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diff --git a/old/51139-0.txt b/old/51139-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index d2c763c..0000000 --- a/old/51139-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1606 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Platonis Apologia Socratis, by Plato - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Platonis Apologia Socratis - -Author: Plato - -Translator: Friedrich August Wolf - -Release Date: February 6, 2016 [EBook #51139] - -Language: Latin - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PLATONIS APOLOGIA SOCRATIS *** - - - - -Produced by Carolus Raeticus - - - - - PLATONIS - - APOLOGIA SOCRATIS - - EX RECENSIONE - - ET - - CUM LATINA INTERPRETATIONE - - FRID. AUG. WOLFII. - - - IN USUM GYMNASIORUM. - - - - - BEROLINI, APUD G. C. NAUCKIUM - - MDCCCXII. - - - - - TABLE OF CONTENTS. - - -Notes on the Apology. - - Introductory Notice. - - Logical Analysis of the Apology. - -Apologia Socratis. - - Pars I. - - Exordium. - - Propositio. - - Confutatio, i. - - Confutatio, ii. - - Egressio. - - Peroratio. - - Pars II. - - Pars III. - -Transcriber's Notes. - - - - - NOTES - - ON - - THE APOLOGY - - - - - Introductory Notice. - -Socrates' death took place in the month of May, 399 B.C., when he was -more than 70 years of age (Apol. 17 D. Crito 52 E). The interval between -the trial and his death was very long,--thirty days altogether. The -indictment against Socrates was as follows: "Socrates is guilty of -crime, first for not worshipping the gods whom the city worships, but -introducing new divinities of his own; next, for corrupting the -youth. The penalty due is death." - -The accusers of Socr. were three: Meletus, Anytus, and Lyco: see -espec. Apol. 23 E. Meletus is also mentioned by Plato in the Euthyphro 2 -BC as ἀνὴρ νέος καὶ ἀγνὼς, τετανόθριξ καὶ οὐ πάνυ εὐγένειος, ἐπίγρυπος -δέ,[TR1] and in the Apology also Socr. speaks of him as an insignificant -young man. Meletus, however, presented the indictment which was hung up -in the portico before the office of the ἄρχων βασιλεύς (hence περὶ τὴν -τοῦ βασιλέως στοάν Euth. 2 A).[TR2] According to the Schol. on Apol. 18, -Meletus was τραγῳδίας φαῦλος ποιητής,[TR3] a statement also made by the -Schol. on Aristoph. Frogs 1302: but it seems certain that we have here -an error on the part of the Scholiasts who were led by Plato's words -ὑπὲρ τῶν ποιητῶν ἀχθόμενος to identify the accuser of Socr. with the -poet mentioned by Aristophanes l. c., where he says that Euripides -borrowed a good deal of his poetry,--though this identification is -absolutely impossible on account of the difference of time, as the -Meletus mentioned by Aristoph. could not have been a young man in 399, -even supposing that he was still alive. We know nothing more about -Meletus, the accuser of Socr., from other sources, but it is possible -that he was the son of the Meletus mentioned by Arist., in which case we -should also gain an explanation of the motive which Plato assigns for -his share in the indictment of Socr. - -The most influential of the trio was Anytus, a rich βυρσοδέψης, i.e. a -leather-seller, who is said to have been more especially incensed -against Socr. by the presumption with which the philosopher had ventured -to dissuade him from bringing up his son to his own trade, as the young -man had manifested much interest in philosophical speculation and -conversation. No doubt Anytus hated Socr. above all as a "corrupter of -youth." Anytus was rich, but had been exiled under the Thirty, and, like -so many other patriotic citizens, suffered great loss of property. He -had then taken a prominent part in the expulsion of the Thirty, and was -at the time of the trial of Socr. one of the leading men in Athens.[1] -Socrates' interference in his plans with respect to his son may have -been all the more galling to him, as his previous losses must have made -him anxious that his son also should contribute his share towards the -restoration of the family fortunes. Anytus must have classed Socr. with -the Sophists, and his opinion of them may be gathered from Plato, Meno -91 B, where Socr. says, οἶσθα δήπου καὶ σὺ ὅτι οὗτοι εἰσὶν οἵους οἱ -ἄνθρωποι καλοῦσι σοφιστάς, and Anytus answers, Ἡράκλεις, εὐφήμει, ὦ -Σώκρατες· μηδένα τῶν συγγενῶν μήτε οἰκείων μήτε φίλων μήτε ἀστῶν μήτε -ξένων, τοιαύτη μανία λάβοι ὥστε παρὰ τούτους ἐλθόντα λωβηθῆναι, ἐπεὶ -οὗτοί γε φανερά ἐστι λώβη τε καὶ διαφθορὰ τῶν συγγιγνομένων.[TR4] - -But besides this personal motive, Anytus no doubt bore also a political -grudge to Socr. Anytus was, it has been seen, a republican, and, as he -had suffered for his cause, he was no doubt a radical. Now Socr. did not -abstain from criticising the laws and government of Athens with the -greatest candor, and even so far as to admire the Spartan and Cretan -institutions: see esp. Crito 52 E. 53 B. It is quite certain that, to a -great extent, Socr. was blamed by the democrats for the misdeeds of -Critias, who (as they said) had been his pupil, and, at all events, had -been much in the society of Socr. when a young man,--Xenophon says in -order to acquire an argumentative facility which might be serviceable to -his political ambition. But Critias had been the chief author of all the -cruelties and spoliation perpetrated by the Thirty, and the fact is that -Socr. shared the odium which attached to the name of Critias. In another -of his "pupils" (I keep this appellation, though Socr. himself would -reject it) Socr. had been singularly unfortunate, viz., in Alcibiades, -whose rashness had done much to accomplish the great downfall which -resulted to Athens from the Peloponnesian war. - -Considering all these circumstances (which we can here only slightly -touch upon, though they could scarcely be exhausted in a copious -treatise) it is not surprising to learn from Xenophon (Mem. 1, 2, 9) -that it was the general belief in Athens that Socr. "excited the young -men to despise the established constitution, and to become lawless and -violent in their conduct." - -The displeasure which Meletus felt against Socr. in the interest of the -poets may be easily accounted for when we read the corresponding passage -in the Apology, and recollect the fact that Socr. is said to have been -fond of citing the worst passages of great poets in confirmation of -theories particularly disagreeable to the taste of an Athenian, -e.g. inferring from some lines of the second book of the Iliad that -Homer praised the application of stripes to poor men and the common -people (Xen. Mem. 1, 2, 56–59). - -As for Lyco, the third accuser of Socr., we know about him perhaps even -less than about Meletus. Diogenes Laërt. (2, 38) says that he was a -demagogue, and from Plato we learn that he was a ῥήτωρ[TR5]--of what -kind may be gathered from our note on Apol. 23 E.[TR6] Socr. himself -ascribes the success of the accusation to Anytus and Lyco (Apol. 36 A), -and the latter must therefore have been of much service in conducting -the trial. - -The cause of Socr. was what was technically styled ἀγὼν τιμητός,[TR7] -i.e., after the defendant was pronounced guilty by the judges, the -punishment for his offence was left to them to fix; but both the -prosecutor and the defendant were called upon to propose such a -punishment (τιμᾶσθαι) as they considered fit for the offence. The -punishment proposed by Meletus was death; the one proposed by Socr. may -be learned from the Apology. - -The trial of Socr. was conducted before the ἡλιασταί:[TR8] on their -number see note on Apol. 36 A.[TR9] - -As for the defence of Socr., the reader is advised to study the Apology -and the logical analysis of it which we subjoin: in general it may be -said that the Apology, if not an exact reproduction of the speech made -by Socr. at his trial, is doubtless an imitation of it so far as Plato's -memory and own individuality (though this appears here entirely merged -in the person of the _historical_ Socr., while in Plato's other writings -we generally have an _ideal_ Socr.) enabled him to put down the -arguments and expressions used by his master on that memorable -occasion. This, at least, is the view taken by Grote, History of Greece, -chap. lxviii., to which chapter on Socr. it seems desirable to direct -the attention of the student after he has fully mastered the Apology, -Crito, and Phaedo. - - - LOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE APOLOGY. - -ΠΡΟΟΙΜΙΟΝ (_exordium_) 17–18 A: discarding all the usual rhetorical -embellishments, Socr. is going to address the judges in simple, homely -words, and say nothing but the truth; at the same time he begs a -favorable attention to this unusual kind of speech. - -ΠΡΟΘΕΣΙΣ (_propositio_) 18 B–19 A: Socr. has to refute a double kind of -accusation, viz., besides the one brought against him by Meletus, the -popular prejudices raised against him and kept up by the charges of his -enemies. - -ΠΙΣΤΙΣ (_confutatio_) 19 B–27 E in two parts, and first (–24 A) the -misrepresentations mentioned in the second place are shown to be -entirely without foundation, and the difference between Socr. and the -Sophists is pointed out. The origin of these accusations is found in the -annoyance created to many citizens by Socrates' habit of examining into -their knowledge, and the zeal of his disciples who imitate this -proceeding; but Socr. himself feels obliged to do so in consequence of -an oracle of Apollo. To revenge themselves on Socr. these persons lay -upon him the same blame as justly applies to the Sophists. - -The second part (24 B–27 E) contains the actual refutation of the charge -brought by Meletus, Anytus, and Lyco, and this charge being twofold, the -defence also is subdivided into two parts. - -(_a_) Socr. shows that Meletus knows nothing of the art of education. If -Socr. corrupts the youth it is necessary that he should do so either -intentionally or unintentionally: the first he certainly does not, as -only a madman could act so, it being the interest of all to live in a -state composed of good citizens rather than of bad ones; if the latter -be the case, Meletus ought to have spoken to Socr. privately and not -have treated his ignorance as a crime. - -(_b_) As to the charge of introducing new divinities in the place of -those worshipped by the city, Socr. shows that Meletus seems here to -contradict himself, as the assumption of a daemonium implies also a -belief in the existence of gods. - -ΠΑΡΕΚΒΑΣΙΣ (_egressio_ or _degressio_) 27 E–34 B. In spite of all these -arguments Socr. feels nearly certain that he will be pronounced guilty, -not so much on account of the charge now brought against him by Meletus, -as in consequence of the general hatred against him. Yet he does not -regret his previous doings, as his conscience assures him that he has -been doing right, and accomplishing the mission entrusted to him by -God. The fear of death shall not deter him from doing his duty, and if -he were now released on the condition never to "teach" any more, he -would refuse to accept life on these terms, as he knows he could not -fulfil them. But should the Athenians sentence him to death, they will -thereby deprive themselves of a monitor such as the gods will not again -vouchsafe to their city. That Socr. was fulfilling a divine mission -appears also from his poverty, which is caused by his postponing all -domestic interests to his vocation of being a public monitor to the -citizens. Socr. then adds a few words about his public life, and shows -that there, too, he always intrepidly adhered to the principles of -justice and honesty, even so as to brave the rage of a mob and the fury -of the Thirty. Lastly, Socr. maintains that he is not responsible for -the