get rid of ,archedemus1   
who  nevertheless would not quit his    
hold till the other had discharged      
,crito1  and given him money besides1 in
 name of trouble and charges4 ,he       

managed  several of his affairs with    
like success1 which made ,crito be      
thought  happy in having him2 and as    
when a shepherd has an excellent dog1   
the  other shepherds are glad to bring  
their flocks near his that they may be  
safe likewise1 so several of ,crito's   
friends began to make their court to    
him1 and begged him to lend them        
,archedemus to defend them4 ,he1 for his
  part1 was glad to oblige ,crito2 and  
it was observed at length that not  only
 ,crito lived undisturbed1 but all his  
friends likewise2 and if any  one       
reproached ,archedemus that             
self-interest had made him his master's 
creature1 and to adore him and be so    
faithful and zealous in his service  he 
would answer him thus3--,which of the   
two do you think most  dishonourable--to
 do services to men of quality from whom
 we have  received favours1 and to enter
 into their friendship to declare war   
against bad men1 or to endeavour to     
prejudice men of honour1 and to make    

them our enemies1 that bad men may be   
our friends8 ,from thenceforward  ,crito
 contracted a strict friendship with    
,archedemus1 and all his friends  had   
likewise a great respect for him4       
,,chapter ,x4 ,,socrates ,,advises      
,,diodorus ,,to ,,do ,,justice ,,to     
,,the ,,merit ,,of  ,,hermogenes1 ,,and 
,,to ,,accept ,,of ,,his ,,service ,,and
 ,,friendship4      ,socrates1 meeting  
one day with ,diodorus1 addressed him   
thus3--,if one of  your slaves ran away1
 would you give yourself any trouble to 
find him8  ,yes1 certainly1 answered he2
 and ,i would give public notice1 and   
promise a reward to any that brought him
 to me4 ,and if one of them  were sick1 
would you take care of him1 and send for
 physicians to  endeavour to save his   
life8 ,without doubt ,i would4 ,and if  
you saw1  replied ,socrates1 one of your
 friends--that is to say1 a person who  
renders you a thousand times more       
service than a slave1 reduced to        
extreme want--ought you not to relieve  

him8 ,i speak this to you on  account of
 ,hermogenes4 ,you very well know he is 
not ungrateful1 and that  he would scorn
 to receive the least favour from you   
and not return you  the like4 ,you know 
likewise that a great number of slaves  
are not to be  valued like one man who  
serves willingly1 who serves with zeal  
and  affection1 and who is not only     
capable of doing what he is desired1 but
  who can likewise of himself think of  
many things that may be of service  to  
us2 who reasons well1 who foresees what 
may happen1 and from whom we  may expect
 to receive good advice4 ,now1 the best 
managers hold it as a  maxim that when  
we find anything of value to be sold    
cheap we ought to  buy it4 ,think of it1
 therefore1 for as times now go you may 
procure  yourself many friends at a     
cheap rate4 ,you say right1 replied     
,diodorus1 and therefore pray send      
,hermogenes to me4 ,excuse me in  that1 
answered ,socrates1 you would do as well
 to go to him yourself as  to send for  

him4    ,this discourse was the reason  
that ,diodorus went to ,hermogenes1 and 
for a  small gratification obliged him  
to be his friend2 after which           
,hermogenes  took particular care to    
please ,diodorus1 and sought all        
opportunities of  serving him and of    
giving him content4          ,,book     
,,iii4      ,,chapter ,i4 ,,of ,,the    
,,qualifications ,,of ,a ,,general4     
,let us now see how ,socrates was       
serviceable to those who were desirous  
to  qualify themselves for employments  
of trust and honour1 by advising them   
to apply themselves diligently to the   
study of their duty1 that they  might   
acquire a perfect knowledge of it4      
,having heard that there was arrived at 
,athens one ,dionysodorus1 who          
undertook to teach the art of war1 he   
made the following discourse to one  of 
his friends1 who pretended to one of the
 highest posts in the army3--    ,it    
were a scandalous thing1 said ,socrates 
to him1 for a man who aims  to be chief 

over others1 to neglect to learn how to 
command1 when so fair  an opportunity   
offers2 nay1 ,i think he would rather   
deserve to be  punished1 than the man   
who should undertake to make a statue   
without  having learnt the sculptor's   
trade2 for as in war the whole fortune  
of  the ,republic is trusted to the     
general1 it is to be presumed that his  
good conduct will procure success1 and  
that his faults will be followed  with  
great losses4 ,and1 therefore1 a man who
 should neglect to make  himself capable
 of such an employment1 and yet pretend 
to it1 ought to be  severely punished4  
,by these reasons he persuaded this     
young man to get  himself instructed4   
,after the youth had imagined that he   
had acquired some knowledge of the  art1
 he returned to pay ,socrates a visit1  
who1 jesting him1 addressed the  company
 that were present in this manner3--,do 
not you think1 gentlemen1  that as      
,homer1 when speaking of ,agamemnon1    
gives him the surname of  venerable1 we 

ought also to bestow the same epithet on
 this young man1  who justly deserveth  
to be called by that name1 since1 like  
him1 he has  learned how to command8    
,for1 as a man who can play on the lute 
is a  player on that instrument1 though 
he never toucheth it2 and as he who is  
knowing in the art of physic is a       
physician1 though he never practise2 so 
this young man1 having learned to       
command is become a general1 though not 
a man of us should ever give our voice  
to make him so4 ,on the contrary1  it is
 in vain for him who knows not how to   
command1 to get himself  chosen2 he will
 not be one jot a better general for it1
 no more than he  who knows nothing of  
physic is a better physician1 because he
 has the  reputation of being one4 ,then
 turning towards the young man1 he went 
on--,but because it may happen that one 
of us may have the honour of  commanding
 a regiment or a company in the troops  
that are to compose your  army1 to the  
end we may not be entirely ignorant of  

the military art1  pray tell us by what 
he began to instruct you4 ,by what he   
ended1  answered the young man2 for he  
showed me only the order that ought to  
be  observed in an army1 either in      
marching1 encamping1 or fighting4 ,but  
what is that1 said ,socrates1 in        
comparison of the many other duties     
incumbent on a general8 ,he must1       
besides1 take care for the preparations 
of war2 he must furnish the soldiers    
with necessary ammunition and           
provisions2 he must be inventive1       
laborious1 diligent1 patient1 quick of  
apprehension2 he must be mild and       
rigorous together2 he must be open and  
close2 he must know to preserve his own1
 and take what is another's2 he  must be
 prodigal and a ravager2 he must be     
liberal and covetous2 he must  be wary1 
and yet enterprising4 ,i confess that he
 ought to know likewise  how to draw up 
his troops in order of battle2 and1     
indeed1 order and  discipline are the   
most important things in an army1 and   

without them it  is impossible to have  
any other service of the troops than of 
a confused  heap of stones1 bricks1     
timber1 and tiles2 but when everything  
is in its  due place1 as in a building1 
when the foundations and the covering   
are  made of materials that will not    
grow rotten1 and which no wet can       
damage1  such as are stones and tiles1  
and when the bricks and timber are      
employed  in their due places in the    
body of the edifice1 they altogether    
make a  house1 which we value among our 
most considerable enjoyments4 ,here the 
young man1 interrupting him1 said3--    
,this comparison puts me in mind of     
another thing that generals ought to    
observe2 which is1 to place their best  
soldiers in the first and last  ranks1  
and the others in the middle2 that those
 in the first rank may  draw them on1   
and those in the last push them forward4
 ,he has taught  you too1 said          
,socrates1 how to know the good and the 
bad soldiers  asunder1 otherwise this   

rule can be of no use to you2 for if you
 were to  reckon money upon a table1 and
 were ordered to lay the best at the two
  ends1 and the worst in the middle1 how
 could you do this1 if you had not  been
 shown how to distinguish between the   
good and the bad8 ,indeed1  replied the 
young man1 he did not teach me what you 
mention2 and1 ,i  suppose1 we must learn
 of ourselves to discern the good       
soldiers from the  bad4 ,if you please1 
continued ,socrates1 let us consider how
 a  general ought to govern himself in  
this matter4 ,if it were to take any    
money1 ought he not to make the most    
covetous march in the front8 ,if it     
were an action of great peril1 ought he 
not to send the most ambitious1  because
 they are the men who1 out of a desire  
of glory1 rush into the  midst of       
dangers8 ,and as for them1 you would not
 be much troubled to  know them1 for    
they are forward enough in discovering  
themselves4 ,but  tell me1 when this    
master showed you the different ways of 

ordering an  army1 did he teach you when
 to make use of one way1 and when of    
another8  ,not at all1 answered he4 ,and
 yet1 replied ,socrates1 the same order 
is not always to be observed1 nor the   
same commands given1 but to be  changed 
according to the different occasions4   
,he taught me nothing of  that1 said the
 young man4 ,go to him1 then1 added     
,socrates1 and ask  him concerning it2  
for if he know anything of the matter1  
and have ever  so little honour1 he will
 be ashamed to have taken your money and
 send  you away so ill-instructed4      
,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,the ,,character ,,of  
,a ,,good ,,prince4      ,another time  
he asked a general1 whom the ,athenians 
had lately chosen1  why ,homer calls    
,agamemnon the pastor of the people8 ,is
 it not1 said  he1 because as a shepherd
 ought to take care of his flocks1 that 
they be  well and want for nothing2 so a
 general ought to take care to keep his 
soldiers always in a good condition1 to 
see they be supplied with  provisions1  

and to bring to a happy issue the design
 that made them take  arms1 which is to 
overcome their enemies1 and to live more
 happily  afterwards8 ,and why does the 
same poet praise ,agamemnon likewise for
  being--        ',at once a gracious   
prince and generous warrior'8    ,for is
 it not true1 that to gain a prince the 
character of being generous  and a      
warrior too1 it is not sufficient to be 
brave in his own person1  and to fight  
with intrepidity2 but he must likewise  
animate the whole  army1 and be the     
cause that every soldier behave himself 
like him8 and to  gain the reputation of
 a good and gracious prince1 it is not  
enough to  have secured his private     
affairs1 he must also take care that    
plenty and  happiness be seen in all    
places of his dominions4 ,for kings are 
not  chosen to take care of themselves  
only1 but to render happy the people    
who choose them4 ,all people engage in  
war only to secure their own  quiet1 and
 choose commanders that they may have   

guides to conduct them to  the end which
 they propose to themselves4 ,a general1
 therefore1 ought to  prepare the way of
 good fortune to those who raise him to 
that dignity2  this is the most glorious
 success he can desire1 as nothing can  
be more  ignominious to him than to do  
the contrary4    ,we see by this        
discourse that ,socrates1 designing to  
give the idea of a  good prince1        
required scarce anything of him but to  
render his subjects  happy4             
,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,on ,,the ,,business  
,,of ,a ,,general ,,of ,,horse4         
,socrates at another time1 as ,i well   
remember1 had the following  conference 
with a general of the cavalry3--        
,what was your reason1 said ,socrates1  
to desire this office8 ,i cannot  think 
it was that you might march first at the
 head of the troops1 for  the           
horse-archers are to march before you4  
,nor can ,i believe it was to  make     
yourself be known1 for no men are more  
generally known than madmen4  ,perhaps  

it was because you thought you could    
mend what was amiss in the  cavalry1 and
 make the troops better than they are1  
to the end that if the  ,republic should
 have occasion to use them1 you might be
 able to do your  country some eminent  
service4 ,that is my design1 answered   
the other4  ,it were well you could do  
this1 said ,socrates1 but does not your 
office oblige you to have an eye on the 
horses and troopers8 ,most  certainly4  
,what course will you then take1        
continued ,socrates1 to  get good       
horses8 ,it is not my business to look  
to that1 replied the  general2 every    
trooper must take care for himself4 ,and
 what1 said  ,socrates1 if they bring   
you horses whose feet and legs are good 
for  nothing1 or that are so weak and   
lean that they cannot keep up with the  
others1 or so restive and vicious that  
it would be impossible to make  them    
keep their ranks1 what good could you   
expect from such cavalry8 ,what  service
 would you be able to do the ,state8    

,you are much in the right1  ,socrates1 
and ,i promise you ,i will take care    
what horses are in my  troops4 ,and will
 you not have an eye likewise on the    
troopers8 ,yes1  answered he4 ,in my    
opinion then1 answered ,socrates1 the   
first thing  you ought to do is to make 
them learn to get a horseback4 ,no doubt
 of  it1 replied the general1 for by    
that means they would the more easily   
escape1 if they should happen to be     
thrown off their horses4 ,socrates  went
 on3 ,you ought also to make them       
exercise1 sometimes here1 sometimes     
there1 and particularly in places like  
those where the enemy generally  is1    
that they may be good horsemen in all   
sorts of countries2 for when  you are to
 fight you will not send to bid the     
enemy come to you in the  plain1 where  
you used to exercise your horse4 ,you   
must train them up1  likewise1 to lance 
the spear2 and if you would make them   
very brave  fellows1 you must inspire   
them with a principle of honour1 and    

inflame  them with rage against the     
enemy4 ,fear not1 said he1 that ,i will 
spare my labour4 ,but have you1 resumed 
,socrates1 thought on the  means to make
 yourself obeyed8 for without that all  
your brave troopers  will avail you     
nothing4 ,it is true1 said he1 but how  
shall ,i gain  that point of them8 ,know
 you not1 said ,socrates1 that in all   
things  men readily obey those whom they
 believe most capable8 ,thus in our     
sickness we most willingly submit to the
 prescriptions of the best  physicians2 
at sea1 to the most ,i skilful pilot2   
and in affairs of  agriculture1 to him  
who has most experience in it4 ,all this
 ,i grant  you4 ,it is then to be       
presumed1 that in the conduct of the    
cavalry he  who makes it appear that he 
understands it best will be the person  
whom  the others will be best pleased to
 obey4 ,but if ,i let them see that ,i  
am most worthy to command1 will that be 
sufficient to make them obey me8  ,yes1 
certainly1 said ,socrates1 if you can   

persuade them besides that  their honour
 and safety depend on that obedience4   
,and how shall ,i be  able to make them 
sensible of this8 ,with less trouble1   
answered  ,socrates1 than it would be to
 prove that it is better to be virtuous 
than vicious4 ,then a general1 added the
 other1 ought to study the  art of      
speaking well8 ,do you imagine1 said    
,socrates1 that he will be  able to     
execute his office without speaking a   
word8 ,it is by speech that  we know    
what the laws command us to learn for   
the conduct of our lives4  ,no excellent
 knowledge can be attained without the  
use of speech2 the  best method to      
instruct is by discourse1 and they who  
are thoroughly  versed in the sciences  
speak with the applause of all the      
world4 ,but  have you observed1         
continued he1 that in all sorts of      
occasions the  ,athenians distinguish   
themselves above all the ,greeks1 and   
that no  ,republic can show such youths 
as that of ,athens8 ,for example3 when  

we  send from hence a choir of musicians
 to the ,temple of ,apollo in the ,isle 
of ,delos1 it is certain that none      
comparable to them are sent from other  
cities2 not that the ,athenians have    
better voices than the others1 nor  that
 their bodies are more robust and better
 made1 but the reason is  because they  
are more fond of honour1 and this desire
 of honour is what  excites men to      
excellent actions4 ,do not you think1   
therefore1 that if  good care were taken
 of our cavalry1 it would excel that of 
other  nations1 in the beauty of arms   
and horses1 in order of good discipline1
  and in bravery in fight2 provided the 
,athenians were persuaded that this     
would be a means to acquire them glory  
and renown8 ,i am of your  opinion4 ,go1
 then1 and take care of your troops1    
said ,socrates1 make  them serviceable  
to you1 that you may be so to the       
,republic4 ,your  advice is good1 said  
he1 and ,i will immediately follow it4  
,,chapter ,,iv4 ,a ,,discourse ,,of     

,,socrates ,,with ,,nicomachides1 ,,in  
,,which ,,he  ,,showeth ,,that ,a ,,man 
,,skilful ,,in ,,his ,,own ,,proper     
,,business1 ,,and ,,who ,,manages  ,,his
 ,,affairs ,,with ,,prudence ,,and      
,,sagacity1 ,,may ,,make1 ,,when        
,,occasion ,,offers1 ,a  ,,good         
,,general4      ,another time1 ,socrates
 meeting ,nicomachides1 who was coming  
from the  assembly where they had chosen
 the magistrates1 asked him1 of whom    
they  had made choice to command the    
army8 ,nicomachides answered3 ,alas6 the
  ,athenians would not chose me2 me6 who
 have spent all my life in arms1 and    
have gone through all the degrees of a  
soldier2 who have been first a  private 
sentinel1 then a captain1 next a colonel
 of horse1 and who am  covered all over 
with wounds that ,i have received in    
battles 7at these  words he bared his   
breast1 and showed the large scars which
 were  remaining in several places of   
his body72 but they have chosen         
,antisthenes1 who has never served in   

the infantry1 who even in the  cavalry  
never did anything remarkable1 and whose
 only talent consists in  knowing how to
 get money4 ,so much the better1 said   
,socrates1 for  then the army will be   
well paid4 ,a merchant1 replied         
,nicomachides1  knows how to get money  
as well as he2 and does it follow from  
thence  that he is fit to be a general8 
,you take no notice1 replied ,socrates1 
that ,antisthenes is fond of honour1 and
 desirous to excel all others in        
whatever he undertakes1 which is a very 
necessary qualification in a  general4  
,have you not observed1 that whenever he
 gave a comedy to the  people1 he always
 gained the prize8 ,there is a wide     
difference1  answered ,nicomachides1    
between commanding an army and giving   
orders  concerning a comedy4 ,but1 said 
,socrates1 though ,antisthenes          
understands not music1 nor the laws of  
the stage1 yet he found out those  who  
were skilful in both1 and by their means
 succeeded extremely well4  ,and when he

 is at the head of the army1 continued  
,nicomachides1 ,i  suppose you will have
 him to find out too some to give       
orders1 and some  to fight for him8 ,why
 not8 replied ,socrates1 for if in the  
affairs  of war he take the same care to
 provide himself with persons skilful in
  that art1 and fit to advise him1 as he
 did in the affair of the plays1 ,i  see
 not what should hinder him from gaining
 the victory in the former as  well as  
in the latter4 ,and it is very likely   
that he will be better  pleased to      
expend his treasure to obtain an entire 
victory over the  enemy1 which will     
redound to the honour and interest of   
the whole  ,republic1 than to be at a   
great expense for shows1 to overcome his
  citizens in magnificence1 and to gain 
a victory1 which can be honourable  to  
none but himself and those of his tribe4
 ,we must then infer1 said              
,nicomachides1 that a man who knows well
 how to give a comedy knows well  how to
 command an army8 ,let us rather        

conclude1 answered ,socrates1  that     
every man who has judgment enough to    
know the things that are  necessary for 
his designs1 and can procure them1 can  
never fail of  success1 whether he      
concern himself with the stage1 or      
govern a ,state1 or  command an army1 or
 manage a family4    ,indeed1 resumed   
,nicomachides1 ,i could never have      
thought you would  have told me1 too1   
that a good economist would make a good 
general4  ,come1 then1 said ,socrates1  
let us examine wherein consists the duty
 of  the one and of the other1 and see  
what relation there is between those    
two conditions4 ,must not both of them  
keep those that are under them in       
submission and obedience8 ,i grant it4  
,must not both of them take  care to    
employ every one in the business he is  
fit for8 ,must he not  punish those who 
do amiss and reward those that do well8 
,must they not  make themselves be      
esteemed by those they command8 ,ought  
they not alike  to strengthen themselves

