The Memorable Thoughts of Socrates | Page 2

this
work, 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
Socrates. Xenophon is throughout opposing a plain tale to the false
accusations against Socrates. He does not idealise, but he feels strongly,
and he shows clearly the worth of the wisdom that touches at every
point the actual conduct of the lives of men.
H. M.

BOOK I.
CHAPTER I.
SOCRATES NOT A CONTEMNER OF THE GODS OF HIS
COUNTRY, NOR AN INTRODUCER OF NEW ONES.
I have often wondered by what show of argument the accusers of
Socrates could persuade the Athenians he had forfeited his life to the
State. For though the crimes laid unto his charge were indeed
great--"That he did not acknowledge the gods of the Republic; that he
introduced new ones"--and, farther, "had debauched the youth;" yet
none of these could, in the least, be proved against him.
For, as to the first, "That he did not worship the deities which the
Republic adored," how could this be made out against him, since,
instead of paying no homage to the gods of his country, he was
frequently seen to assist in sacrificing to them, both in his own family
and in the public temples?--perpetually worshipping them in the most
public, solemn, and religious manner.
What, in my opinion, 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
voice, which he called his Demon. But this was no proof at all of the
matter. All that Socrates advanced about his demon was no more than

what is daily advanced by those who believe in and practise divination;
and if Socrates, because he said he received intelligence from his
genius, must be accused of introducing new divinities, so also must
they; for is it not certain that those who believe in divination, and
practise that belief, do observe the flight of birds, consult the entrails of
victims, and remark even unexpected words and accidental occurrences?
But they do not, therefore, 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 future; and such, too, was
the belief of Socrates. The vulgar, indeed, imagine it to be the very
birds and things which present themselves to them that excite them to
what is good for them, or make them avoid what may hurt them; but, as
for Socrates, he freely owned that a demon was his monitor; and he
frequently told his friends beforehand what they should do, or not do,
according to the instructions he had received from his demon; and they
who believed him, and followed his advice, always found advantage by
it; as, on the contrary, they who neglected his admonitions, never failed
to repent their incredulity. Now, it cannot be denied but that he ought to
have taken care not to pass with his friends either for a liar or a
visionary; 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 him? It is, therefore, manifest that he would not have
spoken of things to come if he had not believed he said true; but how
could he believe he said true, unless he believed that the gods, who
alone ought to be trusted for the knowledge of things to come, gave
him notice of them? and, if he believed they did so, how can it be said
that he acknowledged no gods?
He likewise advised his friends to do, in the best manner they could,
the things that of necessity they were to do; but, as to those whose
events were doubtful, he sent them to the oracles to know whether they
should engage in them or not. 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 divinations; for though he indeed
held that every man may make choice of the condition of life in which
he desires to live, and that, by his industry, he may render himself

excellent in it, whether he apply himself to architecture or to agriculture,
whether he throw himself into politics or economy, whether he engage
himself in the public revenues or in the army, yet that in all these things
the gods have reserved to themselves the most important events, into
which men of themselves can in no wise penetrate. Thus he who makes
a fine plantation of trees,