ill-deeds of some of those who used to be in his society and are -called his pupils, as he himself never professed to teach them any -thing. Nor (says he) has any one of the young men who were with him ever -charged Socr. with corrupting him, nor have their parents or relatives -done so; on the contrary many are now present at the trial, ready to -help and support Socr. in any way they can. - -ΕΠΙΛΟΓΟΣ (_peroratio_) 34 C-35 E. Contrary to the common habit of moving -the judges to compassion in order to obtain a lenient verdict, -Socr. says that he will do nothing of the kind as this would be equal to -inducing the judges to violate their oath. - -The _second_ part of the Apology requires no rhetorical -disposition. Socr. confesses not to be surprised at the result of the -trial: as to the τίμησις[TR10] which he is now called upon to fix, he -declares that he deserves the honor of dining in the prytaneum, if -indeed he must justly estimate his own deserts. But he will yield to his -friends so far as to offer to pay a fine which he is able to set down at -30 minae, his friends being ready to become securities for this sum, -which would be above the means of Socr. himself. - -The _third_ part is first addressed to those of the judges who voted for -death, and to them Socr. predicts that they will soon repent of their -injustice. Then, turning to those who voted in favor of him, he joyfully -proves to them that he neither expects death like a coward, nor looks -upon it as an evil. A last request Socr. has to address to his judges, -that, should his sons ever prefer riches to virtue and think themselves -wise without being so, they may be corrected and put right in the same -manner as Socr. himself used to act towards the Athenians. - - -[1] See Frohberger's note on Lysias, Vol. I. p. 160. - -[TR1] "SOCRATES: A young man who is little known, Euthyphro; and I -hardly know him: his name is Meletus, and he is of the deme of -Pitthis. Perhaps you may remember his appearance; he has a beak, and -long straight hair, and a beard which is ill grown." (Project -Gutenberg-text 1642) - -[TR2] "EUTHYPHRO: Why have you left the Lyceum, Socrates? _and what are -you doing in the Porch of the King Archon?_ Surely you cannot be -concerned in a suit before the King, like myself?" (Project -Gutenberg-text 1642) - -[TR3] "a bad tragic poet". - -[TR4] Meno 91 B: "SOCRATES: You surely know, do you not, Anytus, that -these are the people whom mankind call Sophists?<br>ANYTUS: By Heracles, -Socrates, forbear! I only hope that no friend or kinsman or acquaintance -of mine, whether citizen or stranger, will ever be so mad as to allow -himself to be corrupted by them; for they are a manifest pest and -corrupting influence to those who have to do with them." (Project -Gutenberg-text 1643) - -[TR5] "a public speaker, pleader", Latin "orator" (Liddell and Scott, -"An Intermediate Greek-English Lexikon. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1889). - -[TR6] Wagner, p. 85: "Cf. also Gellius 3, 13, _Callistratus Athenis -orator in re publica fuit quos illi δημαγωγοὺς appellant._ Lyco belonged -no doubt to the same class as Callistratus." - -[TR7] "agôn timêtos": in such a case the law did not stipulate a -specific penalty. - -[TR8] "a juryman of the court, a Heliast" (Liddell and Scott, 1889). - -[TR9] Wagner, p. 104: "Diogenes Laërtius 2, 41, agrees with our passage -in stating that 281 judges pronounced Socr. guilty." - -[TR10] "an assessment of damage", Aeschin., etc. "a rating" or -"assessment", Arist. (Liddell and Scott, 1889). - - - - - APOLOGIA SOCRATIS. - - - PARS I. - - - EXORDIUM. - -Quomodo vos, Athenienses, affecerint accusatores mei, nescio: ego certe -ipse quoque, illis dicentibus, paene mei sum oblitus; adeo persuasibilis -eorum oratio erat. Quamquam veri quidem, prope dicam, nihil -dixerunt. Sed ex plurimis rebus, quas mentiti sunt, maxime unam sum hanc -miratus, quod monebant cavendum esse vobis, ne a me deciperemini, qui -peritus essem dicendi. Quod enim eos non puduit, quia nunc statim a me -refellentur reipsa, ubi patuerit me ne mediocriter quidem peritum esse -dicendi, id mihi visum est ab iis impudentissime fieri: nisi forte -dicendi peritum ipsi vocant eum, qui vera dicat. Si enim hoc volunt, -fatebor equidem me, non ipsorum exemplo, esse oratorem. Isti igitur, ut -ego aio, nihil veri dixerunt; vos autem ex me nihil nisi verum -audietis. Non, hercle, Athenienses, pulchris contextam orationem, qualis -ipsorum fuit, verbis et vocabulis, neque ornatam, sed audietis immediate -dicta quotidianis vocabulis. Nam credo iusta esse quae dico: et ne -quisquam vestrum exspectet aliter. Non enim deceat, opinor, cives, huic -aetati, velut adolescentulo fingenti orationem, ad vos prodire. Et vero -hoc etiam atque etiam, Athenienses, vos rogo et quaeso, si me eodem -genere audiatis pro me dicentem, quo loqui sum solitus et in foro apud -mensas, ubi me vestrum plerique audierunt, et aliis in locis, ut nec -miremini, neque ob illud tumultuemini. Nam ita se res habet. Nunc ego -primum in suggestum iudicii adscendi, annos natus plus -septuaginta. Mirifice ergo hospes sum in dictione hic usitata. Ut -igitur, si revera hospes essem, veniam mihi, opinor, daretis, si et voce -illa et modo illo loquerer, in quibus nutritus essem: ita etiam nunc a -vobis peto, id quod iustum est mea sententia, ut mihi dicendi modum -liberum sinatis--fortasse enim aliquantulum deterior erit, fortasse -melior--; idque solum consideretis, atque ad id animum advertatis, utrum -iusta dicam nec ne. Nam iudicis haec laus est; oratoris autem, vera -dicere. - - - PROPOSITIO. - -Primum igitur aequum est, Athenienses, me ad prima quae in me iacta sunt -mendacia et primis accusatoribus respondere; deinde ad posteriora et -posterioribus. Mihi enim apud vos multi exstiterunt accusatores, qui iam -pridem multos per annos et nihil veri