 with friends to assist them upon       
occasion8 ,ought  they not to know how  
to preserve what belongs to them1 and to
 be diligent  and indefatigable in the  
performance of their duty8 ,i own1      
answered  ,nicomachides1 that all you   
have said concerns them equally2 but if 
they  were to fight it would not be the 
same as to both of them4 ,why8 said     
,socrates4 ,have not both of them       
enemies8 ,they have4 ,and would it  not 
be the advantage of both to get the     
better of them8 ,i allow it1  said      
,nicomachides2 but what will economy be 
good for when they are to  come to      
blows8 ,it is then it will be most      
necessary1 replied  ,socrates4 ,for when
 the good economist sees that the       
greatest profit he  can get is to       
overcome1 and that the greatest loss he 
can suffer is to be  beaten1 he will    
prepare himself with all the advantages 
that can procure  him the victory1 and  
will carefully avoid whatever might be  
the cause of  his defeat4 ,thus1 when he

 sees his army well provided with all   
things1  and in a condition that seems  
to promise a good success1 he will give 
his  enemies battle2 but when he wants  
anything he will avoid coming to an     
engagement with them4 ,thus you see how 
economy may be of use to him2 and       
therefore1 ,nicomachides1 despise not   
those who apply themselves to it2  for  
between the conduct of a family and that
 of a ,state the sole  difference is    
that of a greater or lesser number2 for 
as to all besides  there is much        
conformity between them4 ,the sum of    
what ,i have advanced  is this1 that    
without men there could not be any      
policy or any economy1  that they are   
often executed by the same persons1 and 
that they who are  called to the        
government of the ,republic are the very
 same whom great men  employ for their  
private affairs4 ,lastly1 that they who 
make use of  proper persons for their   
several businesses are successful in    
their  economy and in politics2 and     

that1 on the contrary1 they who fail in 
this  point commit great faults both in 
one and the other4        ,,chapter ,v4 
,a ,,conversation ,,between ,,socrates  
,,and ,,pericles ,,concerning ,,the     
,,then ,,present ,,state ,,of ,,the     
,,republic ,,of ,,athens1 ,,in ,,which  
,,socrates ,,lays ,,down  ,a ,,method   
,,by ,,which ,,the ,,athenians ,,may    
,,recover ,,their ,,ancient ,,lustre    
,,and  ,,reputation4      ,socrates one 
day being in company with ,pericles1 the
 son of the great  ,pericles1 introduced
 the following discourse3--    ,i hope  
that when you command the army the      
,republic will be more  successful and  
gain more glory in their wars than      
formerly4 ,i should  be glad of it1     
answered ,pericles1 but ,i see little   
likelihood of it4  ,we may bring this   
matter to the test1 said ,socrates4 ,is 
it not true  that the ,boeotians are not
 more numerous than the ,athenians8 ,i  
know  it4 ,nor are they either braver or
 stronger8 ,true1 they are not4  ,do you

 believe that they agree better among   
themselves8 ,quite the  contrary1 said  
,pericles2 for there is a great         
misunderstanding between  most of the   
,boeotians and the ,thebans1 because of 
the great hardships the  latter put upon
 the former1 and we have nothing of this
 among us4 ,but  the ,boeotians1 replied
 ,socrates1 are wonderfully ambitions   
and  obliging2 and these are the        
qualities that naturally push men on to 
expose themselves for the sake of glory 
and of their country4 ,the  ,athenians1 
answered ,pericles1 come not short of   
them in either of those  qualities4 ,it 
is true1 replied ,socrates1 that there  
is no nation  whose ancestors have done 
braver actions1 and in greater number1  
than  those of the ,athenians4 ,and     
these domestic examples excite us to    
courage1 and create in us a true love of
 virtue and bravery4  ,notwithstanding  
all this1 continued ,pericles1 you see  
that after the  defeat of ,tolmides at  
,lebadia1 where we lost a thousand men1 

and after  another misfortune that      
happened to ,hippocrates before ,delium1
 the  greatness of the ,athenians is    
sunk so low1 and the courage of the     
,boeotians so increased1 that they1 who 
even in their own country durst  not    
look the ,athenians in the face without 
the assistance of the  ,lacedemonians   
and of the other ,states of the         
,peloponnesus1 now threaten  ,attica    
with their single forces4 ,and that the 
,athenians1 who before  ravaged ,boeotia
 when it was not defended by foreign    
troops1 begin to  fear1 in their turn1  
that the ,boeotians will put ,attica to 
fire and  sword4 ,in my opinion1        
answered ,socrates1 a governor ought to 
be well  pleased to find a republic in  
such a condition1 for fear makes a      
people  more careful1 more obedient1 and
 more submissive4 ,whereas a too great  
security is attended with carelessness1 
luxury1 and disobedience4 ,this  is     
plainly seen in men who are at sea4     
,when they fear not anything1  there is 

nothing in the ship but confusion and   
disorder2 but when they  apprehend that 
they shall be attacked by pirates1 or   
that a tempest is  hanging over their   
head1 they not only do whatever they are
 commanded1  but even observe a profound
 silence1 waiting the order of their    
captain1  and are as decent and orderly 
in their behaviour and motions as those 
who  dance at a public entertainment4   
,we shall yield1 then1 replied          
,pericles1 that the ,athenians are      
obedient4 ,but how shall we do to create
 in them an emulation to imitate  the   
virtue of their ancestors to equal their
 reputation and to restore  the         
happiness of their age in this present  
one8 ,if we would have  them1 answered  
,socrates1 make themselves masters of an
 estate1 which is  in the possession of 
others1 we need only tell them that it  
is descended  to them from their        
forefathers1 and they will immediately  
be for having  it again4 ,if we would   
encourage them to take the first rank   

among the  virtuous1 we must persuade   
them that it is their due from all      
antiquity1  and that if they will take  
care to preserve to themselves this     
advantage  they will infallibly likewise
 surpass others in power4 ,we must      
frequently represent to them that the   
most ancient of their predecessors  were
 highly esteemed on account of their    
great virtue4 ,you would be  understood1
 said ,pericles1 to speak of the        
contention of two of the  divinities    
concerning the patronage of the city of 
,athens1 of which the  citizens1 in the 
days of ,cecrops1 were chosen           
arbitrators on account of  their virtue4
 ,you are in the right1 said ,socrates2 
but ,i would have  them be put in mind  
likewise of the birth and nourishment of
 ,erictheus1  and of the war that was in
 his time against the neighbouring      
nations2 as  also of that which was made
 in favour of the descendants of        
,hercules  against the people of        
,peloponnesus1 and1 in short1 of all the

 other wars  that were in the days of   
,theseus1 in which our ancestors were   
always  reputed the most valiant men of 
their age4 ,if you think fit1 they may  
likewise be told what the descendants of
 these ancients and our  predecessors of
 the last age have done4 ,they may be   
represented to them  as resisting       
sometimes with their own forces only the
 nations whom all  ,asia obeyed1 whose  
dominions extended into ,europe as far  
as ,macedonia1  and who had inherited a 
potent empire from their fathers1       
together with  formidable forces1 and   
who were already renowned for many great
 exploits4  ,sometimes you must relate  
to them the victories they gained by sea
 and  land in conjunction with the      
,lacedemonians1 who are likewise reputed
 a  very brave people4 ,they should be  
told also that great commotions being   
arisen among the ,greeks1 and the most  
part of them having changed their       
places of abode1 the ,athenians always  
continued in their country1 that  they  

have been chosen by several people to   
arbitrate their differences1  and that  
the oppressed have always fled to them  
for protection4 ,when ,i  reflect on all
 this1 said ,pericles1 ,i am surprised  
to see the ,republic  so much fallen off
 from what it was4 ,in my opinion1      
replied ,socrates1  she has behaved     
herself like those persons who1 for     
having too great  advantage over their  
rivals1 begin to neglect themselves1 and
 grow in the  end pusillanimous1 for    
after the ,athenians saw themselves     
raised above  the other ,greeks they    
indulged themselves in indolence1 and   
became at  length degenerate4    ,what  
course must they take now1 said         
,pericles1 to regain the lustre of      
their ancient virtue8 ,they need only   
call to mind1 replied ,socrates1  what  
were the exercises and the discipline of
 their ancestors1 and if1  like them1   
they apply themselves to those          
practices1 they will no doubt  arrive at
 their perfection2 or if they will not  

govern themselves by that  example1 let 
them imitate the nations that are now   
uppermost2 let them  observe the same   
conduct1 follow the same customs1 and be
 assured they  will equal1 if not       
surpass them1 if they labour to do so4  
,you seem to  be of opinion1 my dear    
,socrates1 that virtue is much estranged
 from our  ,republic8 ,and1 indeed1 when
 will the ,athenians respect old age as 
they  of ,sparta do1 since they begin1  
even by their own fathers1 to deride men
  advanced in years8 ,when1 too1 will   
they use themselves to the manly        
exercises of that ,republic1 since they 
not only neglect the good  disposition  
and activity of body1 but laugh at those
 who endeavour to  acquire them8 ,when  
will they be obedient to the            
magistrates1 they who  make it a glory  
to despise them8 ,when will they be in  
perfect unity1  they who1 instead of    
assisting1 daily prejudice one another1 
and who envy  one another more than they
 do all the rest of mankind8 ,they are  

every  day quarrelling in the public and
 private assemblies2 they are every day 
suing one another1 and had rather find  
their own advantage in the ruin of      
their neighbours than get an honest gain
 by reciprocally assisting one  another4
 ,the magistrates mind not the          
,government of the ,republic any        
farther than their own interests are    
concerned1 and1 therefore1 they use     
their utmost endeavours to be in office 
and authority2 and for this  reason in  
the administration of the ,state there  
is so much ignorance and  malice1 and   
such animosities1 and so many different 
parties among private  persons4 ,and ,i 
much fear that this mischief will get   
such a head that at  length there will  
be no remedy against it1 and that the   
,republic will  sink under the weight of
 its misfortunes4    ,fear it not1 said 
,socrates1 and do not believe that the  
,athenians  labour under an incurable   
disease4 ,do you not observe how skilful
 and  obedient they are at sea1 that in 

the combats for prizes they exactly     
obey the orders of those that preside   
there1 and in the comedies how  readily 
they comply with what they are bid to   
do8 ,i see it well1  answered ,pericles1
 and cannot but wonder that they are so 
ready to obey  in these and the like    
occasions1 and that the military men1   
who ought to  be the chosen part of the 
citizens1 are so mutinous and           
refractory4 ,and  what say you1 pursued 
,socrates1 to the ,senate of the        
,areopagus2 are  they not all of them   
persons of great worth8 ,do you know any
 judges who  discharge their office with
 more integrity1 and who more exactly   
observe  the laws1 who more faithfully  
render justice to private men1 and who  
more  worthily acquit themselves of all 
manner of affairs8 ,i blame them  not1  
said ,pericles4 ,despair not1 then1 of  
the ,athenians1 added  ,socrates1 as of 
an untractable people4 ,but it is in    
war1 replied  ,pericles1 that much      
discipline is required1 and much modesty

 and  obedience1 and these things the   
,athenians wholly want in that occasion4
  ,perhaps1 too1 continued ,socrates1   
they who command them know little of    
their own duty4 ,do you not take notice 
that no man undertakes to govern  a     
company of musicians1 or of comedians1  
or of dancers1 or of wrestlers1  unless 
he be capable of it2 and that all who   
take such employments upon  them can    
give an account where they have learnt  
the exercises of which  they are become 
masters8 ,our misfortunes in war1 then1 
,i very much  apprehend1 must be owing  
in a great measure to the bad education 
of our  generals4    ,i know very well  
that you are not of this number1 and    
that you have  improved to your         
advantage the time you have spent in    
learning the art of  war and other      
laudable exercises4 ,i imagine1         
likewise1 that in the  memoirs of your  
father1 the great ,pericles1 you have   
found many rare  stratagems1 and that by
 your diligence you have also collected 

up and  down a great number of others4  
,nor do ,i doubt but that you frequently
  meditate on these matters1 that       
nothing may be wanting in you that may  
be  of use to a general4 ,insomuch1 that
 if you find yourself in doubt of       
anything1 you immediately have recourse 
to those that know it1 and spare        
neither presents nor civilities to      
incline them to assist you and to  teach
 you the things of which you are        
ignorant4 ,alas6 ,socrates1 said        
,pericles1 you flatter me1 and flatter  
me for many things that1 ,i am  afraid1 
,i am deficient in2 but by that you     
instruct me in my duty4    ,upon this   
,socrates1 interrupting him--,i will1   
said he1 give you an  advice4 ,have you 
not observed that in the high mountains1
 which are the  frontiers of ,attica1   
and divide it from ,boeotia1 the roads  
through which  you must of necessity    
pass to go from one country to the other
 are very  rough and narrow8 ,yes1 ,i   
have4 ,tell me1 besides1 have you never 

heard say that the ,mysians and the     
,pisidians1 who are in possession of    
advantageous places where they dwell in 
the dominions of the ,king of  ,persia1 
arm themselves lightly1 and make        
continual inroads upon the  neighbouring
 provinces1 and by that means are very  
troublesome to that  king's subjects1   
and preserve their own liberty8 ,i have 
heard so4 ,it  is probable1 too1        
continued ,socrates1 that if the        
,athenians would  possess themselves of 
the mountains that are between ,boeotia 
and ,attica1  and if they took care to  
send thither some young men with arms   
proper for  inroaders1 our enemies would
 be much prejudiced by them1 and all    
those  mountains would be as a great    
rampart to cover our country from their 
insults4 ,i believe what you say1       
answered ,pericles1 and take all the    
advices you have given me to be very    
good4 ,if you think them so1  replied   
,socrates1 endeavour1 my friend1 to put 
them in practice2 for if  any of them   

succeed you will receive the honour1 and
 the ,republic the  profit2 and even    
though they should not meet with success
 the ,republic  would have no           
inconvenience to apprehend1 nor you the 
least dishonour4        ,,chapter ,,vi4 
,,socrates ,,dissuades ,,glaucon1 ,a    
,,very ,,forward ,,youth1 ,,from        
,,taking ,,upon ,,him ,,the ,,government
 ,,of ,,the ,,republic1 ,,for ,,which   
,,he ,,was ,,unfit4      ,a young man   
whose name was ,glaucon1 the son of     
,ariston1 had so fixed it  in his head  
to govern the ,republic1 that before he 
was twenty years of  age he frequently  
presented himself before the people to  
discourse of  affairs of state2 nor was 
it in the power of his relations or     
friends to  dissuade him from that      
design1 though all the world laughed at 
him for  it1 and though sometimes he was
 dragged from the tribunal by force4    
,socrates had a kindness for him1 upon  
account of ,plato and ,charmidas1 and   
he only it was who made him change his  

resolution4 ,he met him1 and  accosted  
him in so winning a manner1 that he     
first obliged him to hearken  to his    
discourse4 ,he began with him thus3--   
,you have a mind1 then1 to govern the   
,republic1 my friend8 ,i have so1       
answered ,glaucon4 ,you cannot1 replied 
,socrates1 have a more noble  design2   
for if you can accomplish it you will be
 absolute4 ,you will be  able to serve  
your friends1 you will raise your       
family1 you will extend  the bounds of  
your country1 you will be known not only
 in ,athens but  through all ,greece1   
and perhaps your renown will fly even to
 the  barbarous nations1 as did that of 
,themistocles4 ,in short1 wherever you  
come you will be respected and admired4 
,these words soothed up ,glaucon1 and   
won him to give ear to ,socrates1 who   
went on in this manner3--,but it is     
certain1 my dear friend1 that if you    
desire to be honoured1 you must be      
useful to the ,state4 ,certainly1  said 
,glaucon4 ,i conjure you1 then1 to tell 

me1 replied ,socrates1 what  is the     
first service that you desire to render 
the ,state8 ,glaucon was  considering   
what to answer1 when ,socrates          
continued3--,if you intended to  make   
the fortune of one of your friends1 you 
would endeavour to make him  rich1 and  
thus perhaps you will make it your      
business to enrich the  ,republic4 ,i   
would1 answered ,glaucon4 ,would not the
 way to enrich  the ,republic1 replied  
,socrates1 be to increase its revenue8  
,it is  very likely it would1 said      
,glaucon4 ,tell me1 then1 in what       
consists  the revenue of the ,state1 and
 to how much it may amount8 ,i presume  
you  have particularly studied this     
matter1 to the end that if anything     
should  be lost on one hand1 you might  
know where to make it good on another1  
and  that if a fund should fail on a    
sudden1 you might immediately be able to
  settle another in its place4 ,i       
protest1 answered ,glaucon1 ,i have     
never thought of this4 ,tell me at least

 the expenses of the ,republic1  for no 
doubt you intend to retrench the        
superfluous4 ,i never thought  of this  
neither1 said ,glaucon4 ,you had best1  
then1 put off to another  time your     
design of enriching the ,republic1 which
 you can never be able  to do while you 
are ignorant both of its expense and    
revenue4    ,there is another way to    
enrich a ,state1 said ,glaucon1 of which
 you  take no notice1 and that is by the
 ruin of its enemies4 ,you are in the   
right1 answered ,socrates2 but to this  
end it is necessary to be  stronger than
 they1 otherwise we should run the      
hazard of losing what we  have4 ,he1    
therefore1 who talks of undertaking a   
war1 ought to know the  strength on both
 sides1 to the end that if his party be 
the stronger1 he  may boldly advise for 
war1 and that if it be the weaker1 he   
may dissuade  the people from engaging  
themselves in so dangerous an           
enterprise4 ,all  this is true4 ,tell   
me1 then1 continued ,socrates1 how      

strong our  forces are by sea and land1 
and how strong are our enemies8 ,indeed1
  said ,glaucon1 ,i cannot tell you that
 on a sudden4 ,if you have a list  of   
them in writing1 pray show it me1 ,i    
should be glad to hear it read4  ,i     
never took a list of them4 ,i see1 then1
 said ,socrates1 that we  shall not     
engage in war so soon2 for it is like   
that the greatness of the  undertaking  
will hinder you from maturely weighing  
all the consequences  of it in the      
beginning of your government4 ,but1     
continued he1 you have  thought of the  
defence of the country1 you know what   
garrisons are  necessary1 and what are  
not2 you know what number of troops is  
sufficient  in one garrison1 and not    
sufficient in another2 you will cause   
the  necessary garrisons to be          
reinforced1 and will disband those that 
are  useless8 ,i should be of opinion1  
said ,glaucon1 to leave none of them  on
 foot1 because they ruin a country1 on  
pretence of defending it4  ,but1        

,socrates objected1 if all the garrisons
 were taken away1 there  would be       
nothing to hinder the first comer from  
carrying off what he  pleased4 ,but how 
come you to know that the garrisons     
behave themselves  so ill8 ,have you    
been upon the place1 have you seen them8
 ,not at all2  but ,i suspect it to be  
so4 ,when1 therefore1 we are certain of 
it1  said ,socrates1 and can speak upon 
better grounds than simple  conjectures1
 we will propose this advice to the     
,senate4 ,it will be  very proper to do 
so1 said ,glaucon4    ,it comes into my 
mind too1 continued ,socrates1 that you 
have never  been at the mines of silver1
 to examine why they bring not in so    
much now  as they did formerly4 ,you say
 true1 ,i have never been there4        
,indeed1  they say the place is very    
unhealthy1 and that may excuse you4 ,you
  rally me now1 said ,glaucon4 ,socrates
 added1 ,but ,i believe you have at     
least observed how much corn our lands  
produce1 how long it will serve to      

supply our city1 and how much more we   
shall want for the whole year1 to  the  
end you may not be surprised with a     
scarcity of bread1 but may give  timely 
orders for the necessary provisions4    
,there is a deal to do1  said ,glaucon1 
if we must take care of all these       
things4 ,there is so1  replied          
,socrates2 and it is even impossible to 
manage our own families  well unless we 
know all that is wanting1 and take care 
to provide it4 ,as  you see1 therefore1 
that our city is composed of above ten  
thousand  families1 and it being a      
difficult task to watch over them all at
 once1  why did you not first try to    
retrieve your uncle's affairs1 which are
  running to decay1 that after having   
given a proof of your care1             
faithfulness1 and capacity in that      
smaller trust1 you might have taken     
upon you a greater8 ,but now1 when you  
find yourself incapable of aiding  a    
private man1 how can you think of       
behaving yourself so as to be useful  to

 a whole people8 ,ought a man who has   
not strength enough to carry a  hundred 
pound weight undertake to carry a burden
 that is much heavier8  ,i would have   
done good service to my uncle1 said     
,glaucon1 if he would  have taken my    
advice4 ,how6 replied ,socrates2 have   
you hitherto been  unable to govern your
 uncle1 who is but one person1 and do   
you imagine1  when you have failed in   
that1 to govern the whole ,athenians1   
whose minds  are so fickle and          
inconstant8 ,take heed1 my dear         
,glaucon1 take heed1  lest a too great  
desire of glory should render you       
despised4 ,consider  how dangerous it is
 to speak and employ ourselves about    
things we do not  understand4 ,what a   
figure do those forward and rash people 
make in the  world who do so3 and you   
yourself may judge whether they acquire 
more  esteem than blame1 whether they   
are more admired than contemned4 ,think1
  on the contrary1 with how much honour 
a man is regarded who understands       

perfectly what he says and what he does1
 and then you will confess that  renown 
and applause have always been the       
recompense of true merit1 and  shame the
 reward of ignorance and temerity4 ,if1 
therefore1 you would be  honoured1      
endeavour to be a man of true merit1 for
 if you enter upon the  government of   
the ,republic with a mind more sagacious
 than usual1 ,i shall  not wonder if you
 succeed in all your designs4           
,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,socrates ,,persuadeth
 ,,charmidas1 ,a ,,person ,,of ,,merit  
,,and ,,great  ,,capacity1 ,,but ,,very 
,,modest ,,and ,,diffident ,,of         
,,himself1 ,,to ,,undertake ,,the       
,,government ,,of ,,the ,,republic4     
,as ,socrates1 who was ever watchful for
 the interests of his country1 and      
consulted the good of every one with    
whom he conversed1 took care1 on the    
one hand1 to dissuade persons who had no
 capacity for it1 however bent  they    
were upon the thing1 from entering upon 
any offices of trust1 so he  was ever   

mindful1 on the other1 to persuade those
 that were bashful and  diffident to    
take upon themselves the government of  
the ,republic1  provided he knew they   
had proper talents and abilities for it4
 ,in  confirmation whereof we shall here
 relate a conversation of his with      
,charmidas1 the son of ,glaucon4        
,socrates1 who knew him to be a man of  
sense and merit1 and more capable to    
govern the ,republic than any that  were
 then in that post1 but withal a person 
very diffident of himself--one  that    
dreaded the people1 and was mightily    
averse from engaging himself in  public 
business--addressed himself to him in   
this manner3--    ,tell me1 ,charmidas1 
if you knew any man who could gain the  
prizes in the  public games1 and by that
 means render himself illustrious1 and  
acquire  glory to his country1 what     
would you say of him if he refused to   
offer  himself to the combat8 ,i would  
say1 answered ,charmidas1 that he was  a
 mean-spirited1 effeminate fellow4 ,and 

if a man were capable of  governing a   
,republic1 of increasing its power by   
his advices1 and of  raising himself by 
this means to a high degree of honour1  
would you not  brand him likewise with  
meanness of soul if he would not present
 himself  to be employed8 ,perhaps ,i   
might1 said ,charmidas2 but why do you  
ask  me this question8 ,because you are 
capable1 replied ,socrates1 of  managing
 the affairs of the ,republic1 and yet  
you avoid doing so1 though  in the      
quality of a citizen you are obliged to 
take care of the  commonwealth4 ,and    
wherein have you observed this capacity 
in me8  ,when ,i have seen you in       
conversation with the ,ministers of     
,state1  answered ,socrates2 for if they
 impart any affairs to you1 ,i see you  
give  them good advice1 and when they   
commit any errors you make them         
judicious  remonstrances4 ,but there is 
a very great difference1 my dear        
,socrates1 replied ,charmidas1 between  
discoursing in private and  contending  

in a public manner before the people4   
,and yet1 replied  ,socrates1 a skilful 
arithmetician can calculate as well in  
presence of  several persons as when    
alone2 and they who can play well upon  
the lute  in their closets play likewise
 well in company4 ,but you know1 said   
,charmidas1 that fear and shame1 which  
are so natural to man1 affect us  more  
in public assemblies than in private    
companies4 ,is it possible1  said       
,socrates1 that you can converse so     
unconcernedly with men of parts  and    
authority1 and that you should not have 
assurance enough to speak to  fools8    
,are you afraid to present yourself     
before dyers1 shoemakers1  masons1      
smiths1 labourers1 and brokers8 for of  
such are composed the  popular          
assemblies4 ,this is the same thing as  
to be the most expert in a              
fencing-school1 and to fear the thrust  
of an unskilful person who never        
handled a foil4 ,thus you1 though you   
speak boldly in the presence of the     

chief men of the ,republic1 among whom  
there might perhaps be found some  who  
would despise you1 dare not1            
nevertheless1 speak in the presence of  
an illiterate multitude1 who know       
nothing of the affairs of state1 and    
who are not capable of despising you1   
and you fear to be laughed at by  them4 
,do they not usually1 said ,charmidas1  
laugh at those who speak  best8 ,so     
likewise1 said ,socrates1 do the men of 
quality with whom  you converse every   
day2 and ,i am surprised that you have  
eloquence and  persuasive sense         
sufficient to bring these to reason1 and
 that you think  not yourself capable   
even to approach the others4 ,learn to  
know yourself  better1 ,charmidas1 and  
take care not to fall into a fault that 
is almost  general2 for all men inquire 
curiously enough into the affairs of    
others1  but they never enter into their
 own bosoms to examine themselves as    
they  ought4    ,be no longer1 then1    
thus negligent in this matter1 consider 

yourself  with more attention1 and let  
not slip the occasions of serving the   
,republic1 and of rendering it1 if      
possible1 more flourishing than it is4  
,this will be a blessing1 whose         
influence will descend not only on the  
other citizens1 but on your best friends
 and yourself4        ,,chapter ,,viii4 
,,socrates' ,,dispute ,,with            
,,aristippus ,,concerning ,,the ,,good  
,,and  ,,beautiful4      ,one day       
,aristippus proposed a captious question
 to ,socrates1 meaning to  surprise him2
 and this by way of revenge1 for his    
having before put him  to a stand3 but  
,socrates answered him warily1 and as a 
person who has no  other design in his  
conversations than the improvement of   
his hearers4    ,the question which     
,aristippus asked him was whether he    
knew in the world  any good thing1 and  
if ,socrates had answered him that meat1
 or drink1 or  riches1 or health1 or    
strength1 or courage are good things1 he
 would  forthwith have shown him that it

 may happen that they are very bad4 ,he 
therefore gave him such an answer as he 
ought2 and because he knew very  well   
that when we feel any indisposition we  
earnestly desire to find a  remedy for  
it1 he said to him3 ,do you ask me1 for 
example1 whether ,i  know anything that 
is good for a fever8 ,no1 said          
,aristippus4 ,or for  sore eyes8 said   
,socrates4 ,neither4 ,do you mean       
anything that is  good against hunger8  
,not in the least1 answered ,aristippus4
 ,i  promise you1 said ,socrates1 that  
if you ask me for a good thing that is  
good for nothing1 ,i know no such thing1
 nor have anything to do with it4       
,aristippus pressed him yet further1 and
 asked him whether he knew any          
beautiful thing4 ,i know a great many1  
said ,socrates4 ,are they all  like one 
another8 continued ,aristippus4 ,not in 
the least1 answered  ,socrates1 for they
 are very different from one another4   
,and how is it  possible that two       
beautiful things should be contrary one 

to the other8  ,this1 said ,socrates1 is
 seen every day in men3 a beautiful make
 and  disposition of body for running is
 very different from a beautiful make   
and disposition for wrestling3 the      
excellence and beauty of a buckler is   
to cover well him that wears it4 ,on the
 contrary1 the excellence and  beauty of
 a dart is to be light and piercing4    
,you answer me1 said  ,aristippus1 as   
you answered me before1 when ,i asked   
you whether you knew  any good thing4   
,and do you think1 replied ,socrates1   
that the good  and the beautiful are    
different8 ,know you not that the things
 that are  beautiful are good likewise  
in the same sense8 ,it would be false to
 say  of virtue that in certain         
occasions it is beautiful1 and in others
 good4  ,when we speak of men of honour 
we join the two qualities1 and call them
  excellent and good4 ,in our bodies    
beauty and goodness relate always to    
the same end4 ,in a word1 all things    
that are of any use in the world are    

esteemed beautiful and good1 with regard
 to the subject for which they  are     
proper4 ,at this rate you might find    
beauty in a basket to carry  dung1 said 
,aristippus4 ,yes1 if it be well made   
for that use1 answered  ,socrates2 and1 
on the contrary1 ,i would say that a    
buckler of gold was  ugly if it was     
ill-made4 ,would you say1 pursued       
,aristippus1 that the  same thing may be
 beautiful and ugly at once8 ,i would   
say that it  might be good and bad4     
,often what is good for hunger is bad   
for a fever2  and what is good for a    
fever is very bad for hunger2 often what
 is  beautiful to be done in running is 
ugly to be done in wrestling2 and what  
is beautiful to do in wrestling is ugly 
in running4 ,for all things are  reputed
 beautiful and good when they are       
compared with those which they  suit or 
become1 as they are esteemed ugly and   
bad when compared with  those they do   
not become4    ,thus we see that when   
,socrates said that beautiful houses    

were the most  convenient1 he taught    
plainly enough in what manner we ought  
to build  them1 and he reasoned thus3   
,ought not he who builds a house to     
study  chiefly how to make it most      
pleasant and most convenient8 ,this     
proposition being granted1 he pursued3  
,is it not a pleasure to have a  house  
that is cool in summer and warm in      
winter8 ,and does not this  happen in   
buildings that front towards the south8 
,for the beams of the  sun enter into   
the apartments in winter1 and only pass 
over the covering  in summer4 ,for this 
reason the houses that front towards the
 south ought  to be very high1 that they
 may receive the sun in winter2 and1 on 
the  contrary1 those that front towards 
the north ought to be very low1 that    
they may be less exposed to the cold    
winds of that quarter4 ,in short1  he   
used to say1 that he had a very         
beautiful and very agreeable house1  who
 could live there with ease during all  
the seasons of the year1 and  keep there

 in safety all that he has2 but that for
 painting and other  ornaments1 there   
was more trouble in them than pleasure4 
,he said further that retired places1   
and such as could be seen from afar1    
were very proper to erect altars and    
build temples in2 for though we are  at 
a distance from them1 yet it is a       
satisfaction to pray in sight of the    
holy places1 and as they are apart from 
the haunts of men1 innocent souls  find 
more devotion in approaching them4      
,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,socrates ,,returns    
,,suitable ,,answers ,,to ,a ,,variety  
,,of ,,questions  ,,proposed ,,to ,,him4
      ,another time being asked whether 
courage can be learnt as an art or was a
  gift of ,nature1 he answered3 ,in my  
opinion1 as we see many bodies that  are
 naturally more vigorous than others1   
and that better endure fatigue1  so     
there are some souls that are naturally 
more brave1 and look dangers  in the    
face with greater resolution4 ,for ,i   
see some men1 who live under  the same  

laws1 who are brought up in the same    
customs1 and who are not  all equally   
valiant4 ,nevertheless1 ,i believe that 
education and exercise  add much to     
natural courage4 ,whence comes it to    
pass that the ,scythians  and the       
,thracians durst not face the           
,lacedemonians with pikes and  targets2 
and1 on the contrary1 that the          
,lacedemonians would not fight  against 
the ,thracians with shields and darts1  
nor against the ,scythians  with bows8  
,i see it to be the same in all other   
things1 and that when  some men are     
better inclined by nature for certain   
things than other men  are1 they very   
much advance and perfect themselves in  
those things by  study and diligence4   
,this shows that they who are most      
favoured by  ,nature1 as well as those  
to whom she has been less indulgent1    
ought to  apply themselves assiduously  
to the things by which they would gain  
themselves a reputation4    ,he allowed 
no difference between knowledge and     

temperance2 and he held  that he who    
knows what is good and embraces it1 who 
knows what is bad and  avoids it1 is    
learned and temperate2 and when he was  
asked whether he  believed that they who
 know very well what ought to be done1  
but do quite  otherwise1 were learned   
and temperate8 ,on the contrary1        
answered he1  they are very ignorant and
 very stupid1 for1 in my opinion1 every 
man  who1 in the great number of        
possible things that offer themselves to
 him1  can discern what is most         
advantageous for him to do1 never fails 
to do  it2 but all who govern not       
themselves well and as they ought1 are  
neither  learned nor men of good morals4
    ,he said likewise that justice and  
every other virtue is only a science1   
because all the actions of justice and  
of the other virtues are good and       
honourable2 and that all who know the   
beauty of these actions think  nothing  
more charming2 as1 on the contrary1 they
 who are ignorant of them  cannot       

perform any one virtuous action1 or1 if 
they attempt to do it1 are  sure to     
perform it in a wrong manner4 ,so that  
the persons only who  possess this      
science can do just and good actions2   
but all just and good  actions are done 
by the means of virtue1 therefore       
justice and virtue is  only a science4  
,he said1 moreover1 that folly is       
contrary to knowledge1 and yet he did   
not allow ignorance to be a folly2 but  
that not to know oneself1 or to  imagine
 one knows what he does not know1 is a  
weakness next to folly4 ,and  he        
observed that among the vulgar a man is 
not accused of folly for being  mistaken
 in things that are unknown to most of  
the world1 but for  mistaking in things 
which no man mistakes that knows        
anything at all2 as  if any man should  
think himself so tall as to be obliged  
to stoop when he  came in at the gates  
of the city2 or if he thought himself so
 strong as  to undertake to carry away  
whole houses on his back1 or to do any  

other  thing visibly impossible1 the    
people would say that he had lost his   
wits1  which they do not say of those   
who commit only some slight             
extravagances2  and as they give the    
name of love to a violent affection     
only1 so they  give the name of folly   
only to an extraordinary disorder of the
 mind4    ,reflecting on the nature of  
envy1 he said that it is a certain grief
 of  mind1 which proceeds1 not from the 
misfortune of friends or good fortune   
of enemies1 but 7which is very          
surprising7 only from the prosperity of 
friends4 ,for1 said he1 those may be    
truly said to be envious who  cannot    
endure to see their friends happy4 ,but1
 some wondering whether  it were        
possible for a man to be grieved at the 
good fortune of his  friend1 he         
justified the truth of what he had      
advanced1 by telling them  plainly that 
there are some men so variously affected
 towards their  friends1 that1 while    
they are in calamity and distress1 they 

will  compassionate and succour them1   
but when they are well and in prosperity
  will fret at and envy them4 ,but this1
 he said1 is a fault from which  wise   
and good men are free1 and never to be  
found but in weak and wicked  minds4    
,as to idleness1 he said that he had    
observed that most men were always in   
action1 for they who play at dice1 or   
who serve to make others laugh1 are     
doing something1 but in effect they are 
idle1 because they might employ         
themselves more usefully4 ,to which he  
added1 that no man finds leisure  to    
quit a good employment for an ill one1  
and that if he did he would  deserve the
 greater blame1 in that he wanted not   
something to do before4    ,he said     
likewise that the sceptre makes not the 
king1 and that princes  and governors   
are not they whom chance or the choice  
of the people has  raised to those      
dignities1 nor those who have           
established themselves in  them by fraud
 or force1 but they who know how to     

command2 for if it were  allowed that it
 is the duty of a prince to command1 as 
it is the duty of  a subject to obey1 he
 showed in consequence of it that in a  
ship1 where  there are several persons1 
the honour of commanding it is given to 
him  who is most capable of it1 and that
 all obey him1 without excepting even   
the owner of the vessel2 that likewise  
in husbandry1 he to whom the land       
belongs obeys his own servants1 if they 
understand agriculture better  than     
himself2 that thus the sick obey the    
physicians1 and they who learn          
exercises1 their masters2 nay1 that even
 women are masters of the men in        
working with the needle1 because they   
understand it better than they2 in      
short1 that in all things which require 
care and industry men govern  themselves
 when they think they are capable of    
doing so2 otherwise1 they  leave        
themselves to the conduct of such as    
they judge to have more  capacity1 and  
take care to have them near at hand for 

that purpose4 ,and  if any man made him 
this objection1 that a tyrant is at     
liberty not to  believe the best        
advices1 he answered1 ,why do you say he
 is at liberty  not to do so1 seeing he 
will bear the smart of it8 for every man
 who  shuts his ears to good counsel    
commits a fault1 and this fault is      
always  attended with some damage4 ,and 
if it were said that a tyrant is        
permitted to put to death the men of the
 best parts and understanding in  his   
,state1 he replied again1 ,do you think 
he is not punished in losing  his chief 
supports1 or that he will be quit for a 
slight punishment8 ,is  to govern in    
this manner the way to preserve himself8
 or rather1 is it  not the certain means
 to hasten his own ruin8    ,being asked
 what was the best study for man to     
apply himself to1 he  answered1 ,to do  
well2 and being asked farther whether   
good fortune was  the effect of study1  
,on the contrary1 said he1 ,i think good
 fortune  and study to be two opposite  

things2 for what ,i call good fortune   
is1  when a man meets with what is      
necessary for him1 without the trouble  
of  seeking it2 but when he meets with  
any good success after a tedious  search
 and labour1 it is an effect of study4  
,this is what ,i call to do  well2 and  
,i think that all who take delight in   
this study are for the  most part       
successful1 and gain the esteem of men1 
and the affection of  the ,deity4 ,such 
are they as have rendered themselves    
excellent in  economy1 in physic1 and in
 politics2 but he who knows not any one 
thing  perfectly is neither useful to   
men1 nor beloved by the gods4           
,,chapter ,x4 ,,socrates1 ,,in          
,,conversation ,,with ,,several         
,,artificers1 ,a ,,painter1  ,a         
,,statuary1 ,,and ,,an ,,armourer1      
,,showeth ,,his ,,skill ,,and ,,good    
,,taste ,,in ,,the  ,,finer ,,arts4     
,as ,socrates studied to be useful in   
all his conversations1 so he never      
happened to be in company even with     

tradesmen but he always said  something 
that might be of service to them4 ,going
 once into the shop of  the painter     
,parrhasius1 he entertained himself with
 him in the following  manner3--    ,is 
not painting1 said he1 a representation 
of all we see8 ,for with a  few colours 
you represent on a canvas mountains and 
caverns1 light and  obscurity2 you cause
 to be observed the difference between  
soft things  and hard1 between things   
smooth and rough2 you give youth and old
 age to  bodies2 and when you would     
represent a perfect beauty1 it being    
impossible to find a body but what has  
some defect1 your way is to regard      
several1 and taking what is beautiful   
from each of them1 you make one  that is
 accomplished in all its parts4 ,we do  
so1 said ,parrhasius4  ,can you         
represent likewise1 said ,socrates1 what
 is most charming and  most lovely in   
the person1 ,i mean the inclination8    
,how think you1  answered ,parrhasius1  
we can paint what cannot be expressed by

 any  proportion1 nor with any colour1  
and that has nothing in common with any 
of those things you mentioned1 and which
 the pencil can imitate2 in a  word1 a  
thing that cannot be seen8 ,do not the  
very looks of men1  replied ,socrates1  
confess either hatred or friendship8 ,in
 my opinion  they do1 said ,parrhasius4 
,you can then make hatred and friendship
  appear in the eyes8 ,i own we can4 ,do
 you think likewise1 continued          
,socrates1 that they who concern        
themselves either in the adversity or   
prosperity of friends1 keep the same    
look with those who are wholly          
unconcerned for either8 ,by no means1   
said he1 for during the  prosperity of  
our friends1 our looks are gay and full 
of joy1 but in  their adversity we look 
cloudy and dejected4 ,this1 then1 may be
  painted likewise8 ,it may4 ,besides1  
said ,socrates1 magnificence1           
generosity1 meanness of mind1 cowardice1
 modesty1 prudence1 insolence1          
rusticity1 all appear in the looks of a 