dixerunt; quos ego magis metuo -quam Anytum eiusque socios, quamvis etiam hi sint graves. Verum illi -sunt graviores, qui vestrum plerisque a pueritia acceptis persuadebant -rem, quam crimini mihi darent, falsissimam: esse quendam Socratem, virum -sapientem, qui et coelestia curet, et quae sub terra sint omnia -perquisierit, causamque inferiorem efficiat superiorem. Hi quod eam -famam sparserunt, Athenienses, graves illi sunt accusatores mei. Nam qui -audiunt, putant eos, qui talia quaerant, ne deos quidem esse -statuere. Deinde accusatores hi sunt numero multi, et longo iam tempore -me accusarunt; tum etiam ea aetate vobis haec dicebant, qua maxime -credere possetis, quum vos partim pueri essetis et adolescentuli, -absentemque accusabant, prorsus nemine causam dicente. Sed quod omnium -absurdissimum est, ne nomina quidem eorum licet scire aut dicere, -praeterquam si quis poeta inter eos est comicus. Quicumque autem invidia -moti et calumnia usi sollicitabant vos, et quod sibimet ipsis persuasum -erat, aliis persuadebant, hi omnes longe difficillimi sunt. Neque enim -huc producere licet eorum quemquam, nec redarguere; sed necesse est -prorsus ut quasi cum larvis pugnem et dicendo et redarguendo, -respondente nemine. Itaque etiam vos existimate, ut ego aio, duplices -mihi accusatores exstitisse; alteros, qui modo accusarunt; alteros, qui -iam pridem, quos dixi: ac putate mihi faciendum ut adversus illos -veteres me primum defendam. Nam et vos illis prius accusantibus aures -praebuistis, multoque magis quam his posterioribus. Age vero, -respondendum nunc est, Athenienses, atque enitendum, ut invidia, quam -vos longo tempore conceptam habetis, ea vobis eximatur tam brevi -tempore. Velim igitur hoc ita fieri, si quid expediat et vobis et mihi, -et respondendo me quippiam proficere: sed arbitror id difficile esse, -minimeque me latet, qualis sit rei conditio. Verum tamen hoc ita esto, -uti deo placet; legi quidem parendum est et causa dicenda. - - - CONFUTATIO, i. - -Itaque repetamus a principio, quae illa accusatio sit, unde exorta est -infamia mea; cui iam etiam fidem habens Melitus, hanc mihi actionem -intendit. Age vero, quidnam, quod crimini mihi darent, dicebant -criminatores? Velut accusatorum enim nobis recitanda est iurata formula -ipsorum: _Socrates iniuste curioseque facit, quod inquirit quae sub -terra sunt et quae in coelo, et causam inferiorem efficit superiorem, -aliosque eadem docet._ - -Talis fere formula est. Atqui talia videbatis ipsi quoque in -Aristophanis comoedia, Socratem quendam ibi traduci, praedicantem se per -aerem gradiri et alias plurimas nugas agentem: quibus de rebus ego nihil -nec magnum quicquam nec tantillum intelligo. Atque hoc non dico tamquam -contemnens id genus scientiae, si quis talium rerum sapiens est: -nequaquam ego tot criminibus a Melito reus fiam! Sed mihi talibus cum -rebus, Athenienses, nihil est. Testes hic rursus adhibeo plerosque -vestrum, postuloque ut vos alius alium edoceatis et dicatis, quotquot me -umquam audistis disserentem: nam multi vestrum sunt qui -audierunt. Dicite ergo inter vos, an quis vestrum umquam de talibus -rebus me quicquam aut magnum aut tantillum audierit disserentem: atque -ex eo cognoscetis, huiusmodi esse etiam cetera de me vulgo narrata. At -neque horum quicquam factum est: nec vero si ex quoquam audistis, me id -factitare ut erudiam homines et mercedem exigam, ne hoc quidem verum -est. Tametsi hoc quidem mihi videtur pulchrum esse, si quis possit -erudire homines, quemadmodum et Leontinus Gorgias et Prodicus Ceus et -Hippias Eleus. Nam horum quisque, cives, potest in quamvis civitatem -profectus, adolescentibus, quos nihil prohibet cum quocumque velint -suorum civium gratis versari, his, inquam, persuadent ut, relicta -illorum consuetudine, cum ipsis versentur, pretio soluto, atque insuper -gratiam habeant. Praeterea etiam alius homo Parius hic est sapiens, quem -ego sic cognovi esse in urbe. Forte enim conveneram virum, qui -sapientiae doctoribus plus pecuniae numeraverat quam ceteri omnes, -Calliam Hipponici. Hunc igitur rogabam--sunt enim ei duo filii--: -Callia, inquam, si tui filii pulli equini aut vituli essent nati, -haberemus certe quem iis magistrum caperemus et conduceremus, qui eos -esset probos praestantesque redditurus in quo conveniret genere -virtutis: quippe is foret aliquis peritorum aut rei equestris, aut -agriculturae: nunc quoniam homines sunt, quem iis magistrum capere -cogitas? quis huius virtutis, qua et homo et civis praestat, sciens est? -nam te puto id quaesivisse, propterea quod filios habes. Estne aliquis, -inquam nec ne? Vero, inquit. Quis, inquam, et cuias? et quo pretio -docet? Evenus, inquit, mi Socrates, Parius; quinque minis. Ibi tum ego -Evenum beatum praedicavi, si vere nosset hanc artem, et adeo commode -doceret. Ego ergo ipse quoque placerem mihi et superbirem, ista si -tenerem: sed non teneo, Athenienses. - -Hic forsitan suscipiens aliquis dicat vestrum: Quodnam ergo tibi, -Socrate, negotium est? Unde crimina haec in te conflata sunt? Non sane -enim, te nihil curiosius ceteris tractante, postea tantus rumor et sermo -exiit, nisi aliud quicquam ageres quam plerique. Dic ergo nobis, quid -rei sit, ne etiam nos temere de te pronunciemus. Hoc qui dicit, videtur -mihi aequum dicere. Quare ego conabor vobis demonstrare, quae tandem ea -res sit, quae mihi et nomen et crimen peperit. Audite, quaeso. Ac -fortasse nonnullis vestrum videbor ludere; sed mihi credite, nihil vobis -nisi verum narrabo. Nam ego, Athenienses, ob nullam rem aliam nisi ob -sapientiam quandam hoc nomen adeptus sum. Qualis ista sapientia sit, -rogatis. Est ea, ut opinor, humana sapientia. Vere enim videor in hoc -genere sapiens esse; illi autem, quos modo dicebam, facile in maiore -quodam quam humano genere sapientiae fuerint sapientes; aut non habeo -quod dicam. Non enim profecto illam teneo; sed quisquid