man1 whether sitting or  standing4 ,you 
say true4 ,and cannot the pencil imitate
 all this  likewise8 ,it may4 ,and in   
which do you take most pleasure1 said   
,socrates1 in regarding the picture of a
 man whose external appearance          
discovereth a good natural disposition1 
and bespeaks an honest man1 or of  one  
who wears in his face the marks of a    
vicious inclination8 ,there is  no      
comparison between them1 said           
,parrhasius4    ,another time1 talking  
with ,clito the sculptor1 he said to    
him1 ,i wonder  not that you make so    
great a difference between the statue of
 a man who  is running a race and that  
of one who stands his ground to wait for
 his  antagonist with whom he is to     
wrestle1 or to box1 or to play a prize  
at  all sorts of defence2 but what      
ravishes the beholders is1 that your    
statues seem to be alive4 ,i would fain 
know by what art you imprint upon  them 
this wonderful vivacity8 ,clito1        
surprised at this question1 stood       

considering what to answer1 when        
,socrates went on3--,perhaps you take   
great care to make them resemble the    
living persons1 and this is the  reason 
that they seem to live likewise4 ,it is 
so1 said ,clito4 ,you  must then1       
replied ,socrates1 observe very exactly 
in the different  postures of the body  
what are the natural dispositions of all
 the parts1  for when some of them stoop
 down1 the others raise themselves up2  
when  some are contracted1 the others   
stretch themselves out2 when some are   
stiff with straining1 others relax      
themselves2 and when you imitate all    
this1 you make your statues approach    
very near the life4 ,you say  true1 said
 ,clito4 ,is it not true likewise1      
replied ,socrates1 that it  is a great  
satisfaction to beholders to see all the
 passions of a man who  is in action    
well expressed8 ,thus1 in the statue of 
a gladiator who is  fighting1 you must  
imitate the sternness of look with which
 he threatens  his enemy2 on the        

contrary1 you must give him1 when       
victor1 a look of  gaiety and content4  
,there is no doubt of what you say4 ,we 
may then  conclude1 said ,socrates1 that
 it is the part of an excellent statuary
  to express the various affections and 
passions of the soul1 by  representing  
such-and-such motions and postures of   
the body as are  commonly exerted in    
real life whenever the mind is so-and-so
 affected4    ,another time1 ,socrates  
being in the shop of ,pistias the       
armourer1 who  showed him some corselets
 that were very well made3 ,i admire1   
said  ,socrates to him1 the invention of
 these arms that cover the body in the  
places where it has most need of being  
defended1 and nevertheless are no       
hindrance to the motions of the hands   
and arms2 but tell me why you sell  the 
suits of armour you make dearer than the
 other workmen of the city1  since they 
are not stronger nor of better-tempered 
or more valuable  metal8 ,i sell them   
dearer than others1 answered ,pistias1  

because  they are better made than      
theirs4 ,in what does this make consist8
  said ,socrates1 in the weight1 or in  
the largeness of the arms8 ,and yet  you
 make them not all of the same weight   
nor of the same size1 but to fit  every 
man4 ,they must be fit1 said ,pistias1  
otherwise they would be  of no use4 ,but
 do you not know1 replied ,socrates1    
that some bodies  are well-shaped and   
others not8 ,i know it well4 ,how1 then1
  continued ,socrates1 can you make a   
well-shaped suit of armour for an ill-  
shaped body8 ,it will be sufficient if  
they are fit for him1 answered          
,pistias2 for what is fit is well made4 
,you are of opinion1 then1  added       
,socrates1 that one cannot judge whether
 a thing be well made1  considering it  
merely in itself1 but in regard to the  
person who is to  use it2 as if you said
 that a buckler is well made for him    
whom it fits1  and in like manner of a  
suit of clothes and any other thing     
whatsoever4  ,but ,i think there is     

another convenience in having a suit of 
armour well  made4 ,what do you take    
that to be8 said ,pistias4 ,i think1    
answered  ,socrates1 a suit of armour   
that is well made does not load the     
bearer so  much as one ill made1 even   
though it weigh as much4 ,for ill-made  
arms1  by pressing too much upon the    
shoulders1 or hanging cumbrous on some  
other part1 become almost insupportable1
 and greatly incommode the person  that 
weareth them4 ,but those arms which1 as 
they ought1 distribute an  equal weight 
to all the parts of the body1 that join 
upon the neck1 the  shoulders1 the      
breast1 the back1 and the hips1 may be  
said to be glued to  the body1 and to   
weigh nothing at all4 ,for this1 said   
,pistias1 ,i  value the arms ,i make4   
,it is true that some choose rather to  
part with  their money for arms that are
 gilt and finely carved1 but if with all
  this they fit not easy upon them1 ,i  
think they buy a rich inconveniency4    
,socrates went on3--,but since the body 

is not always in the same posture1  but 
sometimes bends1 and sometimes raises   
itself straight1 how can arms  that are 
very fit be convenient and easy8 ,they  
never can1 said  ,pistias4 ,your opinion
 therefore is1 said ,socrates1 that the 
best arms  are not those that are most  
fit1 and fit closest to the body1 but   
those  that do not incommode the person 
that wears them4 ,you1 too1 are of the  
same opinion1 replied ,pistias1 and you 
understand the matter aright4           
,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,discourse ,,of        
,,socrates ,,with ,,theodota1 ,,an      
,,athenian ,,lady1 ,,of ,,no  ,,good    
,,character2 ,,wherein ,,he             
,,endeavoureth1 ,,in ,,the ,,most       
,,artful ,,and ,,engaging  ,,manner1    
,,to ,,win ,,her ,,over ,,from ,,the    
,,criminal ,,pleasures ,,to ,,which     
,,she ,,was  ,,addicted ,,unto ,,the    
,,sublimer ,,and ,,more ,,innocent      
,,delights ,,of ,,philosophy ,,and      
,,virtue4      ,there was at ,athens a  
very beautiful lady called ,theodota1   

who had the  character of a loose dame4 
,some person was speaking of her in     
presence  of ,socrates1 and saying that 
she was the most beautiful woman in the 
whole world2 that all the painters went 
to see her1 to draw her picture1  and   
that they were very well received at her
 house4 ,i think1 said  ,socrates1 we   
ought to go see her too1 for we shall be
 better able to  judge of her beauty    
after we have seen her ourselves than   
upon the bare  relation of others4 ,the 
person who began the discourse          
encouraged the  matter1 and that very   
moment they all went to ,theodota's     
house4 ,they  found her with a painter  
who was drawing her picture2 and having 
considered her at leisure when the      
painter had done1 ,socrates began       
thus3--,do you think that we are more   
obliged to ,theodota for having         
afforded us the sight of her beauty than
 she is to us for coming to see  her8   
,if all the advantage be on her side1 it
 must be owned that she is  obliged to  

us2 if it be on ours1 it must be        
confessed that we are so to  her4 ,some 
of the company saying there was reason  
to think so1 ,socrates  continued in    
these words3--,has she not already had  
the advantage of  receiving the praises 
we have given her8 ,but it will be yet a
 much  greater to her when we make known
 her merit in all the companies we come 
into2 but as for ourselves1 what do we  
carry from hence except a desire  to    
enjoy the things we have seen8 ,we go   
hence with souls full of love  and      
uneasiness2 and from this time forward  
we must obey ,theodota in all  she      
pleases to enjoin us4 ,if it be so1 said
 ,theodota1 ,i must return  you many    
thanks for your coming hither4          
,meanwhile ,socrates took notice  that  
she was magnificently apparelled1 and   
that her mother appeared  likewise like 
a woman of condition4 ,he saw a great   
number of women  attendants elegantly   
dressed1 and that the whole house was   
richly  furnished4 ,he took occasion    

from hence to inform himself of her     
circumstances in the world1 and to ask  
her whether she had an estate in  land  
or houses in the city1 or slaves1 whose 
labour supplied the expenses  of her    
family4 ,i have nothing1 answered she1  
of all this2 my friends  are my revenue4
 ,i subsist by their liberality4        
,upon which ,socrates remarked that     
friendship was one of the greatest      
blessings in life1 for that a good      
friend could stand one in stead of all  
possessions whatever4 ,and he advised   
,theodota to try all her art to  procure
 to herself some lovers and friends that
 might render her happy4  ,the lady     
asking ,socrates whether there were any 
artifices to be used for  that purpose1 
he answered1 there were1 and proceeded  
to mention  several3--,some for         
attracting the regard of the men1 some  
for  insinuating into their hearts2     
others for securing their affections and
  managing their passions4 ,whereupon   
,theodota1 whose soul then lay open  to 

any impression1 mistaking the virtuous  
design of ,socrates in the whole  of    
this discourse for an intention of      
another sort1 cried out in  raptures1   
,ah6 ,socrates1 why will not you help me
 to friends8 ,i  will1 replied          
,socrates1 if you can persuade me to do 
so4 ,and what  means must ,i use to     
persuade you8 ,you must invent the      
means1 said  ,socrates1 if you want me  
to serve you4 ,then come to see me      
often1  added ,theodota4 ,socrates      
laughed at the simplicity of the woman1 
and in  raillery said to her1 ,i have   
not leisure enough to come and see you2 
,i  have both public and private affairs
 which take up too much of my time4     
,besides1 ,i have mistresses who will   
not suffer me to be from them neither   
day nor night1 and who against myself   
make use of the very charms and         
sorceries that ,i have taught them4 ,and
 have you any knowledge in those        
things1 too8 said she4 ,why do          
,apollodorus and ,antisthenes1 answered 

,socrates1 never leave me8 why do ,cebes
 and ,simmias forsake ,thebes for my    
company8 ,this they would not do if ,i  
were not master of some charm4  ,lend it
 me1 said ,theodota1 that ,i may employ 
it against you1 and charm  you to come  
to me4 ,no1 said ,socrates1 but ,i will 
charm you1 and make  you come to me4 ,i 
will1 said ,theodota1 if you will       
promise to make  me welcome4 ,i promise 
you ,i will1 answered ,socrates1        
provided there  be nobody with me whom  
,i love better than you4                
,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,of ,,the ,,necessity 
,,of ,,exercise ,,to ,,health ,,and     
,,strength ,,of  ,,body4      ,among    
others who frequented ,socrates1 there  
was a young man whose name  was         
,epigenes1 and who was very awkward in  
his person and behaviour1 and  had      
contracted an ill habit of body1 having 
never learnt nor used any  exercise4    
,socrates reproached him for it1 and    
told him that it was  unworthy of any   
man to be so negligent of himself4      

,epigenes slightly  answered that he was
 under no obligation to do better4 ,you 
are no less  obliged to it1 replied     
,socrates1 than they who train          
themselves up for  the ,olympic ,games4 
,for do you believe that to fight for   
one's life  against the enemies of the  
,republic1 which we are all obliged to  
do when  the ,athenians please to       
command us1 is a less important occasion
 than to  contend with antagonists for a
 prize8 ,how many men are there who1 for
  want of strength1 perish in fights2 or
 have recourse to dishonourable  means  
to seek their safety8 ,some are taken   
prisoners1 and remain in  slavery all   
the rest of their days1 or are forced to
 pay so great a  ransom1 as makes them  
live poor and miserable ever afterwards3
 others are  ill thought of1 and their  
weakness is imputed to cowardice4 ,and  
do you  value so little all these       
misfortunes1 which constantly attend an 
ill  habit of body1 and do they seem to 
you so slight8 ,in my opinion1 there    

are no fatigues in the exercises but    
what are more easy and more  agreeable4 
,but perhaps you despise the advantages 
of a good disposition  of body3         
nevertheless1 they are considerable2 for
 men in that condition  enjoy a perfect 
health1 they are robust and active1 they
 come off from  combats with honour1    
they escape from dangers1 they succour  
their  friends1 they render great       
services to their country4 ,for these   
reasons  they are well received wherever
 they come1 they are in good reputation 
with all men1 they attain to the highest
 offices1 they live the more  honourably
 and the more at ease1 and they leave   
their posterity the most  noble         
examples4 ,if1 therefore1 you do not    
practise the military  exercises in     
public1 you ought not to neglect the    
doing so in private1  but to apply      
yourself to them with all possible      
diligence4    ,to have the body active  
and healthy can be hurtful to you in no 
occasions3 and since we cannot do       

anything without the body1 it is        
certain that a good constitution will be
 of great advantage to us in all  our   
undertakings4 ,even in study1 where     
there seems to be least need of  it1 we 
know many persons who could never make  
any great progress for want  of health4 
,forgetfulness1 melancholy1 loss of     
appetite1 and folly1 are  the diseases  
that generally proceed from the         
indisposition of the body2  and these   
diseases sometimes seize the mind with  
so great violence1 that  they wipe out  
even the least remembrance of what we   
knew before4 ,but in  health we have    
nothing like this to fear1 and          
consequently there is no  toil which a  
judicious man would not willingly       
undergo to avoid all these  misfortunes4
 ,and1 indeed1 it is shameful for a man 
to grow old before he  has tried his own
 strength1 and seen to what degree of   
dexterity and  perfection he can attain1
 which he can never know if he give     
himself over  for useless2 because      

dexterity and strength come not of      
themselves1 but  by practice and        
exercise4        ,,chapter ,,xiii4      
,,several ,,apophthegms ,,of ,,socrates4
      ,a certain man being vexed that he
 had saluted one who did not return his 
civility1 ,socrates said to him1 ,it is 
ridiculous in you to be  unconcerned    
when you meet a sick man in the way1 and
 to be vexed for  having met a rude     
fellow4    #b4 ,another was saying that 
he had lost his appetite and could eat  
nothing4 ,socrates1 having heard it1    
told him he could teach him a remedy    
for that4 ,the man asking what it was1  
,fast1 said he1 for some time1  and ,i  
will warrant you will be in better      
health1 spend less money1 and  eat with 
more satisfaction afterwards4    #c4    
,another complained that the water which
 came into the cistern was  warm1 and   
nevertheless he was forced to drink it4 
,you ought to be glad  of it1 said      
,socrates1 for it is a bath ready for   
you1 whenever you have  a mind to bathe 

yourself4 ,it is too cold to bathe in1  
replied the  other4 ,do your servants1  
said ,socrates1 find any inconvenience  
in  drinking it1 or in bathing in it8   
,no1 but ,i wonder how they can suffer  
it4 ,is it1 continued ,socrates1 warmer 
to drink than that of the  temple of    
,a,esculapius8 ,it is not near so warm4 
,you see1 then1 said  ,socrates1 that   
you are harder to please than your own  
servants1 or even  than the sick        
themselves4    #d4 ,a master having     
beaten his servant most cruelly1        
,socrates asked him  why he was so angry
 with him4 ,the master answered1        
,because he is a  drunkard1 a lazy      
fellow who loves money1 and is always   
idle4 ,suppose  he be so1 said          
,socrates3 but be your own judge1 and   
tell me1 which of  you two deserves     
rather to be punished for those faults8 
#e4 ,another made a difficulty of       
undertaking a journey to ,olympia4 ,what
  is the reason1 said ,socrates to him1 
that you are so much afraid of  walking1

 you1 who walk up and down about your   
house almost all day long8  ,you ought  
to look upon this journey to be only a  
walk1 and to think that  you will walk  
away the morning till dinner-time1 and  
the afternoon till  supper1 and thus you
 will insensibly find yourself at your  
journey's end4  ,for it is certain that 
in five or six days' time you go more   
ground in  walking up and down than you 
need to do in going from ,athens to     
,olympia4  ,i will tell you one thing   
more3 it is much better to set out a day
 too  soon than a day too late2 for it  
is troublesome to be forced to go long  
journeys2 and on the contrary1 it is a  
great ease to have the advantage  of a  
day beforehand4 ,you were better        
therefore to hasten your departure  than
 be obliged to make haste upon the road4
    #f4 ,another telling him that he had
 been a great journey1 and was          
extremely weary1 ,socrates asked whether
 he had carried anything4 ,the  other   
answered that he had carried nothing but

 his cloak4 ,were you  alone8 said      
,socrates4 ,no2 ,i had a slave with me4 
,was not he  loaded8 continued          
,socrates4 ,yes1 for he carried all my  
things4 ,and  how did he find himself   
upon the road8 ,much better than ,i4    
,and if  you had been to carry what he  
did1 what would have become of you8     
,alas6 said he1 ,i should never have    
been able to have done it4 ,is it  not a
 shame1 added ,socrates1 in a man like  
you1 who have gone through  all the     
exercises1 not to be able to undergo as 
much fatigue as his  slave8             
,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,socrates ,,proposeth 
,,some ,,regulations ,,for ,,the        
,,better  ,,management ,,of ,,their     
,,public ,,feasts4      ,socrates having
 observed that in public suppers every  
one brought his own  dish of meat1 and  
that sometimes some brought more and    
others less1 was  wont1 when this       
happened1 to bid a servant set the least
 dish in the  middle of the table1 and  
to give some of it to all the company4  

,no man  could1 in civility1 refuse it1 
nor exempt himself from doing the like  
with his own dish1 insomuch that every  
man had a taste of the whole1 and  all  
fared alike4 ,this in some measure      
banished luxury and expensiveness  from 
these feasts4 ,for they who would have  
laid out a great deal of  money in      
delicacies cared no longer to do so1    
because they would have  been as much   
for others as for themselves4    ,being 
one day in these assemblies1 and seeing 
a young man who ate his  meat without   
bread1 he took occasion to rally him for
 it upon a question  that was started   
touching the imposing of names4 ,can we 
give any  reasons1 said he1 why a man is
 called flesh-eater--that is to say1 a  
devourer of flesh8--for every man eats  
flesh when he has it2 and ,i do not     
believe it to be upon that account that 
a man is called so4 ,nor ,i  neither1   
said one of the company4 ,but1 continued
 ,socrates1 if a man  takes delight to  
eat his meat without bread1 do you not  

take him to be1  indeed1 a flesh-eater8 
,i should think it difficult to find    
another who  better would deserve that  
name4 ,upon which somebody else taking  
the  word said1 ,what think you of him  
who1 with a little bread only1 eats a   
great deal of flesh8 ,i should1 replied 
,socrates1 judge him1 too1 to  be a     
flesh-eater2 and whereas others ask of  
the gods in their prayers to  give them 
an abundance of fruits1 such men in     
their petitions it is  likely would pray
 only for abundance of flesh4    ,the   
young man whom ,socrates had in mind1   
suspecting that he spoke upon  his      
account1 took some bread1 but continued 
still to eat a great deal of  flesh with
 it4 ,socrates perceived him1 and       
showing him with his finger  to those   
that sat next to him1 said to them1     
,take notice of your  neighbour1 and see
 whether it be the meat that makes him  
eat his bread1  or the bread that makes 
him eat his meat4    ,in a like         
occasion1 seeing a man sop the same     

morsel of meat in several  sauces1 he   
said1 ,is it possible to make a sauce   
that will cost more1 and  be not so     
good1 as one that is made by taking out 
of several different  sauces at once8   
,for there being more ingredients than  
usual1 no doubt it  costs more2 but then
 because we mix things together1 which  
the cooks  never used to mingle1 because
 they agree not well with one another1  
we  certainly spoil the whole2 and is it
 not a jest to be curious in having     
good cooks1 and at the same time to be  
so fantastical as to alter the  relish  
of the dishes they have dressed8        
,besides1 when we have once got a  habit
 of eating thus of several dishes at    
once1 we are not so well  satisfied when
 we have no longer that variety4        
,whereas a man who  contents himself to 
eat but of one dish at a time finds no  
great  inconvenience in having but one  
dish of meat for his dinner4    ,he made
 likewise this remark3 that to express  
what the other ,greeks  called to eat a 

meal1 the ,athenians said to make good  
cheer2 and that  the word good shows us 
that we ought to eat such things only as
 will  neither disorder the body nor the
 mind1 which are easily had1 and        
purchased without great expense4 ,from  
whence he inferred that they alone  who 
live temperately and soberly can truly  
be said to make good  cheer--that is to 
say1 to eat well4          ,,book ,,iv4 
,,chapter ,i4 ,,that ,,persons ,,of     
,,good ,,natural ,,parts1 ,,as ,,well   
,,as ,,those ,,who ,,have  ,,plentiful  
,,fortunes1 ,,ought ,,not ,,to ,,think  
,,themselves ,,above ,,instruction4 ,,on
  ,,the ,,contrary1 ,,the ,,one ,,ought1
 ,,by ,,the ,,aid ,,of ,,learning1 ,,to 
,,improve ,,their  ,,genius2 ,,the      
,,other1 ,,by ,,the ,,acquisition ,,of  
,,knowledge1 ,,to ,,render ,,themselves 
,,valuable4      ,there was always1 as  
we have already remarked1 some          
improvement to be  made with ,socrates2 
and it must be owned that his company   
and  conversation were very edifying1   

since even now1 when he is no more among
  us1 it is still of advantage to his   
friends to call him to their            
remembrance4 ,and1 indeed1 whether he   
spoke to divert himself1 or whether  he 
spoke seriously1 he always let slip some
 remarkable instructions for  the       
benefit of all that heard him4    ,he   
used often to say he was in love1 but it
 was easy to see it was not  with the   
beauty of one's person that he was      
taken1 but with the virtues  of his     
mind4    ,the marks of a good genius1 he
 said1 were these--a good judgment1 a   
retentive memory1 and an ardent desire  
of useful knowledge2 that is to  say1   
when a person readily learns what he is 
taught1 and strongly retains  what he   
has learnt1 as also when he is curious  
to know all that is  necessary to the   
good government either of a family or of
 a republic2 in  a word1 when one       
desires to obtain a thorough knowledge  
of mankind and of  whatever relates to  
human affairs4 ,and his opinion was that

 when these  good natural parts are     
cultivated as they ought1 such men are  
not only  happy themselves1 and govern  
their families prudently1 but are       
capable  likewise to render others      
happy1 and to make republics flourish4  
,on the one hand1 therefore1 whenever he
 met with any who believed  themselves  
men of parts1 and for that reason       
neglected to be instructed1  he proved  
to them that men of the best natural    
parts are they who have  most need of   
instruction2 and to this purpose he     
alleged the example of a  high-mettled  
horse1 who1 having more courage and more
 strength than  others1 does us very    
great service1 if he be broke and       
managed in his  youth2 but if that be   
neglected1 he grows so vicious and      
unruly that we  know not what to do with
 him4 ,thus also dogs of a good breed1  
and that  by nature are the most strong 
and mettlesome1 are excellent for game1 
if  they are well taught2 otherwise they
 are apt to become high rangers and  at 

no command4 ,in like manner among men   
they who are blessed with the  greatest 
advantages of ,nature1 to whom she has  
given the most courage and  the greatest
 strength to enable them to succeed in  
their undertakings1  are likewise the   
most virtuous1 and do more good than    
others1 when they  meet with a good     
education2 but if they remain without   
instruction they  fall into an excess of
 ill1 and become most pernicious to     
themselves and  others4 ,merely for want
 of knowing their duty they often engage
  themselves in very wicked designs2 and
 being imperious and violent1 it is     
very difficult to keep them within      
bounds and to make them change their    
resolution1 which is the reason they do 
a great deal of mischief4    ,on the    
other hand1 when he saw any of those men
 who pique themselves on  their estates1
 and who believe because they are men of
 high condition  that they are above    
instruction1 or have no need of it1     
because their  riches alone are         

sufficient to gain them the esteem of   
the world1 and to  make them succeed in 
all their undertakings1 he endeavoured  
to convince  them of their error1 and to
 show them that they1 too1 have need of 
instruction4 ,he told them that that man
 is a fool who imagines with  himself   
that he can know the things that are    
useful from those that are  hurtful1    
without having ever learnt the          
difference2 or who1 not  discerning     
between them1 fondly thinks that because
 he has wherewithal to  buy whatever he 
has a mind to1 he can therefore do      
whatever may lend to  his advantage2 or 
who1 judging himself incapable to do    
what is useful for  himself1 thinks1    
nevertheless1 that he is well in the    
world1 and in a  safe and happy         
condition of life4 ,that it is likewise 
a folly for a man  to persuade himself  
that1 being rich and having no merit1 he
 will pass  for a man of parts2 or that1
 not having the reputation of being a   
man of  parts1 he shall nevertheless be 

esteemed4        ,,chapter ,,ii4        
,,conference ,,between ,,socrates ,,and 
,,euthydemus1 ,,in ,,which ,,he         
,,convinces ,,that ,,young ,,man1 ,,who 
,,had ,a ,,great ,,opinion ,,of         
,,himself1 ,,that ,,he  ,,knew          
,,nothing4      ,when ,socrates1 on the 
other hand1 found any who soothe        
themselves up in  the belief that they  
are well instructed1 and who boast of   
their own  sufficiency1 he never failed 
to chastise the vanity of such persons4 
,of  his conduct in this particular ,i  
will relate the following instance--    
,he had been told that ,euthydemus had  
bought up several works of the most     
celebrated poets and sophists1 and that 
this acquisition had so puffed  him up  
with arrogance1 that he already esteemed
 himself the greatest man  for learning 
and parts of any of the age1 and        
pretended to no less than  being the    
first man of the city1 either for       
negotiating or for  discoursing in      
public4 ,nevertheless1 he was still so  

young that he was  not admitted into the
 assemblies of the people1 and if he had
 any affair  to solicit he generally    
came and placed himself in one of the   
shops that  were near the courts of     
justice4 ,socrates1 having observed his 
station1  failed not to go thither      
likewise with two or three of his       
friends2 and  there1 being fallen into  
discourse1 this question was started3   
,whether it  was by the improving       
conversation of philosophers or by the  
strength of  his natural parts only1    
that ,themistocles surpassed all his    
countrymen in  wisdom and valour1 and   
advanced himself to such a high rank and
 to so  great esteem1 that all the      
,republic cast their eyes upon him      
whenever  their affairs required the    
conduct of a man of bravery and wisdom8 
,socrates1 who had a mind to reflect    
upon ,euthydemus1 answered that a man   
must be very stupid to believe that     
mechanic arts 7which are  comparatively 
things but of small importance7 cannot  

be learnt without  masters2 and yet that
 the art of governing of ,states1 which 
is a thing of  the greatest moment and  
that requires the greatest effort of    
human  prudence1 comes of itself into   
the mind4 ,and this was all that passed 
in this first interview4    ,after this 
,socrates1 observing that ,euthydemus   
always avoided being in  his company1   
lest he should be taken for one of his  
admirers1 attacked  him more openly2 and
 once when he happened to be where he   
was1 addressed  himself to the rest of  
the company in these words3--,certainly1
  gentlemen1 by what may be conjectured 
from the studies of this young man1  it 
is very likely that when he shall have  
attained the age that permits  him to be
 present in the assemblies of the       
people1 if any important  affair come to
 be debated there1 he will not fail to  
give his judgment of  it2 and in my     
opinion he would introduce his harangue 
by a very pleasant  exordium1 if he     
should begin with giving them to        

understand that he had  never learnt    
anything of any man whatsoever2 he must 
address himself to  them in words to    
this purpose3--    ',gentlemen1 ,i have 
never been taught anything1 ,i never    
frequented the  conversation of men of  
parts1 ,i never gave myself the trouble 
to look out  for a master that was able 
to instruct me4 ,on the contrary1       
gentlemen1 ,i  have not only had an     
aversion to learn from others1 but ,i   
should even  have been very sorry to    
have it believed ,i had done so2        
nevertheless1 ,i  will venture to tell  
you what chance shall suggest to me in  
this present  occasion4' ,at this rate  
they who present themselves to be       
received  physicians might introduce a  
like discourse as thus3--',gentlemen1 ,i
 have  never had any master to teach me 
this science2 for1 indeed1 ,i would     
never  learn it1 nor even have the      
repute of having learnt it2             
nevertheless1  admit me a physician1 and
 ,i will endeavour to become learned in 

the art  by making experiments on your  
own bodies4'    ,all the company fell   
a-laughing at this pleasant preface1 and
 from that  time ,euthydemus never      
avoided ,socrates' company as he had    
done before2  but he never offered to   
speak1 believing that his silence would 
be an  argument of his modesty4         
,socrates1 being desirous to rally him  
out of  that mistaken notion1 spoke to  
him in this manner3--    ,i wonder that 
they who desire to learn to play upon   
the lute1 or to ride  well1 do not      
endeavour to learn it alone by          
themselves2 but that they  look out for 
masters1 resolved to do everything they 
bid them1 and to  believe all they say1 
there being no other way to arrive at   
perfection in  those arts2 and that they
 who hope one day to govern the         
,republic1 and to  declaim before the   
people1 imagine they can become fit to  
do so of  themselves all of a sudden4   
,nevertheless1 it must be owned that    
these  employments are more difficult   

than the others1 since among the great  
number of persons who push themselves   
into office so few discharge their  duty
 as they ought4 ,this shows us that more
 labour and diligence is  required in   
such as would capacitate themselves for 
those offices than  for anything else4  
,by these discourses1 ,socrates having  
prepared the mind of ,euthydemus to     
hearken to what he intended to say to   
him1 and to enter into conference  with 
him1 he came another time by himself    
into the same shop1 and taking  a seat  
next to this young man--,i have heard1  
said he to him1 that you  have been     
curious in buying a great many good     
books4 ,i have1 said  ,euthydemus1 and  
continue to do so every day1 designing  
to have as many  as ,i can get4 ,i      
commend you very much1 said ,socrates1  
for choosing  rather to hoard up a      
treasure of learning and knowledge than 
of money4  ,for you testify by so doing 
that you are not of opinion that riches1
 or  silver and gold1 can render one    

more valuable1 that is to say1 a wiser  
or  a better man2 but that it is only   
the writings and precepts of the        
philosophers and other fine writers that
 are the true riches1 because  they     
enrich with virtue the minds of those   
that possess them4 ,euthydemus  was     
pleased to hear him say this1 believing 
that he approved his method2  and       
,socrates1 perceiving his satisfaction1 
went on3 ,but what is your  design of   
making a collection of so many books8   
,do you intend to be a  physician8      
,there are many books in that science4  
,that is not my  design1 said           
,euthydemus4 ,will you be an architect1 
then8 said  ,socrates1 for that art     
requires a learned man4 ,or do you study
 geometry  or astrology8 ,none of them4 
,do you mean to be a reciter of heroic  
verses8 continued ,socrates1 for ,i have
 been told that you have all  ,homer's  
works4 ,not in the least1 answered      
,euthydemus1 for ,i have  observed that 
men of that profession know indeed a    

great many verses by  heart1 but for    
anything else they are for the most part
 very  impertinent4 ,perhaps you are in 
love with that noble science that  makes
 politicians and economists1 and that   
renders men capable to govern1  and to  
be useful to others and to themselves8  
,that is what ,i endeavour  to learn1   
said ,euthydemus1 and what ,i           
passionately desire to know4 ,it  is a  
sublime science1 replied ,socrates2 it  
is that we call the royal  science1     
because it truly is the science of      
kings4 ,but have you weighed  this      
point1 whether a man can excel in that  
science without being an  honest man8 ,i
 have1 said the young man1 and am even  
of opinion that  none but honest men can
 be good citizens4 ,and are you an      
honest man8  said ,socrates4 ,i hope ,i 
am1 answered ,euthydemus1 as honest a   
man as  another4 ,tell me1 said         
,socrates1 can we know who are honest   
men by  what they do1 as we know what   
trade a man is of by his work8 ,we may4 

,then1 said ,socrates1 as architects    
show us their works1 can honest men     
show us theirs likewise8 ,no doubt of   
it1 replied ,euthydemus2 and it  is no  
difficult task to show you which are the
 works of justice1 and  which those of  
injustice1 that we so often hear        
mentioned4 ,shall we1  said ,socrates1  
make two characters1 the one 7,j7 to    
signify justice1 the  other 7,i7 to     
denote injustice2 and write under one of
 them all the works  that belong to     
justice1 and under the other all that   
belong to  injustice8 ,do1 said         
,euthydemus1 if you think fit4          
,socrates1 having done what he proposed1
 continued thus his discourse3--,do  not
 men tell lies8 ,very often1 answered   
,euthydemus4 ,under which  head shall we
 put lying8 ,under that of injustice1   
said ,euthydemus4  ,do not men sometimes
 cheat8 ,most certainly4 ,where shall we
 put  cheating8 said ,socrates4 ,under  
injustice4 ,and doing wrong to one's    
neighbour8 ,there too4 ,and selling of  

free persons into slavery8  ,still in   
the same place4 ,and shall we write none
 of all these1 said  ,socrates1 under   
the head of justice8 ,not one of them1  
answered  ,euthydemus2 it would be      
strange if we did4 ,but what1 replied   
,socrates1 when a general plunders an   
enemy's city1 and makes slaves of  all  
the inhabitants1 shall we say that he   
commits an injustice8 ,by no  means4    
,shall we own1 then1 that he does an act
 of justice8 ,without  doubt4 ,and when 
he circumvents his enemies in the war1  
does he not do  well8 ,very well4 ,and  
when he ravages their land1 and takes   
away  their cattle and their corn1 does 
he not do justly8 ,it is certain he     
does1 said ,euthydemus2 and when ,i     
answered you that all these actions     
were unjust1 ,i thought you had spoken  
of them in regard only of friend to     
friend4 ,we must1 therefore1 replied    
,socrates1 put among the actions  of    
justice those very actions we have      
ascribed to injustice1 and we will  only

 establish this distinction1 that it is 
just to behave ourselves so  towards our
 enemies2 but that to treat our friends 
thus is an injustice1  because we ought 
to live with them uprightly1 and without
 any deceit4 ,i  think so1 said         
,euthydemus4 ,but1 continued ,socrates1 
when a general  sees that his troops    
begin to be disheartened1 if he make    
them believe  that a great reinforcement
 is coming to him1 and by that stratagem
  inspires fresh courage into the       
soldiers1 under what head shall we put  
this lie8 ,under the head of justice1   
answered ,euthydemus4 ,and when  a child
 will not take the physic that he has   
great need of1 and his  father makes it 
be given him in a mess of broth1 and by 
that means the  child recovers his      
health1 to which shall we ascribe this  
deceit8 ,to  justice likewise4 ,and if a
 man1 who sees his friend in despair1   
and  fears he will kill himself1 hides  
his sword from him1 or takes it out of  
his hands by force1 what shall we say of

 this violence8 ,that it is  just1      
replied ,euthydemus4 ,observe what you  
say1 continued ,socrates2  for it       
follows from your answers that we are   
not always obliged to live  with our    
friends uprightly1 and without any      
deceit1 as we agreed we  were4 ,no2     
certainly we are not1 and if ,i may be  
permitted to retract  what ,i said1 ,i  
change my opinion very freely4 ,it is   
better1 said  ,socrates1 to change an   
opinion than to persist in a wrong one4 
,but  there is still one point which we 
must not pass over without inquiry1 and 
this relates to those whose deceits are 
prejudicial to their friends2 for  ,i   
ask you1 which are most unjust1 they who
 with premeditate design cheat  their   
friends1 or they who do it through      
inadvertency8 ,indeed1 said             
,euthydemus1 ,i know not what to answer1
 nor what to believe1 for you have  so  
fully refuted what ,i have said1 that   
what appeared to me before in one  light
 appears to me now in another4          

,nevertheless1 ,i will venture to say   
that he is the most unjust who deceives 
his friend deliberately4 ,do  you think1
 said ,socrates1 that one may learn to  
be just and honest1 as  well as we learn
 to read and write8 ,i think we may4    
,which1 added  ,socrates1 do you take to
 be the most ignorant1 he who reads     
wrong on  purpose1 or he who reads wrong
 because he can read no better8 ,the    
last  of them1 answered ,euthydemus2 for
 the other who mistakes for pleasure    
need not mistake when he pleases4 ,then1
 inferred ,socrates1 he who  reads wrong
 deliberately knows how to read2 but he 
who reads wrong  without design is an   
ignorant man4 ,you say true4 ,tell me   
likewise1  pursued ,socrates1 which     
knows best what ought to be done1 and   
what  belongs to justice1 he who lies   
and cheats with premeditate design1 or  
he  who deceives without intention to   
deceive8 ,it is most plain1 said        
,euthydemus1 that it is he who deceives 
with premeditate design4 ,but  you said1

 replied ,socrates1 that he who can read
 is more learned than  he who cannot    
read8 ,i did so4 ,therefore he who best 
knows which are  the duties of justice  
is more just than he that knows them    
not4 ,it  seems to be so1 answered      
,euthydemus1 and ,i know not well how ,i
 came to  say what ,i did4 ,indeed1 said
 ,socrates1 you often change your       
opinion1 and contradict what you say2   
and what would you yourself think  of   
any man who pretended to tell the truth1
 and yet never said the same  thing2    
who1 in pointing out to you the same    
road1 should show you  sometimes east1  
sometimes west1 and who1 in telling the 
same sum1 should  find more money at one
 time than another2 what would you think
 of such a  man8 ,he would make all men 
think1 answered ,euthydemus1 that he    
knew  nothing of what he pretended to   
know4    ,socrates urged him yet        
further1 and asked him3 ,have you ever  
heard say  that some men have abject and
 servile minds8 ,i have4 ,is it said of 

them because they are learned or because
 they are ignorant8 ,surely  because    
they are ignorant4 ,perhaps1 said       
,socrates1 it is because  they          
understand not the trade of a smith8    
,not in the least for that4  ,is it     
because they know not how to build a    
house1 or to make shoes8 ,by  no means1 
said ,euthydemus2 for most who are      
skilled in such professions  have       
likewise abject and servile minds4 ,this
 character1 then1 pursued  ,socrates1   
must be given to those who are ignorant 
of the noble sciences1  and who know not
 what is just nor what is honourable8 ,i
 believe so4  ,we ought1 therefore1     
,euthydemus1 to do all we can to avoid  
falling into  that ignominious ignorance
 that sinks us down so low4 ,alas1      
,socrates6  cried he out1 ,i will not   
lie for the matter2 ,i thought ,i knew  
something  in philosophy1 and that ,i   
had learnt whatever was requisite to be 
known  by a man who desired to make a   
practice of virtue2 but judge how much  

,i  am afflicted to see that1 after all 
my labours1 ,i am not able to answer    
you concerning things which ,i ought    
chiefly to know2 and yet ,i am at a     
loss what method to pursue in order to  
render myself more capable and  knowing 
in the things ,i desire to understand4  
,upon this1 ,socrates asked  him whether
 he had ever been at ,delphi1 and       
,euthydemus answered that he  had been  
there twice4 ,did you not take notice1  
said ,socrates1 that  somewhere on the  
front of the temple there is this       
inscription1 ',,know  ,,thyself'8 ,i    
remember1 answered he1 ,i have read it  
there4 ,it is  not enough1 replied      
,socrates1 to have read it4 ,have you   
been the  better for this admonition8   
,have you given yourself the trouble to 
consider what you are8 ,i think ,i know 
that well enough1 replied the  young    
man1 for ,i should have found it very   
difficult to have known any  other thing
 if ,i had not known myself4 ,but for a 
man to know himself  well1 said         