id ait, is et -mentitur et mei criminandi causa dicit. At ne mihi obstrepatis, -Athenienses, etiamsi videar vobis aliquid magnum dicere. Non enim meum -erit dictum, quod dicam, sed auctorem, qui dixit, haud spernendum vobis -laudabo. Mea enim an sit aliqua sapientia et qualis, testem vobis -adhibebo deum Delphicum. Nam Chaerephontis, opinor, meministis. Is et -mihi sodalis erat ab adolescentia, et vestrum maiori parti simul -sodalis, simul vobiscum nuper ex urbe fugit rediitque. Ac noctis sane -qualis fuerit Chaerepho, quam vehemens ad quamcumque rem animum -appulisset. Ita etiam quondam Delphos profectus, hanc rem ausus est -sciscitari--sed propter id quod dicam ne tumultuemini, cives--: rogavit -enim hercle, an quisquam esset me sapientior; Pythia autem respondit, -neminem sapientiorem esse. Quibus de rebus apud vos hic frater eius -testabitur, quoniam ipse mortuus est. Iam videte, quibus de causis haec -dicam. Volo enim vos docere unde mihi crimen conflatum sit. Nam ego illa -re audita, sic cogitabam: Quid tandem dicit deus? aut quid significat? -nam ego sane mihi ipse nec magnae nec tantillae conscius sum -sapientiae. Quid ergo tandem dicit, quum ait me sapientissimum esse? Non -enim profecto mentitur, puto; neque enim fas illi. Sic diu haerebam, -quid tandem diceret: posthac aegerrime ad illud inquirendum hac fere via -me contuli. Accessi ad eorum quendam qui sapientes videbantur esse, ibi -credens me, si uspiam alibi, posse arguere oraculum, et adversus eius -responsum ita dicere: Hicce est certe sapientior quam ego; tu autem -dixisti me. Ergo quum dispicerem hominem--nomine enim appellare nihil -attinet: erat autem civilium virorum quidam, quem quum inspectarem, ista -prope mente fui, Athenienses--: mox cum eo colloquenti visus mihi est -ille tum aliis multis hominibus, tum sibi maxime sapiens videri, at non -esse. Ibi conabar ei demonstrare, ipsum putare se esse sapientem, at non -esse. Ex eo igitur et ipsi factus sum invisus, et multis eorum qui -aderant. Inde ego domum abiens hoc reputabam: Isto quidem homine ego -sapientior sum. Nam etsi fortasse neuter nostrum quicquam scit rei -praeclarae aut bonae; at ille putat se aliquid scire, quum nihil sciat; -ego autem, ut nihil scio, ita ne puto quidem me scire quicquam. Igitur -tantulo hoc ipso videor esse sapientior illo, quod quae nescio, ea me ne -puto quidem scire. Inde me ad alium contuli ex iis, qui sapientiores -illo habebantur; sed is mihi in eandem venit opinionem. Tum vero et huic -et aliis multis invisus factus sum. Postea ergo iam ordine singulos -adii, videns quidem et dolens invisum me fieri, atque ob id metuens: sed -necessarium factu videbatur ut divinae vocis maximam rationem haberem, -et quid illa sibi vellet irem exploratum ad omnes omnino, qui aliquid -scire viderentur. Ibi iam, Athenienses--oportet enim verum ad vos -dicere--, Canem adiuro, hoc mihi accidisse quod dicam. Qui in summa -dignatione erant, ii paene maxime mihi visi sunt manci esse, quaerenti -de monitu dei: alii vero qui contemptiores habebantur, ad prudentiam -probatiores esse homines. Ostendendus nimirum vobis est error meus, -tamquam laboribus me frangentis, ut mihi denique a nemine posthac argui -oraculum posset. Nam a civilibus viris transii ad poetas, tum tragicos, -tum dithyrambicos, tum ceteros, velut ibi manifesto deprehensurus me -illis indoctiorem esse. Ergo in manus sumptis eorum carminibus, quae -mihi maxime ab iis elaborata videbantur, eos subinde interrogabam, quid -dicerent, ut simul etiam aliquid discerem ab illis. Atqui pudet me vobis -verum fateri, cives: attamen fatendum est. Nam prope dixerim, omnes -paene qui hic adsunt, istis melius dicerent de iis quae isti -composuerant. Ex eo itidem intellexi brevi, etiam poetas quae -componerent, non sapientiae copia componere, sed naturae quadam vi et -divino instinctu, veluti vates atque fatidicos. Nam hi quoque multa et -praeclara dicunt, nec tamen quicquam intelligunt eorum quae -dicunt. Eiusmodi quippiam etiam poetis vidi evenire; simulque -animadverti, eos propter carminis artem putare, se rerum quoque -ceterarum sapientissimos esse homines, quarum non essent. Itaque etiam -hinc abii, credens me illis eadem re superiorem esse, qua fuissem -oratoribus. Postremo ad artifices ivi. Nam conscius mihi eram, nihil -propemodum me scire; hos autem noram futurum esse ut invenirem multa et -praeclara doctos. Neque ea quidem me fefellit opinio; sed sciebant res -quas ego nesciebam, et hactenus me sapientiores erant. Verum, -Athenienses, eodem vitio, quo poetae, laborare mihi visi sunt etiam boni -opifices. Quod artem praeclare tractarent, putabant se quisque ceterarum -quoque rerum vel maximarum sapientissimos esse. Atque hic eorum error -sapientiam illam obscurabat. Quocirca me ipse interrogabam oraculi -nomine, utrum vellem talis qualis essem esse, ita ut neque ad sapientiam -illorum essem ullius rei sapiens, neque ad illorum imperitiam imperitus, -an utrumque eorum quae illi haberent habere. Ac respondi mihi ipsi atque -oraculo, satius esse, me sicut essem esse. Ex hoc iam examine, -Athenienses, et multae mihi inimicitiae contractae sunt, longeque -acerbissimae illae et gravissimae: quo factum est ut multa mihi crimina -conflata sint: et nomen hoc additum est quo sapiens vocor. Credunt enim -qui adsunt, quoties ulla in re alium redarguo, in ea ipsum me esse -sapientem: at illud vix dubium est, Athenienses, quin revera sapiens sit -deus, illoque responso id significet, humanam sapientiam parvi faciendam -esse ac potius nihili. Videturque non de Socrate id dicere, sed usus -esse tantum meo nomine, me exemplum proponens, quasi dicat: Is vestrum, -homines, sapientissimus est, quisquis ut Socrates cognovit nihili se -esse ad veram normam sapientiae. Quamobrem ego ad hunc usque diem -circumiens quaero scrutorque monitu dei, tum in civibus, tum in -hospitibus, si quem eorum arbitror