,socrates1 it is not enough that he     
knows his own name2 for1  as a man that 
buys a horse cannot be certain that he  
knows what he is  before he has ridden  
him1 to see whether he be quiet or      
restive1 whether  he be mettlesome or   
dull1 whether he be fleet or heavy--in  
short1 before  he has made trial of all 
that is good and bad in him--in like    
manner1 a  man cannot say that he knows 
himself before he has tried what he is  
fit  for1 and what he is able to do4 ,it
 is true1 said ,euthydemus1 that        
whoever knows not his own strength knows
 not himself4 ,but1 continued           
,socrates1 who sees not of how great    
advantage this knowledge is to man1  and
 how dangerous it is to be mistaken in  
this affair8 for he who knows  himself  
knows likewise what is good for himself4
 ,he sees what he is able  to do1 and   
what he is not able to do2 by applying  
himself to things that  he can do1 he   
gets his bread with pleasure1 and is    
happy2 and by not  attempting to do the 

things he cannot do1 he avoids the      
danger of falling  into errors1 and of  
seeing himself miserable4 ,by knowing   
himself1 he  knows likewise how to judge
 of others1 and to make use of their    
services  for his own advantage1 either 
to procure himself some good1 or to     
protect  himself from some misfortune2  
but he who knows not himself1 and is    
mistaken in the opinion he has of his   
own abilities1 mistakes likewise in  the
 knowledge of others1 and in the conduct
 of his own affairs4 ,he is  ignorant of
 what is necessary for him1 he knows not
 what he undertakes1  nor comprehends   
the means he makes use of1 and this is  
the reason that  success never attends  
his enterprises1 and that he always     
falls into  misfortunes4 ,but the man   
who sees clear into his own designs     
generally  obtains the end he proposes  
to himself1 and at the same time gains  
reputation and honour4 ,for this reason1
 even his equals are well pleased  to   
follow his advices2 and they whose      

affairs are in disorder implore his     
assistance1 and throw themselves into   
his hands1 depending upon his  prudence 
to retrieve their affairs1 and to       
restore them to their former  good      
condition4 ,but he who undertakes he    
knows not what1 generally makes  an ill 
choice1 and succeeds yet worse2 and the 
present damage is not the  only         
punishment he undergoes for his         
temerity4 ,he is disgraced for ever2    
all men laugh at him1 all men despise   
and speak ill of him4 ,consider         
likewise what happens to ,republics who 
mistake their own strength1 and  declare
 war against ,states more powerful than 
themselves2 some are  utterly ruined1   
others lose their liberty1 and are      
compelled to receive  laws from the     
conquerors4    ,i am fully satisfied1   
said ,euthydemus1 that a great deal     
depends on  the knowledge of oneself4 ,i
 hope you will now tell me by what a man
 must  begin to examine himself4 ,you   
know1 said ,socrates1 what things are   

good and what are bad8 ,indeed1 answered
 ,euthydemus1 if ,i knew not  that1 ,i  
were the most ignorant of all men4 ,then
 tell me your thoughts  of this matter1 
said ,socrates4 ,first1 said            
,euthydemus1 ,i hold that  health is a  
good and sickness an evil1 and that     
whatever contributes to  either of them 
partakes of the same qualities4 ,thus   
nourishment and the  exercises that keep
 the body in health are very good2 and1 
on the  contrary1 those that cause      
diseases are hurtful4 ,but would it not 
be  better to say1 replied ,socrates1   
that health and sickness are both good  
when they are the causes of any good1   
and that they are both bad when  they   
are the causes of any ill8 ,and when can
 it ever happen1 said  ,euthydemus1 that
 health is the cause of any ill1 and    
sickness the cause  of any good8 ,this  
may happen1 answered ,socrates1 when    
troops are  raised for any enterprise   
that proves fatal2 when men are embarked
 who  are destined to perish at sea2 for

 men who are in health may be involved  
in these misfortunes1 when they who1 by 
reason of their infirmities1 are  left  
at home1 will be exempted from the      
mischiefs in which the others  perish4  
,you say true1 said ,euthydemus1 but you
 see1 too1 that men  who are in health  
are present in fortunate occasions1     
while they who are  confined to their   
beds cannot be there4 ,it must therefore
 be granted1  said ,socrates1 that these
 things which are sometimes useful and  
sometimes hurtful are not rather good   
than bad4 ,that is1 indeed1 the         
consequence of your argument1 replied   
,euthydemus2 but it cannot be  denied   
that knowledge is a good thing2 for what
 is there in which a  knowing man has   
not the advantage of an ignorant one8   
,and have you not  read1 said ,socrates1
 what happened to ,daedalus for his     
knowing so many  excellent arts1 and    
how1 being fallen into the hands of     
,minos1 he was  detained by force1 and  
saw himself at once banished from his   

country and  stripped of his liberty8   
,to complete his misfortune1 flying away
 with  his son1 he was the occasion of  
his being miserably lost1 and could not1
  after all1 escape in his own person2  
for1 falling into the hands of          
barbarians1 he was again made a slave4  
,know you not likewise the  adventure of
 ,palamedes1 who was so envied by       
,ulysses for his great  capacity1 and   
who perished wretchedly by the          
calumnious artifices of that  rival8    
,how many great men likewise has the    
,king of ,persia caused to be  seized   
and carried away because of their       
admirable parts1 and who are now        
languishing under him in a perpetual    
slavery8 ,but1 granting this to be  as  
you say1 added ,euthydemus1 you will    
certainly allow good fortune to  be a   
good8 ,i will1 said ,socrates1 provided 
this good fortune  consists in things   
that are undoubtedly good4 ,and how can 
it be that  the things which compose    
good fortune should not be infallibly   

good8  ,they are1 answered ,socrates1   
unless you reckon among them beauty and 
strength of body1 riches1 honours1 and  
other things of that nature4 ,and  how  
can a man be happy without them8        
,rather1 said ,socrates1 how can  a man 
be happy with things that are the causes
 of so many misfortunes8  ,for many are 
daily corrupted because of their beauty2
 many who presume  too much on their own
 strength are oppressed under the burden
 of their  undertakings4 ,among the     
rich1 some are lost in luxury1 and      
others fall  into the snares of those   
that wait for their estates4 ,and       
lastly1 the  reputation and honours that
 are acquired in ,republics are often   
the cause  of their ruin who possess    
them4 ,certainly1 said ,euthydemus1 if  
,i am  in the wrong to praise good      
fortune1 ,i know not what we ought to   
ask of  the ,deity4 ,perhaps1 too1      
replied ,socrates1 you have never       
considered  it1 because you think you   
know it well enough4    ,but1 continued 

he1 changing the subject of their       
discourse1 seeing you  are preparing    
yourself to enter upon the government of
 our ,republic1  where the people are   
master1 without doubt you have reflected
 on the  nature of this ,state1 and know
 what a democracy is8 ,you ought to     
believe ,i do4 ,and do you think it     
possible1 said ,socrates1 to know  what 
a democracy or popular ,state is without
 knowing what the people is8  ,i do not 
think ,i can4 ,and what is the people8  
said ,socrates4 ,under  that name1      
answered ,euthydemus1 ,i mean the poor  
citizens4 ,you know1  then1 who are the 
poor8 ,i do1 said ,euthydemus4 ,do you  
know1 too1  who are the rich8 ,i know   
that too4 ,tell me1 then1 who are the   
rich  and who are the poor8 ,i take the 
poor1 answered ,euthydemus1 to be  those
 who have not enough to supply their    
necessary expenses1 and the  rich to be 
they who have more than they have       
occasion for4 ,but have  you observed1  
replied ,socrates1 that there are       

certain persons who1  though they have  
very little1 have nevertheless enough1  
and even lay up  some small matter out  
of it2 and1 on the contrary1 there are  
others who  never have enough how great 
soever their estates and possessions    
are8  ,you put me in mind1 said         
,euthydemus1 of something very much to  
the  purpose1 for ,i have seen even some
 princes so necessitous that they have  
been compelled to take away their       
subjects' estates1 and to commit many   
injustices4 ,we must1 then1 said        
,socrates1 place such princes in the    
rank of the poor1 and those who have but
 small estates1 yet manage them  well1  
in the number of the rich4 ,i must give 
consent to all you say1  answered       
,euthydemus1 for ,i am too ignorant to  
contradict you2 and ,i  think it will be
 best for me1 from henceforward1 to hold
 my peace1 for ,i  am almost ready to   
confess that ,i know nothing at all4    
,having said this1 he withdrew1 full of 
confusion and self-contempt1  beginning 

to be conscious to himself that he was  
indeed a person of  little or no account
 at all4 ,nor was he the only person    
whom ,socrates  had thus convinced of   
their ignorance and insufficiency1      
several of whom  never came more to see 
him1 and valued him the less for it4    
,but  ,euthydemus did not act like them4
 ,on the contrary1 he believed it       
impossible for him to improve his parts 
but by frequently conversing with       
,socrates1 insomuch that he never left  
him1 unless some business of moment     
called him away1 and he even took       
delight to imitate some of his actions4 
,socrates1 seeing him thus altered from 
what he was1 was tender of saying       
anything to him that might irritate or  
discourage him2 but took care to  speak 
more freely and plainly to him of the   
things he ought to know and  apply      
himself to4        ,,chapter ,,iii4     
,,proofs ,,of ,a ,,kind ,,superintending
 ,,providence4--,,what ,,returns  ,,of  
,,gratitude ,,and ,,duty ,,men ,,ought  

,,to ,,make ,,to ,,god ,,for ,,his      
,,favours4--,,an  ,,honest ,,and ,,good 
,,life ,,the ,,best ,,song ,,of         
,,thanksgiving ,,or ,,the ,,most        
,,acceptable  ,,sacrifice ,,to ,,the    
,,deity4      ,as ,socrates considered  
virtue and piety as the two grand       
pillars of a  ,state1 and was fully     
persuaded that all other qualifications 
whatever1  without the knowledge and    
practice of these1 would1 instead of    
enabling  men to do good1 serve1 on the 
contrary1 to render them more wicked and
  more capable of doing mischief4 ,for  
that reason he never pressed his        
friends to enter into any public office 
until he had first instructed  them in  
their duty to ,god and mankind4 ,but1   
above all1 he endeavoured to  instil    
into their minds pious sentiments of the
 ,deity1 frequently  displaying before  
them high and noble descriptions of the 
,divine power1  wisdom1 and goodness4   
,but seeing several have already written
 what they  had heard him say in divers 

occasions upon this subject1 ,i will    
content  myself with relating some      
things which he said to ,euthydemus when
 ,i  myself was present4    ,have you   
never reflected1 ,euthydemus1 on the    
great goodness of the ,deity  in giving 
to men whatever they want8 ,indeed1 ,i  
never have1 answered  he4 ,you see1     
replied ,socrates1 how very necessary   
light is for us1  and how the gods give 
it us4 ,you say true1 answered          
,euthydemus1 and  without light we      
should be like the blind4 ,but because  
we have need of  repose they have given 
us the night to rest in2 the night1     
which1 of all  times1 is the fittest for
 repose4 ,you are in the right1 said    
,euthydemus1 and we ought to render them
 many praises for it4  ,moreover1       
continued ,socrates1 as the sun is a    
luminous body1 and by  the brightness of
 his beams discovers to us all visible  
things1 and shows  us the hours of the  
day2 and as1 on the contrary1 the night 
is dusky and  obscure1 they have made   

the stars to appear1 which1 during the  
absence of  the day1 mark the hours to  
us1 by which means we can do many things
 we  have occasion for4 ,they have      
likewise made the moon to shine1 which  
not  only shows us the hours of the     
night1 but teaches us to know the time  
of  the month4 ,all this is true1 said  
,euthydemus4 ,have you not taken  notice
 likewise that having need of           
nourishment1 they supply us with it  by 
the means of the earth8 ,how excellently
 the seasons are ordered for  the fruits
 of the earth1 of which we have such an 
abundance1 and so great  a variety1 that
 we find1 not only wherewith to supply  
our real wants but  to satisfy even     
luxury itself4 ,this goodness of the    
gods1 cried  ,euthydemus1 is an evidence
 of the great love they bear to men4    
,what  say you1 continued ,socrates1 to 
their having given us water1 which is   
so necessary for all things8 ,for it is 
that which assists the earth to  produce
 the fruits1 and that contributes1 with 

the influences from above1  to bring    
them to maturity2 it helps to nourish   
us1 and by being mingled  with what we  
eat1 makes it more easily got ready1    
more useful1 and more  delightful2 in   
short1 being of so universal an use1 is 
it not an  admirable providence that has
 made it so common8 ,what say you to    
their  having given us fire1 which      
defends us from cold1 which lights us   
when it  is dark1 which is necessary to 
us in all trades1 and which we cannot be
  without in the most excellent and     
useful inventions of men8 ,without      
exaggeration1 said ,euthydemus1 this    
goodness is immense4 ,what say  you1    
besides1 pursued ,socrates1 to see that 
after the winter the sun  comes back to 
us1 and that proportionably as he brings
 the new fruits to  maturity1 he withers
 and dries those whose season is going  
over2 that  after having done us this   
service he retires that his heat may not
  incommode us2 and then1 when he is    
gone back to a certain point1 which he  

cannot transgress1 without putting us in
 danger of dying with cold1 he  returns 
again to retake his place in this part  
of the heavens1 where his  presence is  
most advantageous to us8 ,and because we
 should not be able  to support either  
cold or heat1 if we passed in an instant
 from one  extreme to the other1 do you 
not admire that this planet approaches  
us  and withdraws himself from us by so 
just and slow degrees1 that we arrive   
at the two extremes without almost      
perceiving the change8 ,all these       
things1 said ,euthydemus1 make me doubt 
whether the gods have anything  to do   
but to serve mankind4 ,one thing puts me
 to a stand1 that the  irrational       
animals participate of all these        
advantages with us4 ,how6  said         
,socrates1 and do you then doubt whether
 the animals themselves are  in the     
world for any other end than for the    
service of man8 ,what other  animals do1
 like us1 make use of horses1 of oxen1  
of dogs1 of goats1 and  of the rest8    

,nay1 ,i am of opinion1 that man        
receives not so much  advantage from the
 earth as from the animals2 for the     
greatest part of  mankind live not on   
the fruits of the earth1 but nourish    
themselves with  milk1 cheese1 and the  
flesh of beasts2 they get the mastery   
over them1  they make them tame1 and use
 them to their great advantage in war   
and for  the other necessities of life4 
,i own it1 said ,euthydemus1 for some   
of them are much stronger than man1 and 
yet are so obedient to him1 that  he    
does with them whatever he pleases4     
,admire yet further the goodness of the 
gods1 said ,socrates1 and  consider1    
that as there is in the world an        
infinite number of excellent  and useful
 things1 but of very different natures1 
they have given us  external senses1    
which correspond to each of those       
sensible objects1 and  by means of which
 senses we can perceive and enjoy all of
 them4 ,they  have1 besides1 endued us  
with reason and understanding1 which    

enableth us  to discern between those   
things that the senses discover to us1  
to  inquire into the different natures  
of things useful and things hurtful1    
and so to know by experience which to   
choose and which to reject4 ,they  have 
likewise given us speech1 by means      
whereof we communicate our  thoughts to 
each other1 and instruct one another in 
the knowledge of  whatever is excellent 
and good2 by which also we publish our  
laws and  govern ,states4 ,in fine1 as  
we cannot always foresee what is to     
happen to  us1 nor know what it will be 
best for us to do1 the gods offer us    
likewise their assistance by the means  
of the oracles2 they discover the       
future to us when we go to consult them1
 and teach us how to behave  ourselves  
in the affairs of life4    ,here        
,euthydemus1 interrupting him1 said1    
,and indeed these gods are in  this     
respect more favourable to you than to  
the rest of mankind1 since1  without    
expecting you to consult them1 they give

 you notice of what you  ought or ought 
not to do4 ,you will allow1 therefore1  
that ,i told you  true1 said ,socrates1 
when ,i told you there were gods1 and   
that they  take great care of men2 but  
expect not that they will appear to you1
 and  present themselves before your    
eyes4 ,let it suffice you to behold     
their  works1 and to adore them1 and be 
persuaded that this is the way by which 
they manifest themselves to men1 for    
among all the gods that are so  liberal 
to us there is not one who renders      
himself visible to confer on  us his    
favours4 ,and that ,supreme ,god1 who   
built the universe1 and who  supports   
this great work1 whose every part is    
accomplished in beauty and  goodness2   
,he1 who is the cause that none of its  
parts grow old with time1  and that they
 preserve themselves always in an       
immortal vigour1 who is  the cause1     
besides1 that they inviolably obey ,his 
laws with a readiness  that surpasses   
our imagination2 ,he1 ,i say1 is visible

 enough in the so  many wondrous works  
of which ,he is author1 but our eyes    
cannot penetrate  even into ,his throne 
to behold ,him in these great           
occupations1 and in  that manner it is  
that ,he is always invisible4 ,do but   
consider that the  sun1 who seems to be 
exposed to the sight of all the world1  
does not  suffer us to gaze fixedly upon
 him1 and whoever has the temerity to   
undertake it is punished with sudden    
blindness4 ,besides1 whatever the  gods 
make use of is invisible2 the thunder is
 lanced from above1 it  shatters all it 
finds in its way1 but we see it not     
fall1 we see it not  strike1 we see it  
not return4 ,the winds are invisible1   
though we see the  desolations they     
daily make1 and easily feel when they   
grow boisterous4  ,if there be anything 
in man that partakes of the divine      
nature it is his  soul1 which1 beyond   
all dispute1 guides and governs him1 and
 yet we  cannot see it4 ,let all this1  
therefore1 teach you not to neglect or  

disbelieve the ,deity1 because ,he is   
invisible2 learn to know ,his presence  
and power from the visible effects of it
 in the world around you2 be  persuaded 
of the universal care and providence of 
the all-surrounding  ,deity from the    
blessings ,he showers down upon all ,his
 creatures1 and be  sure to worship and 
serve this ,god in a becoming manner4   
,i am sure1 said ,euthydemus1 ,i shall  
never derogate from the respect  due to 
the gods2 and ,i am even troubled that  
every man cannot  sufficiently          
acknowledge the benefits he receives    
from them4 ,be not  afflicted at that1  
said ,socrates1 for you know what answer
 the ,delphian  ,oracle is wont to      
return to those who inquire what they   
ought to do in  order to make an        
acceptable sacrifice4 ',follow the      
custom of your  country1' says he to    
them4 ,now1 it is a custom received in  
all places  for every man to sacrifice  
to them according to his power2 and by  
consequence there is no better nor more 

pious a way of honouring the gods  than 
that1 since they themselves ordain and  
approve it4 ,it is indeed a  truth that 
we ought not to spare anything of what  
we are able to offer1  for that would be
 a manifest contempt4 ,when1 therefore1 
a man has done  all that is in his power
 to do1 he ought to fear nothing and    
hope all2  for1 from whence can we      
reasonably hope for more1 than from     
those in  whose power it is to do us the
 greatest good8 ,and by what other way  
can  we more easily obtain it1 than by  
making ourselves acceptable to them8    
,and how can we better make ourselves   
acceptable to them1 than by doing  their
 will8    ,this is what ,socrates       
taught1 and by this doctrine1 which was 
always  accompanied with an exemplary   
devotion1 he greatly advanced his       
friends  in piety4        ,,chapter     
,,iv4 ,,instances ,,of ,,the            
,,inviolable ,,integrity ,,of           
,,socrates4--,,his  ,,conversation      
,,with ,,hippias ,,concerning ,,justice4

      ,concerning justice1 it cannot be 
said that ,socrates concealed his       
opinion  of it1 for he plainly revealed 
his sentiments by his actions1 as well  
in  public as in private1 making it his 
business to serve every man1 and to     
obey the magistrates and the laws2      
insomuch1 that as well in the army as   
in the city1 his obedience and          
uprightness rendered him remarkable     
above  all others4 ,he fully discovered 
the integrity of his soul1 when he      
presided in the assemblies of the       
people2 he would never pass a decree    
that was contrary to the laws2 he alone 
defended the cause of justice  against  
the efforts of the multitude1 and       
opposed a violence which no man  but    
himself was able to resist4 ,again1 when
 the ,thirty commanded him  anything    
that was unjust1 he did not obey them4  
,thus1 when they forbid  him to speak to
 the young men1 he regarded not their   
inhibition1 and when  they gave orders  
to him1 as well as to some other        

citizens1 to bring  before them a       
certain man1 whom they intended to put  
to death1 he alone  would do nothing in 
it1 because that order was unjust4 ,in  
like manner  when he was accused by     
,melitus1 though in such occasions      
others endeavour  to gain their judges  
by flatteries and ignominious           
solicitations1 which  often procure them
 their pardon1 he would not put in      
practice any of  these mean artifices   
that are repugnant to the laws1 and yet 
he might  very easily have got himself  
acquitted1 if he could have prevailed   
with  himself to comply in the least    
with the custom1 but he chose rather to 
die in an exact observance of the laws1 
than to save his life by acting         
contrary to them1 for he utterly        
abhorred all mean or indirect practices2
  and this was the answer he gave to    
several of his friends who advised him  
to the contrary4    ,since ,i am now    
illustrating the character of ,socrates 
with regard to  justice1 ,i will1 at the

 same time1 relate a conversation ,i    
remember he  had with ,hippias of ,elis 
on that subject4    ,it was a long while
 that ,hippias had not been at ,athens2 
and being  arrived there1 he happened to
 come to a place where ,socrates was    
discoursing with some persons1 and      
telling them that if any one had a  mind
 to learn a trade1 there wanted not     
masters to teach him2 nay1 that  if one 
would have a horse trained up there were
 persons enough to  undertake it2 but   
that if one desired to learn to be a    
good man1 or to  have his son1 or any of
 his family taught to be so1 it would be
 difficult  to know to whom to apply    
himself4 ,hippias rallying him1         
said3--,what6  ,socrates1 you are still 
repeating the same things ,i heard you  
say so long  ago4 ,nay1 more1 replied   
,socrates1 and always upon the same     
subject2  but you1 perhaps1 being       
learned as you are1 do not always say   
the same  thing upon the same subject4  
,indeed1 said ,hippias1 ,i always       

endeavour to say something new4 ,is it  
possible1 replied ,socrates8  ,pray tell
 me if you were asked how many letters  
there are in my name1  and which they   
are1 would you answer sometimes in one  
manner and  sometimes in another8 ,or if
 you were asked whether twice five be   
not  ten1 would you not always say the  
same thing8 ,in subjects like those1    
said ,hippias1 ,i should be obliged to  
say the same thing as well as you2  but 
since we are upon the theme of justice1 
,i believe ,i can now say some  things  
of it1 against which1 neither you nor   
any man else can make any  objection4   
,good ,god6 cried ,socrates1 what a     
mighty boast is here6  ,upon my word1   
,hippias1 you have made an admirable    
discovery6 and you have  reason to value
 yourself upon it2 for1 let me tell you1
 if you can  establish one single       
opinion of justice1 the judges will be  
no longer  divided in their sentiments1 
there will be no more quarrels1 no more 
suits at law1 no more seditions among   

citizens1 no more wars between          
republics4 ,indeed1 it much troubles me 
to leave you before you have  taught me 
this secret1 which you say you have     
discovered4 ,i give you  my word1       
answered ,hippias1 that ,i will tell you
 nothing of it1 till you  have first    
declared your own opinion concerning    
justice2 for it is your  old way to     
interrogate others1 and then to laugh at
 them by refuting what  they have said2 
but you never make known your own       
opinions1 that you may  not be obliged  
to give a reason for them4 ,why do you  
lay this to my  charge1 said ,socrates1 
since ,i am continually showing to all  
the world  what are the things ,i       
believe to be just8 ,how do you show it8
 said  ,hippias4 ,if ,i explain it not  
by my words1 answered ,socrates1 my     
actions speak it sufficiently2 and do   
you think that actions deserve not      
rather to be believed than words8 ,much 
rather1 said ,hippias1 because  many may
 say one thing1 and do another2 nay1 we 

see that1 in fact1 many  who preach up  
justice to others are very unjust       
themselves2 but this  cannot be said of 
a man whose every action is good1 and   
that never in his  life did an unjust   
thing4 ,have you known1 then1 said      
,socrates1 that  ,i have accused any man
 out of malice1 that ,i have sown       
dissension among  friends1 that ,i have 
raised seditions in the ,republic2 in   
short1 that ,i  have committed any other
 sort of injustice8 ,not in the least1  
said  he4 ,well1 then1 added ,socrates1 
do you not take him to be just who      
commits no manner of injustice8 ,it is  
plain1 now1' said ,hippias1  that you   
intend to get loose1 and that you will  
not speak your mind  freely1 nor give us
 an exact definition of justice4 ,for   
all this while  you have only shown what
 just men do not1 but not what they do4 
,i  should have thought1 said ,socrates1
 ,i had given at once a good            
definition1 and a clear instance of     
justice1 when ,i called it an aversion  

from doing injustice4 ,but since you    
will not allow it to be so1 see  whether
 this will satisfy you3 ,i say1 then1   
that justice 'is nothing but  the       
observance of the laws4' ,you mean1 said
 ,hippias1 that to observe  the laws is 
to be just8 ,yes1 answered ,socrates4 ,i
 cannot comprehend  your thought1 said  
,hippias4 ,do you not know1 pursued     
,socrates1 what  the laws in a ,state   
are8 ,the laws1 answered ,hippias1 are  
what the  citizens have ordained by an  
universal consent4 ,then1 inferred      
,socrates1 he who lives conformably to  
those ordinances observes the  laws2 and
 he who acts contrary to them is a      
transgressor of the laws4  ,you say     
true4 ,is it not likewise true1         
continued ,socrates1 that he  who obeys 
these ordinances does justly1 and that  
he obeys them not does  unjustly8 ,yes4 
,but1 said ,socrates1 he who acts justly
 is just1  and he who acts unjustly is  
unjust8 ,without doubt4 ,therefore1 said
  ,socrates1 whosoever observes the laws

 is just1 and whosoever observes  them  
not is unjust4 ,but how can it be       
imagined1 objected ,hippias1  that the  
laws are a good thing1 and that it is   
good to obey them1 since  even they that
 made them mend1 alter1 and repeal them 
so often8 ,to this  ,socrates answered1 
,when you blame those who obey the laws1
 because they  are subject to be        
abrogated1 you do the same thing as if  
you laughed at  your enemies for keeping
 themselves in a good posture of defence
 during  the war1 because you might tell
 them that the peace will one day be    
made3  and thus you would condemn those 
who generously expose their lives for   
the service of their country4 ,do you   
know1 added he1 that ,lycurgus  could   
never have rendered the ,republic of    
,sparta more excellent than  other      
,states if he had not made it his chief 
care to incline the citizens  most      
exactly to observe the laws8 ,this1 too1
 is what all good  magistrates aim at1  
because a ,republic that is obedient to 

the laws is  happy in peace1 and        
invincible in war4 ,moreover1 you know  
that concord  is a great happiness in a 
,state4 ,it is daily recommended to the 
people2  and it is an established custom
 all over ,greece to make the citizens  
swear to live in good understanding with
 one another1 and each of them  takes an
 oath to do so4 ,now1 ,i do not believe 
that this unity is exacted  of them1    
only that they might choose the same    
company of comedians1 or of  musicians1 
nor that they might give their          
approbation to the same poets1  or all  
take delight in the same diversions1 but
 that they may all  unanimously obey the
 laws1 because that obedience is the    
security and the  happiness of the      
,state4 ,concord1 therefore1 is so      
necessary1 that  without it good polity 
and authority cannot subsist in any     
,state1 nor  good economy and order in  
any family4    ,in our private capacity1
 likewise1 how advantageous is it to    
obey the  laws8 ,by what means can we   

more certainly avoid punishments1 and   
deserve  rewards8 ,what more prudent    
conduct can we observe1 always to gain  
our  suits at law1 and never to be cast6
 ,to whom should we with greater        
confidence trust our estates or our     
children1 than to him who makes a       
conscience of observing the laws8 ,who  
can deserve more of his country8  whom  
can she more safely entrust with public 
posts1 and on whom can she  more justly 
bestow the highest honours1 than on the 
good and honest man8  ,who will         
discharge himself better of his duty    
towards his father or his  mother1      
towards his relations or his domestics1 
towards his friends1 his                
fellow-citizens1 or his guests8 ,to whom
 will the enemy rather trust for  the   
observing of a truce1 or for the        
performance of a treaty of peace8  ,with
 whom would we rather choose to make an 
alliance8 ,to whom will the  allies more
 readily give the command of their      
armies1 or the government  of their     

towns8 ,from whom can we rather hope for
 a grateful return of a  kindness than  
from a man who strictly obeys the laws8 
and1 by  consequence1 to whom will men  
be more ready to do good turns1 than to 
him  of whose gratitude they are        
certain8 ,with whom will men be better  
pleased to contract a friendship1 and1  
consequently1 against whom will  men be 
less inclined to commit acts of         
hostility1 than against that  person who
 has everybody for his well-wisher and  
friend1 and few or none  for his        
ill-wishers or enemies8 ,these1         
,hippias1 are the advantages of         
observing the laws4 ,and now1 having    
shown you that the observance of the    
laws is the same thing with justice1 if 
you are of another opinion1 pray  let me
 know it4 ,indeed1 ,socrates1 answered  
,hippias1 what you have  said of justice
 agrees exactly with my sentiments of   
it4 ,have you  never heard1 continued   
,socrates1 of certain laws that are not 
written8  ,you mean the laws1 answered  

,hippias1 which are received all over   
the  earth4 ,do you think1 then1 added  
,socrates1 that it was all mankind  that
 made them8 ,that is impossible1 said   
,hippias1 because all men  cannot be    
assembled in the same place1 and they   
speak not all of them the  same         
language4 ,who1 then1 do you think gave 
us these laws8 ,the  gods1 answered     
,hippias2 for the first command to all  
men is to adore  the gods4 ,and is it   
not likewise commanded everywhere to    
honour one's  father and mother8 ,yes1  
certainly1 said ,hippias4 ,socrates went
  on3--,and that fathers and mothers    
should not marry with their own         
children1 is not that too a general     
command8 ,no1 answered ,hippias1  this  
last law is not a ,divine law1 because  
,i see some persons transgress  it4     
,they observe not the others better1    
said ,socrates2 but take  notice1 that  
no man violates with impunity a law     
established by the gods4  ,there are    
unavoidable punishments annexed to this 

crime2 but we easily  secure ourselves  
from the rigour of human laws1 after we 
have  transgressed them1 either by      
keeping ourselves hid1 or defending     
ourselves by open force4 ,and what is   
this punishment1 said ,hippias1  which  
it is impossible for fathers1 who marry 
with their own children1  to avoid8 ,it 
is very great1 said ,socrates2 for what 
can be more  afflicting to men1 who     
desire to have children than to have    
very bad  ones8 ,and how do you know1   
pursued ,hippias1 that they will have   
bad  children8 ,what shall hinder them1 
if they are virtuous themselves1 from   
having children that are so likewise8   
,it is not enough1 answered  ,socrates1 
that the father and the mother be       
virtuous3 they must1  besides1 be both  
of them in the vigour and perfection of 
their age4 ,now1  do you believe1 that  
the seed of persons who are too young1  
or who are  already in their declining  
age1 is equal to that of persons who are
 in  their full strength8 ,it is not    

likely that it is1 said ,hippias4 ,and  
which is the best8 pursued ,socrates4   
,without doubt1 said ,hippias1  that of 
a man in his strength4 ,it follows1     
then1 continued ,socrates1  that the    
seed of persons who are not yet come to 
their full strength1 or  who are past   
it1 is not good4 ,in all appearance it  
is not4 ,in those  ages1 then1 we ought 
not to get children8 said ,socrates4 ,i 
think so4  ,such1 therefore1 as indulge 
their lust in such untimely fruition    
will  have very weakly children8 ,i     
grant they will4 ,and are not weakly    
children bad ones8 ,they are1 said      
,hippias4    ,tell me1 further1 said    
,socrates1 is it not an universal law to
 do good  to those who have done good to
 us8 ,yes1 said ,hippias1 but many      
offend against this law4 ,and they are  
punished for it1 replied  ,socrates1    
seeing their best friends abandon them1 
and that they are  obliged to follow    
those who have an aversion for them4    
,for are not they  the best friends who 

do kindnesses whenever they are desired8
 ,and if he  who has received a favour  
neglect to acknowledge it1 or return it 
ill1  does he not incur their hate by   
his ingratitude8 ,and yet1 finding his  
advantage in preserving their goodwill1 
is it not to them that he makes  his    
court with most assiduity8 ,it is       
evident1 said ,hippias1 that it  is the 
gods who have ordered these things2 for1
 when ,i consider that each  law carries
 with it the punishment of the          
transgressor1 ,i confess it to  be the  
work of a more excellent legislator than
 man4 ,and do you  think1 said          
,socrates1 that the gods make laws that 
are unjust8 ,on  the contrary1 answered 
,hippias1 it is very difficult for any  
but the  gods to make laws that are     
just4 ,therefore1 ,hippias1 said        
,socrates1  according to the gods       
themselves 'to obey the laws is to be   
just4'    ,this is what ,socrates said  
on the subject of justice1 and his      
actions  being conformable to his words1

 he from day to day created a greater   
love  of justice in the minds of those  
who frequented him4        ,,chapter ,v4
 ,,of ,,the ,,mischiefs ,,of            
,,intemperance1 ,,and ,,the ,,advantages
 ,,of  ,,sobriety4      ,i will now set 
down the arguments that ,socrates used  
to bring his friends  to the practice of
 good actions1 for being of opinion that
 temperance is  a great advantage to    
such as desire to do anything that is   
excellent1 he  first showed them1 by his
 way of living1 that no man was more    
advanced  than himself in the exercise  
of that virtue2 and in his conferences  
he  exhorted his hearers above all      
things to the practice of it1 and his   
thoughts being continually employed in  
the means of arriving to be  virtuous1  
he made it likewise the subject of all  
his discourses4    ,i remember that     
talking once with ,euthydemus concerning
 temperance he  delivered himself to    
this effect3--,in your opinion1         
,euthydemus1 is  liberty a very valuable

 thing8 ,to be valued above all things1 
answered ,euthydemus4 ,do you believe   
that a man who is a slave to  sensual   
pleasures1 and finds himself incapable  
of doing good1 enjoys his  liberty8 ,not
 in the least4 ,you allow1 then1 that to
 do good is to  be free1 and that to be 
prevented from doing it1 by any obstacle
  whatever1 is not to be free8 ,i think 
so1 said ,euthydemus4 ,you  believe1    
then1 said ,socrates1 that debauched    
persons are not free8 ,i  do4 ,do you   
believe likewise1 continued ,socrates1  
that debauchery  does not only hinder   
from doing good1 but compels to do ill8 
,i think  it does4 ,what would you say1 
then1 of a master who should hinder you 
from applying yourself to what is       
honest1 and force you to undertake some 
infamous occupation8 ,i would say he was
 a very wicked master1  answered        
,euthydemus4 ,and which is the worst of 
all slaveries8 added  ,socrates4 ,to    
serve ill masters1 said ,euthydemus4    
,therefore1  inferred ,socrates1 the    

debauched are in a miserable slavery4   
,no doubt  of it4 ,is it not debauchery1
 likewise1 said ,socrates1 that deprives
  men of their wisdom1 the noblest gift 
of the gods1 and drives them into       
ignorance and stupidity1 and all manner 
of disorders8 ,it robs them of  leisure 
to apply themselves to things           
profitable1 while it drowns them in     
sensual pleasures2 and it seizes their  
minds to that degree that1 though  they 
often know which is the best way1 they  
are miserably engaged in the  worst4    
,they are so4 ,nor can we expect to find
 temperance nor  modesty in a debauched 
person1 since the actions of temperance 
and  debauchery are entirely opposite4  
,there is no doubt of it1 said          
,euthydemus4 ,i do not think neither1   
added ,socrates1 that it is  possible to
 imagine anything that makes men neglect
 their duty more than  debauchery4 ,you 
say true4 ,is there anything more       
pernicious to  man1 said ,socrates1 than
 that which robs him of his judgment1   

makes him  embrace and cherish things   
that are hurtful1 avoid and neglect what
 is  profitable1 and lead a life        
contrary to that of good men8 ,there is 
nothing1 said ,euthydemus4 ,socrates    
went on3--,and may we not ascribe  the  
contrary effects to temperance8 ,without
 doubt4 ,and is it not  likely to be    
true that the cause of the contrary     
effects is good8 ,most  certainly4 ,it  
follows1 then1 my dear ,euthydemus1 said
 ,socrates1 that  temperance is a very  
good thing8 ,undoubtedly it is4 ,but    
have you  reflected1 pursued ,socrates1 
that debauchery1 which pretends to lead 
men to pleasures1 cannot conduct them   
thither1 but deceives them1 leaving     
them in disappointment1 satiety1 and    
disgust8 and have you considered  that  
temperance and sobriety alone give us   
the true taste of pleasures8  ,for it is
 the nature of debauchery not to endure 
hunger nor thirst1 nor  the fatigue of  
being long awake1 nor the vehement      
desires of love1 which1  nevertheless1  

are the true dispositions to eat and    
drink with delight1  and to find an     
exquisite pleasure in the soft          
approaches of sleep1 and in  the        
enjoyments of love4 ,this is the reason 
that the intemperate find  less         
satisfaction in these actions1 which are
 necessary and frequently  done4 ,but   
temperance1 which accustoms us to wait  
for the necessity1 is  the only thing   
that makes us feel an extreme pleasure  
in these  occasions4 ,you are in the    
right1 said ,euthydemus4 ,it is this    
virtue1 too1 said ,socrates1 that puts  
men in a condition of bringing to  a    
state of perfection both the mind and   
the body1 of rendering themselves       
capable of well governing their         
families1 of being serviceable to their 
friends and their country1 and of       
overcoming their enemies1 which is not  
only very agreeable on account of the   
advantages1 but very desirable  likewise
 for the satisfaction that attends it4  
,but the debauched know  none of this1  

for what share can they pretend to in   
virtuous actions1  they whose minds are 
wholly taken up in the pursuit of       
present  pleasures8 ,according to what  
you say1 replied ,euthydemus1 a man     
given to voluptuousness is unfit for any
 virtue4 ,and what difference  is there1
 said ,socrates1 between an irrational  
animal and a voluptuous  man1 who has no
 regard to what is best1 but blindly    
pursues what is most  delightful8 ,it   
belongs to the temperate only to inquire
 what things are  best and what not1 and
 then1 after having found out the       
difference by  experience and reasoning1
 to embrace the good and avoid the bad1 
which  renders them at once most happy1 
most virtuous1 and most prudent4        
,this was the sum of this conference    
with ,euthydemus4 ,now ,socrates said   
that conferences were so called because 
the custom was to meet and confer       
together1 in order to distinguish things
 according to their different  species1 
and he advised the frequent holding of  

these conferences1  because it is an    
exercise that improves and makes men    
truly great1  teaches them to become    
excellent politicians1 and ripens the   
judgment and  understanding4            
,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,socrates' ,,friends   
,,attain1 ,,by ,,frequenting ,,his      
,,conversation1  ,,an ,,excellent ,,way 
,,of ,,reasoning4--,,the ,,method ,,he  
,,observed ,,in ,,arguing ,,shown  ,,in 
,,several ,,instances4--,,of ,,the      
,,different ,,sorts ,,of                
,,government4--,,how  ,,socrates        
,,defended ,,his ,,opinions4      ,i    
will show1 in the next place1 how       
,socrates' friends learnt to reason so  
well by frequenting his conversation4   
,he held that they who perfectly        
understand the nature of things can     
explain themselves very well  concerning
 them1 but that a man who has not that  
knowledge often deceives  himself and   
others likewise4 ,he therefore          
perpetually conferred with his  friends 
without ever being weary of that        

exercise4 ,it would be very  difficult  
to relate how he defined every          
particular thing4 ,i will  therefore    
mention only what ,i think sufficient to
 show what method he  observed in       
reasoning4 ,and1 in the first place1 let
 us see how he argues  concerning piety4
    ,tell me1 said he to ,euthydemus1   
what piety is8 ,it is a very  excellent 
thing1 answered ,euthydemus4 ,and who is
 a pious man8 said  ,socrates4 ,a man   
who serves the gods4 ,is it lawful1     
added ,socrates1  to serve the gods in  
what manner we please8 ,by no means1    
said  ,euthydemus2 there are laws made  
for that purpose1 which must be kept4   
,he1 then1 who keeps these laws will    
know how he ought to serve the  gods8 ,i
 think so4 ,and is it not true1         
continued ,socrates1 that he  who knows 
one way of serving the gods believes    
there is no better a way  than his8     
,that is certain4 ,and will he not be   
careful how he does  otherwise8 ,i      
believe he will4 ,he1 then1 who knows   

the laws that  ought to be observed in  
the service of the gods1 will serve them
  according to the laws8 ,without doubt4
 ,but he who serves the gods as  the    
laws direct1 serves them as he ought8   
,true1 he does4 ,and he who  serves the 
gods as he ought is pious8 ,there can be
 no doubt of it4  ,thus1 then1 said     
,socrates1 we have the true definition  
of a pious man3  ,he who knows in what  
manner he ought to serve the gods8 ,i   
think so1  said ,euthydemus4    ,tell me
 further1 continued ,socrates1 is it    
lawful for men to behave  themselves to 
one another as they please8 ,in nowise1 
answered  ,euthydemus2 there are also   
certain laws which they ought to observe
  among themselves4 ,and do they1 said  
,socrates1 who live together  according 
to those laws1 live as they ought8 ,yes4
 ,and do they who  live as they ought   
live well8 ,certainly they do4 ,and does
 he who  knows how to live well with men
 understand well how to govern his      
affairs8 ,it is likely that he may4     