sapientem esse; qui ubi mihi non -videtur, dei causam agens ostendo eum non esse sapientem. Itaque prae eo -negotio nullum mihi otium fuit nec rerum civilium ullius memorabilis -agendae, nec domesticarum; sed in extrama versor paupertate propter hoc -dei ministerium. Praeterea qui me assectantur sponte adolescentes, -quibus maxime otium est, ditissimorum illi patrum, eos delectat audire -quum explorantur homines: ipsique saepe me imitantur; ita operam dant ut -alios explorent; postea, credo, inveniunt magnam copiam hominum, qui se -putant aliquid scire, sed aut pauca sciunt, aut nihil. Hinc ergo ii qui -ab illis explorantur, irascuntur mihi, non illis; et dicunt, Socratem -esse quendam impurissimum, ab eoque corrumpi adolescentes. At ubi -aliquis eos rogat, quibus factis et qua doctrina, nihil quidem habent -dicere, sed rem ignorant; tamen ut ne haerere videantur, ista quae in -omnes sapientiae studiosos in promptu sunt convicia, iaciunt, scrutari -eum coelestia et subterranea, deosque non statuere, et inferiorem causam -efficere superiorem. Nam verum, ut arbitror, nolint dicere, suam et -scientiae simulationem et rerum omnium inscitiam patefactam -esse. Quoniam igitur illi, opinor, ambitiosi sunt et vehementes et -multi, et de compacto et persuasibiliter de me dicunt, impleverunt aures -vestras, et pridem et nunc vehementer criminando. Ex quibus et Melitus -me adortus est et Anytus et Lyco: Melitus, quod poetarum nomine dolet; -Anytus, quod opificum et eorum qui rempublicam tractant; Lyco, quod -nomine rhetorum. Quapropter, sicut initio dixi, admirer, si ego vobis -possim tam brevi tempore hanc invidiam eximere, in tantum -auctam. Habetis, Athenienses, ea quae vera sunt: nam ego nec magnum -quicquam nec tantillum vobis occultans aut dissimulans, causam -dico. Tametsi propemodum scio, iisdem veris dicendis me in odium -incurrere. Quae res argumento est, vera me loqui, idque esse meum -crimen, et has rei causas esse. Itaque sive nunc, sive posthac ista -quaesieritis, ea ita esse invenietis. - - - CONFUTATIO, ii. - -De iis rebus igitur, de quibus primi acccusatores me accusabant, -defensio mea satis haec sit ad vos. Ad Melitum autem, virum optimum et -civitatis amantem, ut ait, et ad posteriores, dehinc me conabor -defendere. Iam rursus, quando hi sunt alii accusatores, eorum sumamus -iuratam litis formulam. Habet autem sic fere: _Socratem_ ait _iniuste -facere, quod et adolescentes corrumpat, et deos, quos civitas statuit, -non statuat, sed alia daemonia nova._ - -Tale igitur est crimen. Iam eius criminis unamquamque partem -examinemus. Ait me iniuste facere, qui corrumpam adolescentes. Ego -autem, Athenienses, iniuste facere dico Melitum, quod serio ludit et -temere in iudicium homines vocat, simulans de rebus laborare se et -sollicitum esse, quarum nulla ipsi umquam cura fuit. Quod ita esse, -conabor etiam vobis ostendere. Quare dic mihi, quaeso, Melite: Nempe -plurimi facis, ut adolescentes fiant quam optimi? Ita. Dic his, age, -quis eos meliores reddit? non enim dubium est quin id scias, quum res -tibi curae sit. Nam corruptorem, ut ais, nactus me ad hos educis atque -accusas. Ergo eum qui meliores reddit demonstra, age dum, et ostende -iudicibus. ... Viden' te silere, Melite, neque habere quod dicas? Atqui -annon turpe hoc tibi satisque arguere videtur, id quod ego aio, te nihil -rem curasse? ... Iam dic, amabo, quis illos reddit praestantiores? -Leges. At non hoc rogo, vir optime; sed quis homo, qui primum etiam id -ipsum sciat, leges. Iudices hi, Socrate. Ain' tu, Melite? Hine possunt -erudire et meliores reddere adolescentes? Maxime. Utrum unusquisque, an -alii eorum possunt, alii non possunt? Unusquisque. Pulchre, Iuppiter, -narras, et magnam copiam hominum iuventuti utilium. Quid autem? utrum -auditores hi eos meliores reddunt, annon? Etiam hi. Quid? Utrum -senatores? Etiam senatores. At numquid, Melite, concionarii cives -corrumpunt iuventutem? an illi quoque eos meliores quisque reddunt? -Etiam illi. Praeter me igitur, quantum video, nemo est Atheniensium, qui -non reddat probos ac praestantes; ego autem solus corrumpo. Ain' tu? -Prorsus plane id aio. Sane magnum in me arguis infortunium. Itaque mihi -responde: Utrum etiam in equis res ita esse tibi videtur, ut qui eos -meliores faciant, ii sint omnes homines, unusque sit quidam qui -corrumpat? an contra plane, ut unus quidam sit qui eos possit meliores -facere, aut perpauci, qui in arte equestri versantur; plerique autem, -quum equos tractant et iis utuntur, corrumpant? annon ita, Melite, res -est tum in equis, tum in ceteris omnibus animantibus? ... Certissime, -sive tu et Anytus negatis, sive aitis. Magna sane quaedam felicitas -nostra videtur esse in adolescentibus, si unus modo eos corrumpit, -ceteri iis utilitatem praebent. Atenim satis ostendis, Melite, numquam -tibi curae fuisse adolescentes; ipseque perspicue declaras negligentiam -tuam, quod me de rebus, quarum procul a te studium fuit, ad iudices -educis. Sed amplius nobis dictu, per deum immortalem, Melite, satiusne -est habitare inter cives bonos, an inter malos? ... Responde, -sodes. Nihil difficile rogo. Annon et mali proximis semper vicinis in -aliqua re nocent, et boni prosunt? Omnino. Estne ergo aliquis, qui ab -iis quorum consuetudine utitur, potius damnum malit quam commodum -accipere? ... Amabo, responde. Respondere quidem etiam lex iubet. Estne -qui sibi velit noceri? Nemo quisquam. - -Age vero, utrum huc me vocasti, quod corrumpam adolescentes et pessimos -eos reddam consulto, an quod nolens? Quod consulto scilicet. Quid tandem -adeo tu istud aetatulae, Melite, me sapientior es homine hoc aetatis, ut -tu quidem cognitum habeas, et malos male proximis semper vicinis facere, -et bonos bene: ego autem eo ignorantiae venerim, ut hoc quoque nesciam, -si quem eorum quibus utar, improbum fecero, me in periculum incurrere, -ne quid ab eo mali accipiam? Tantumne ergo hoc mali voluntate mea -attraho, ut tu ais? Hoc ego tibi non credo, Melite, neque alius, puto, -quisquam hominum credet; verum aut non corrumpo, aut, si corrumpo, facio -nolens. Ita tu quidem utrobique mentiris. Sin autem nolens corrumpo, -peccatorum talium et involuntariorum neminem moris est arcessere, sed -privatim prensum docere et commonefacere. Non enim dubium est, ubi rem -didicero, me destiturum esse ab eo, quod faciam imprudens. Tu autem -agere mecum et me docere vitasti atque noluisti; huc educis, quo educere -moris est eos qui castigationis egent, non disciplinae. Atenim illud, -Athenienses, iam apparet, quod ego dicebam, huic Melito rem nulli umquam -curae fuisse. ... - -Tamen dic nobis, quomodo[TR1] ais, Melite, adolescentulos a me corrumpi? -Nempe, quantum litis a te agendae formula indicat, eo quod doceo statui -non oportere deos quos civitas statuit, sed alia daemonia nova? annon -haec docentem me dicis esse corruptorem? - -Immo prorsus plane hoc dico. Ipsorum ergo, Melite, horum deorum causa, -quorum nunc res agitur, velim id etiam planius dicas et mihi et hisce -viris. Nam ego intelligere nequeo, utrum dicas docere me statuendos deos -aliquos--adeoque ipse statuo esse deos, nec penitus tollo numen eorum, -neque hac parte pecco--; modo non eos quos civitas sed alios, atque hoc -est illud, de quo me accusas, quod alios; an omnino me ais neque ipsum -statuere deos, et eadem ceteros docere. Hoc dico, te omnino deos non -statuere. O mirifice Melite, quorsum hoc dicis? Ergo ne solem quidem nec -lunam statuo esse deos, sicut homines ceteri? Non hercle, iudices: nam -et solem esse lapidem ait, et lunam, tellurem. - -Anaxagoram a te accusari putas, dilecte Melite; et ita contemnis hos, et -litterarum expertes putas esse, ut nesciant Anaxagorae Clazomenii libros -harum quaestionum refertos esse. Nimirum haec etiam adolescentes a me -discunt, quae cuivis subinde, si permagno, drachma licet de scena emere, -ut Socratem irrideant, si haec simulet sua esse, praesertim tam -absurda. Siccine, pro Iuppiter, videor tibi neminem statuere deum esse? -Neminem vero, hercle, nullo pacto. Rem dicis, Melite, quae supra fidem -sit, ac sane, ut ego arbitror, tuam ipsius. ... Videtur enim hic mihi, -Athenienses, nimis superbus et petulans esse, planeque superbia quadam -et intemperantia et iuvenili levitate accusationem hanc -suscepisse. Dixeris eum velut aenigmatis conditorem experiri, utrum[TR2] -ille scilicet sapiens Socrates intelliget me ludere et pugnantia dicere, -an illum ceterosque, qui audiunt, in fraudem illiciam? Nam video eum -sibimet ipsum contraria dicere in me accusando, tamquam si dicat: -Socrates iniuste facit, quod deos non statuit, sed quod deos -statuit. Atqui hoc est iocantis. Iam considerate mecum, Athenienses, -quomodo haec dicere me videatur: at tu responde nobis, Melite. Vos -autem, id quod initio a vobis petii, memineritis mihi non obstrepere, si -consueto more verba faciam. Estne hominum aliquis, Melite, qui statuat -res humanas esse, homines autem non statuat? ... Respondeat, -Athenienses, et ne aliud atque aliud occlamitet. ... Estne qui equos non -statuat, verum artem equestrem? Aut qui tibias non statuat, verum -tibiarum inflandarum artem? ... Nemo est, vir optime. Nisi tu vis -respondere, ego tibi narrabo et ceteris auditoribus. Sed quod statim -rogavero, ad id responde. Estne qui daemonia seu divina esse statuat, -daemonas autem seu deos non statuat? Nemo est. Ut iuvisti nos! Quippe -vix tandem respondisti, ab auditoribus coactus. Annon ergo daemonia et -statui a me ais et doceri, sive nova ista seu vetera? Ita daemonia certe -statuo, te iudice: idque etiam in formula litis iureiurando confirmasti: -sed si daemonia statuo, etiam daemonas, opinor, a me statui prorsus -necesse est. Annon est ita? ... Est vero. Sumo enim te affirmare, -quoniam non respondes. Iam daemonas annon aut deos esse ducimus, aut -deorum filios? Ais an negas? Aio. Sic igitur, si daemonas esse credo, ut -tu ais, sive illi dii quidam sunt, id verum est quod dico, te perplexe -loqui et iocari, negantem credi a me deos, et aientum rursus deos a me -credi, quia daemonas esse credam: sin illi deorum filii quidam sunt -spurii, vel ex Nymphis, vel ex aliis quibusdam feminis, quarum etiam -dicuntur, num quisquam deorum filios credet esse, deos autem non credet? -Aeque enim absurdum id fuerit, ac si quis equorum prolem credat esse vel -asinorum, mulos, equos autem et asinos non credat. Quamobrem fieri non -potest, Melite, quin tu aut quod velles haec nos tentare, litem hanc -moveris, aut quod non haberes in quod me vocares verum crimen. Ut autem -cuiquam tu persuadeas hominum, qui vel paululum habeat mentis, eiusdem -esse viri, et ponere daemonia ac divina, et non ponere nec daemonas, nec -deos, neque heroas, id vero fieri nullo modo potest. - - - EGRESSIO. - -Atenim, Athenienses, me culpa vacuum esse ex ipsa Meliti accusatione, -non longam poscere mihi videtur defensionem, sed vel haec sufficiant: -quod autem supra dicebam, in magno et multorum odio me versari, id, -scitote, verum est. Atque hoc est quod me perdet, si quid perdet, non -Melitus, neque Anytus, sed vulgi criminatio et invidia; quae res multos -etiam alios eosque bonos viros perdiderunt, atque in posterum, credo, -perdent: neque adeo metuendum erat ne illa vis in me deficeret. - -Iam dicat forsitan aliquis: Et non te pudet, Socrate, eo usum esse vitae -instituto, unde impendeat nunc tibi periculum mortis? Huic ego -iustissime ita respondebo: Haud recte dicis, mi homo, si vivendi aut -moriendi periculum putas reputandum esse ab eo, cuius vel mediocris sit -virtus, et non unum potius illud spectandum, si quid agat, utrum iuste -an iniuste agat, bonique an mali viri fungatur officio. Nam ista quidem -tua ratione vitiosi forent heroes illi, quotquot ad Troiam occubuerunt, -tum ceteri, tum Thetidis filius: qui adeo periculum