,now1 do you believe1 said  ,socrates1  
that some men obey the laws without     
knowing what the laws  command8 ,i do   
not believe it4 ,and when a man knows   
what he ought to  do1 do you think he   
believes that he ought not to do it8 ,i 
do not  think so4 ,and do you know any  
men who do otherwise than they believe  
they ought to do8 ,none at all4 ,they1  
then1 who know the laws that  men ought 
to observe among themselves1 do what    
those laws command8 ,i  believe so4 ,and
 do they who do what the laws command1  
do what is  just8 ,most surely4 ,and    
they who do what is just are just       
likewise8  ,none but they are so4 ,we   
may1 therefore1 well conclude1 said     
,socrates1 that the just are they who   
know the laws that men ought to  observe
 among themselves8 ,i grant it1 said    
,euthydemus4    ,and as for wisdom1     
pursued ,socrates1 what shall we say it 
is8 ,tell me  whether are men said to be
 wise in regard to the things they know1
 or in  regard to those they do not     

know8 ,there can be no doubt1 answered  
,euthydemus1 but that it is in          
consideration of what they know2 for how
  can a man be wise in things he knows  
not8 ,then1 said ,socrates1 men  are    
wise on account of their knowledge8 ,it 
cannot be otherwise4 ,is  wisdom        
anything but what renders us wise8 ,no4 
,wisdom therefore is  only knowledge8 ,i
 think so4 ,and do you believe1 said    
,socrates1  that it is in the power of a
 man to know everything8 ,not so much as
  even the hundredth part4 ,it is1 then1
 impossible1 said ,socrates1 to  find a 
man who is wise in all things8 ,indeed  
it is1 said ,euthydemus4  ,it follows1  
then1 said ,socrates1 that every man is 
wise in what he  knows8 ,i believe so4  
,but can we1 by this same way of        
comparison1 judge of the nature of      
good8 ,as how8 said ,euthydemus4 ,do you
 think1 said ,socrates1 that  the same  
thing is profitable to all men8 ,by no  
means4 ,do you  believe that the same   
thing may be profitable to one and      

hurtful to  another8 ,i think it may4   
,then is it not the good that is        
profitable8 ,yes1 certainly4 ,therefore1
 'what is profitable is a  good to him  
to whom it is profitable4' ,that is     
true4    ,is it not the same with what  
is beautiful8 ,for1 can you say that a  
body  or a vessel is beautiful and      
proper for all the world8 ,by no means4 
,you will say1 then1 that it is         
beautiful in regard to the thing for    
which it is proper8 ,yes4 ,but tell me  
whether what is reputed  beautiful for  
one thing has the same relation to      
another as to that to  which it is      
proper8 ,no4 ,then 'whatever is of any  
use is reputed  beautiful in regard to  
the thing to which that use relates8' ,i
 think  so4    ,and what say you of     
courage8 added ,socrates4 ,is it an     
excellent  thing8 ,very excellent1      
answered ,euthydemus4 ,but do you       
believe it  to be of use in occasions of
 little moment8 ,yes2 but it is         
necessary  in great affairs4 ,do you    

think it of great advantage in dangers1 
continued ,socrates1 not to perceive the
 peril we are in8 ,i am not of  that    
opinion4 ,at that rate1 said ,socrates1 
they who are not  frightened because    
they see not the danger are in nowise   
valiant4 ,there  is no doubt of it1 said
 ,euthydemus1 for otherwise there would 
be some  fools1 and even cowards1 who   
must be accounted brave4 ,and what are  
they who fear what is not to be feared8 
,they are less brave than the  others1  
answered ,euthydemus4 ,they therefore1  
said ,socrates1 who show  themselves    
valiant in dangerous occasions1 are they
 whom you call brave2  and they who     
behave themselves in them unworthily1   
are they whom you call  cowards8 ,very  
right4 ,do you think1 added ,socrates1  
that any men  are valiant in such       
occasions except they who know how to   
behave  themselves in them8 ,i do not   
think there are4 ,and are not they1 who 
behave themselves unworthily1 the same  
as they who know not how to behave      

themselves8 ,i believe they are4 ,and   
does not every man behave  himself as he
 believes he ought to do8 ,without      
doubt4 ,shall we say1  then1 that they  
who behave themselves ill know how they 
ought to behave  themselves8 ,by no     
means4 ,they1 therefore1 who know how to
 behave  themselves1 are they who behave
 themselves well8 ,they and no others4  
,let us conclude1 then1 said ,socrates1 
that they who know how to behave        
themselves well in dangers and difficult
 occasions are the brave1 and  that they
 who know not how to do so are the      
cowards4 ,that is my  opinion1 said     
,euthydemus4    ,socrates was wont to   
say1 that a kingly government and a     
tyrannical  government were indeed two  
sorts of monarchy1 and that there was   
this  difference between them2 that1    
under a kingly government1 the subjects 
obeyed willingly1 and that everything   
was done according to the laws of  the  
,state2 but that1 under a tyrannical    
government1 the people obeyed by  force1

 and that all the laws were reduced to  
the sole will of the  sovereign4        
,concerning the other sorts of          
government1 he said3 ,that when the     
offices  of a ,republic are given to the
 good citizens1 this sort of ,state was 
called aristocracy1 or government of    
good men2 when1 on the contrary1 the    
magistrates were chosen according to    
their revenues1 it was called a         
plutocracy1 or government of the rich2  
and when all the people are  admitted1  
without distinction1 to bear            
employments1 it is a democracy1 or      
popular government4    ,if any one      
opposed the opinion of ,socrates1 on any
 affair whatever1  without giving a     
convincing reason1 his custom was to    
bring back the  discourse to the first  
proposition1 and to begin by that to    
search for  the truth4 ,for example3 if 
,socrates had commended any particular  
person1  and any stander-by had named   
another1 and pretended that he was more 
valiant1 or more experienced in affairs1

 he would have defended his  opinion in 
the following manner3--    ,you pretend1
 would he have said1 that he of whom you
 speak is a better  citizen than the    
person whom ,i was praising4 ,let us    
consider what is the  duty of a good    
citizen1 and what man is most esteemed  
in a ,republic4 ,will  you not grant me1
 that in relation to the management of  
the public  revenue1 he is in the       
highest esteem who1 while he has that   
office1 saves  the ,republic most money8
 ,in regard to the war1 it is he who    
gains most  victories over the enemies4 
,if we are to enter into a treaty with  
other  ,states1 it is he who can        
dexterously win over to the party of the
  ,republic those who before opposed its
 interests4 ,if we are to have  regard  
to what passes in the assemblies of the 
people1 it is he who  breaks the cabals1
 who appeases the seditious1 who        
maintains concord and  unity among the  
citizens4 ,this being granted him1 he   
applied these  general rules to the     

dispute in question1 and made the truth 
plainly  appear1 even to the eyes of    
those who contradicted him4 ,as for     
himself1  when he undertook to discourse
 of anything1 he always began by the    
most  common and universally received   
propositions1 and was wont to say1 that 
the strength of the argumentation       
consisted in so doing4 ,and1 indeed1 of 
all the men ,i have ever seen1 ,i know  
none who could so easily bring  others  
to own the truth of what he had a mind  
to prove to them4 ,and he  said that    
,homer1 speaking of ,ulysses1 called him
 the certain or never-  failing orator1 
because he had the art of supporting his
 arguments upon  principles that were   
acknowledged by all men4                
,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,method ,,to ,,be     
,,observed ,,in ,,study4--,,arts ,,and  
,,sciences ,,no  ,,further ,,useful1    
,,than ,,they ,,contribute ,,to ,,render
 ,,men ,,wiser1 ,,better1 ,,or          
,,happier4--,,vain ,,and ,,unprofitable 
,,knowledge ,,to ,,be ,,rejected4       

,i presume now1 that what ,i have said  
has been a sufficient evidence of  the  
frankness and sincerity with which      
,socrates conversed with his  friends1  
and made known his opinions to them4 ,it
 remains now that ,i  should say        
something of the extreme care ,socrates 
showed for the  advancement of his      
friends1 and how much he had at heart   
that they might  not be ignorant of     
anything that could be useful to them1  
to the end they  might not want the     
assistance of others in their own       
affairs4 ,for this  reason1 he applied  
himself to examine in what each of them 
was knowing2  then1 if he thought it in 
his power to teach them anything that an
 honest  and worthy man ought to know1  
he taught them such things with         
incredible  readiness and affection2 if 
not1 he carried them himself to masters 
who  were able to instruct them4 ,but he
 resolved within himself how far a      
person who was well-educated in his     
studies ought to learn everything4      

,thus for geometry he said1 that we     
ought to know enough of it not to be    
imposed upon in measure when we buy or  
sell land1 when we divide an            
inheritance into shares1 or measure out 
the work of a labourer1 and that  it was
 so easy to know this1 that if a man    
applied himself ever so little  to the  
practice of such things1 he would soon  
learn even the extent and  circumference
 of the whole earth1 and how to measure 
it2 but he did not  approve that a man  
should dive into the very bottom of this
 science1 and  puzzle his brains with ,i
 know not what figures1 though he       
himself was  expert in it1 for he said  
he could not see what all those niceties
 and  inventions were good for1 which   
take up the whole life of a man1 and    
distract him from other more necessary  
studies4    ,in like manner he was of   
opinion that a man should employ some   
time in  astronomy1 that he might know  
by the stars the hour of the night1 what
  day of the month it is1 and what      

season of the year we are in1 in order  
that we might know when to relieve a    
sentinel in the night1 and when it  is  
best to venture out to sea1 or undertake
 a journey1 and1 in short1  that we     
might know how to do everything in its  
proper season4 ,he said  that all this  
was easily learnt by conversing with    
seamen1 or with such  as go a-hunting by
 night1 or others who profess to know   
these things2 but  he dissuaded very    
much from penetrating farther into this 
science1 as  even to know what planets  
are not in the same declination1 to     
explain all  their different motions1 to
 know how far distant they are from the 
earth1  in how long time they make their
 revolutions1 and what are their several
  influences1 for he thought these      
sciences wholly useless1 not that he was
  ignorant of them himself1 but because 
they take up all our time1 and  divert  
us from better employments4 ,in fine1 he
 could not allow of a too  curious      
inquiry into the wonderful workmanship  

of the ,deity in the  disposition of the
 universe1 that being a secret which the
 mind cannot  comprehend1 and because it
 is not an action acceptable to ,god to 
endeavour to discover what ,he would    
hide from us4 ,he held1 likewise1  that 
it was dangerous to perplex the mind    
with these sublime  speculations1 as    
,anaxagoras had done1 who pretended to  
be very knowing in  them1 for in        
teaching that the sun was the same thing
 as fire1 he does  not consider that    
fire does not dazzle the eyes1 but that 
it is  impossible to support the        
splendour of the sun4 ,he did not       
reflect1  neither1 that the sun blackens
 the sky1 which fire does not2 nor      
lastly1  that the heat of the sun is    
necessary to the earth1 in order to the 
production of trees and fruits1 but that
 the heat of fire burns and kills  them4
 ,when he said1 too1 that the sun was   
only a stone set on fire1 he  did not   
consider that a stone glitters not in   
the fire1 and cannot last  long in it   

without consuming1 whereas the sun lasts
 always1 and is an  inexhaustible source
 of light4    ,socrates advised1        
likewise1 to learn arithmetic1 but not  
to amuse  ourselves with the vain       
curiosities of that science1 having     
established  this rule in all his       
studies and in all his conferences1     
never to go  beyond what is useful4     
,he exhorted his friends to take care of
 their health1 and to that purpose  to  
consult with the learned2 and to        
observe1 besides1 each in his own       
particular1 what meat1 what drink1 and  
what exercise is best for him1 and  how 
to use them to preserve himself in      
health4 ,for when a man has thus        
studied his own constitution1 he cannot 
have a better physician than  himself4  
,if any one desired to attempt or to    
learn things that were above the  power 
or capacity of human nature1 he advised 
him to apply himself to  divination2 for
 he who knows by what means the gods    
generally signify  their mind to men1 or

 how it is they used to give them       
counsel and aid1  such a person never   
fails to obtain from the ,deity all that
 direction and  assistance that is      
necessary for him4        ,,chapter     
,,viii4 ,,behaviour ,,of ,,socrates     
,,from ,,the ,,time ,,of ,,his          
,,condemnation ,,to  ,,his              
,,death4--,,his ,,character ,,summed    
,,up ,,in ,a ,,few ,,words4      ,to    
conclude3 if1 because ,socrates was     
condemned to death1 any one should      
believe that he was a liar to say that  
he had a good demon that guided  him1   
and gave him instructions what he should
 or should not do1 let him  consider1 in
 the first place1 that he was arrived to
 such an age that if  he had not died   
when he did1 he could not have lived    
much longer2 that by  dying when he did 
he avoided the most toilsome part of    
life1 in which the  mind loses much of  
its vigour2 and that in amends for it he
 discovered to  the whole world the     
greatness of his soul1 acquired to      

himself an  immortal glory1 by the      
defence he made before his judges1 in   
behaving  himself with a sincerity1     
courage1 and probity that were indeed   
wonderful1 and in receiving his sentence
 with a patience and resolution  of mind
 never to be equalled2 for it is agreed 
by all that no man ever  suffered death 
with greater constancy than ,socrates4  
,he lived thirty days after his         
condemnation1 because the ,delian feasts
  happened in that month1 and the law   
forbids to put any man to death till    
the consecrated vessel that is sent to  
the ,isle of ,delos be come back to     
,athens4 ,during that time his friends1 
who saw him continually1 found no       
change in him2 but that he always       
retained that tranquillity of mind and  
agreeableness of temper which before had
 made all the world admire him4  ,now1  
certainly no man can die with greater   
constancy than this2 this is  doubtless 
the most glorious death that can be     
imagined2 but if it be the  most        

glorious1 it is the most happy2 and if  
it be the most happy1 it is  the most   
acceptable to the ,deity4    ,hermogenes
 has told me1 that being with him a     
little after ,melitus had  accused him1 
he observed1 that he seemed to decline  
speaking of that  affair3 from whence he
 took occasion to tell him that it would
 not be  amiss for him to think of what 
he should answer in his own             
justification4  ,to which ,socrates     
replied3 ,do you believe ,i have done   
anything else all  my life than think of
 it8 ,and ,hermogenes asking him what he
 meant by  saying so8 ,socrates told him
 that he had made it the whole business 
of  his life to examine what was just   
and what unjust2 that he had always     
cherished justice and hated injustice1  
and that he did not believe there  was  
any better way to justify himself4      
,hermogenes said further to him--,do you
 not know that judges have often        
condemned the innocent to death1 only   
because their answers offended  them1   

and that1 on the contrary1 they have    
often acquitted the guilty8  ,i know it 
very well1 answered ,socrates2 but ,i   
assure you1 that having  set myself to  
think what ,i should say to my judges1  
the demon that  advises me dissuaded me 
from it4 ,at which ,hermogenes seeming  
surprised1  ,socrates said to him1 ,why 
are you surprised that this ,god thinks 
it  better for me to leave this world   
than to continue longer in it8 ,sure1   
you are not ignorant that ,i have lived 
as well and as pleasantly as any  man1  
if to live well be1 as ,i take it1 to   
have no concern but for virtue1  and if 
to live pleasantly be to find that we   
have made some progress in  it4 ,now1 ,i
 have good reason to believe that this  
is my happy case1 that  ,i have always  
had a steady regard for virtue1 and made
 progress in it1  because ,i perceive   
that my mind1 at this time1 doth not    
misgive me1 nay1  ,i have the sincere   
testimony of my conscience that ,i have 
done my duty2  and in this belief ,i    

strengthen myself by the conversation ,i
 have had  with others1 and by comparing
 myself with them4 ,my friends1 too1    
have  believed the same thing of me1 not
 because they wish me well1 for in that 
sense every friend would think as much  
of his friend1 but because they  thought
 they advanced in virtue by my          
conversation4    ,if ,i were to live    
longer1 perhaps ,i should fall into the 
inconveniences  of old age3 perhaps my  
sight should grow dim1 my hearing fail  
me1 my  judgment become weak1 and ,i    
should have more trouble to learn1 more 
to  retain what ,i had learnt2 perhaps1 
too1 after all1 ,i should find myself   
incapable of doing the good ,i had done 
before4 ,and if1 to complete my  misery1
 ,i should have no sense of my          
wretchedness1 would not life be a       
burden to me8 ,and1 on the other hand1  
say ,i had a sense of it1 would it  not 
afflict me beyond measure8 ,as things   
now stand1 if ,i die innocent  the shame
 will fall on those who are the cause of

 my death1 since all  sort of iniquity  
is attended with shame4 ,but who will   
ever blame me  because others have not  
confessed my innocence1 nor done me     
justice8 ,past  experience lets us see  
that they who suffer injustice1 and they
 who  commit it1 leave not a like       
reputation behind them after their      
death4 ,and  thus1 if ,i die on this    
occasion1 ,i am most certain that       
posterity will  more honour my memory   
than theirs who condemn me2 for it will 
be said of  me1 that ,i never did any   
wrong1 never gave any ill advice to any 
man2 but  that ,i laboured all my life  
long to excite to virtue those who      
frequented  me4    ,this was the answer 
that ,socrates gave to ,hermogenes1 and 
to several  others4 ,in a word1 all good
 men who knew ,socrates daily regret his
 loss  to this very hour1 reflecting on 
the advantage and improvement they made 
in his company4    ,for my own part1    
having found him to be the man ,i have  
described1 that is  to say1 so pious as 

to do nothing without the advice of the 
,deity2 so  just as never to have in the
 least injured any man1 and to have done
 very  signal services to many2 so      
chaste and temperate as never to have   
preferred delight and pleasure before   
modesty and honesty2 so prudent as      
never to have mistaken in the           
discernment of good and evil1 and never 
to  have had need of the advice of      
others1 to form a right judgment of     
either2 moreover1 most capable to       
deliberate and resolve in all sorts of  
affairs1 most capable to examine into   
men1 to reprehend them for their  vices1
 and to excite them to virtue2 having1  
,i say1 found all these  perfections in 
,socrates1 ,i have always esteemed him  
the most virtuous and  most happy of all
 men2 and if any one be not of my       
opinion1 let him take  the pains to     
compare him with other men1 and judge of
 him afterwards4