contempsit prae -subeunda aliqua turpitudine, ut, postquam ei occidere cupienti Hectorem, -dixisset mater, quae quidem erat dea, sic fere, ut opinor: Fili, si -Patrocli amici caedem ulciscere, atque Hectorem interficies, ipse -moriere:--_Illico enim iam,_ inquit, _post Hectora nex tibi certa -est_--: ille igitur, his auditis, mortem ac periculum parvi pendens, -multoque magis metuens vivere ignavus, et amicos non ulcisci, _Illico -sic,_ inquit, _moriar,_ iniuriam persequutus eius qui laesit, ne -deridendus hic maneam _curvas ad naves, telluris inutile pondus._ Numne -illum putas curasse mortem ac periculum? Ita enim res est plane, -Athenienses: quo quisque in loco se statuerit ipse, quod optimum -arbitraretur sequutus, aut a praefecto statutus fuerit, ibi eum oportet -meo iudicio perstare et dimicare, nihil nec mortem neque aliud quicquam -reputantem prae turpitudine. Itaque si ego olim, quum statuerunt me -praefecti, qui a vobis cum imperio in me creati erant, et in Potidaea et -in Amphipoli et ad Delium, tum quo in loco statuerunt, mansi non secus -quam quilibet alius, et vitae periculum adii: nunc graviter delinquam, -Athenienses, si, quum deus me, ut ego putavi atque in animum induxi, huc -statuerit ut viverem occupatus in sapientia quaerenda in meque ipso et -ceteris explorandis, ibi aut mortis aut alius cuiusquam rei metu de -statione discedam. Indignum profecto sit, et meritissimo me aliquis in -ius educat, quod deos esse non credam, ut qui oraculo fidem non -habuerim, mortemque metuam, et sapiens esse mihi videar, qui non -sim. Nihil enim, cives, aliud est, metuere mortem, quam videri sibi -sapientem esse, qui non sit. Est enim, quae nescit, videri scire. Nam -quid sit mors, nemo scit; ne id quidem an homini sit omnium maximum -bonorum: sed metuunt, quasi probe sciant maximum malorum esse. Atque hoc -nonne manat ex probrosa ista inscitia, quum quis putat se scire ea quae -nescit? - -Ego autem, cives, hac re fortasse hic quoque vulgus hominum antecello; -et si in aliqua re me sapientiorem quoquam dixerim esse, in hoc dixerim, -quod, quum non satis sciam de rebus, quae sunt apud inferos, etiam -videor mihi nihil scire. At iniusta facere et non parere meliori, sive -deo sive homini, id malum et turpe esse scio. Prae malis igitur, quae -mala esse scio, ea quae nescio an forte sint bona, numquam metuam, neque -fugiam. Quare ne nunc quidem, si me absolvitis, Anyto non obsequuti, qui -dixit me aut omnino non educendum huc fuisse, aut semel eductum, utique -morte multandum esse, monens vos, si evasero, fore mox ut filii vestri -ea, quae Socrates doceat, sectantes, omnes penitus corrumpantur; si iam -mihi dicatis: Socrate, nunc quidem Anyto non obsequemur, sed absolvimus -te, hac tamen conditione ne longius in isto examine aut in sapientia -quaerenda versere; sin posthac prehensus fueris in ea opera, moriere: si -inquam, ea lege me absolveritis, sic respondebo vobis: Ego vos, -Athenienses, in magno honore atque amore habeo, sed deo magis parebo -quam vobis; et, quoad spiro ac possum, haud desinam sapientiam quaerere, -vosque adhortari et admonere, quoties alicui vestrum occurrero, hac qua -suevi oratione: Optime vir, Athenis natus quum sis, urbe maxima et -laudatissima ob sapientiam et fortitudinem, opes quidem ut tibi sint -quam plurimae, utque gloria sit et honor, non te pudet curare; at -prudentiam et veritatem et ut animus tuus quam optimus fiat, non curas, -neque studes: et si quis vestrum controversetur eaque se dicat curare, -non statim dimittam eum, nec discedam, sed interrogabo et examinabo et -redarguam; et si mihi non videbitur possidere virtutem, idque dicere -tamen, exprobrabo, quod res plurimi aestimandas minimi pendat, viliores -autem pluris. Ita et iuniori et seniori, cuicumque occurrero, faciam, -sive hospiti sive civi; magis tamen civibus, quo mihi propiores estis -genere. Nam id iubet, scitote, deus; et ego arbitror nullumdum vobis -bonum contigisse in civitate maius quam hoc meum deo obsequium. Nihil -enim circumiens aliud ago nisi ut suadeam et iunioribus et senioribus -vestrum, ne corporum studio se dedant aut opum prius, aut cuiusquam -alius rei tam intente, quam animi ad optimam rationem formandi; monens, -non ex opibus exsistere virtutem, sed ex virtute opes et cetera omnia -hominibus bona, tum privatim tum publice. Quae si dicens corrumpo -adolescentes, perniciosa haec sane fuerint; sin quis alia me dicere ait -praeter illa, nihil dicit. Quocirca ita responderim: Athenienses, sive -parebitis Anyto, sive non; seu dimittetis me, seu non: sic habetote, non -aliter facturum me esse, etiamsi saepe mihi sit moriendum. - -Ne tumultuemini, Athenienses, sed quod vos rogavi, servate mihi ut ne -tumultuemini ob ea quae dico, sed audiatis. Nam iuvabit vos, ut opinor, -auditio. Etenim dicturus vobis nunc sum alia quaedam, quibus fortasse -reclamabitis; at nolite hoc facere. Profecto enim, si me occidetis, -talem qualem ego dico, non me magis laedetis quam vosmet ipsos. Me enim -nequaquam laedet nec Melitus, nec Anytus; nam ne poterunt quidem. Non -enim fas esse arbitror meliorem virum laedi a deteriore. Occidet me -fortasse aut expellet aut ignominia notabit; et haec quidem fortasse hic -aut alius quispiam, credo, maxima mala putat; sed ego non puto, verum -multo magis, si quis facit quod nunc hicce facit, quum hominem occidere -audet. Nunc igitur, Athenienses, ego minime mea causa haec dico, ut -nonnemo putet, sed vestra causa, ne peccetis in dono, quod deus vobis -dedit, me condemnando. Si enim me occideritis, non facile talem -invenietis alium, ita plane--quamquam dictu ridiculum erit--appositum a -deo civitati, velut magno et generoso equo, sed ob magnitudinem -segniore, et qui incitamento eget calcaris cuiusdam: qualem mihi videtur -deus addidisse me civitati, qui vos incitem et impellam et obiurgem -singulos, neque cessem totum diem omnibus locis vobis assidere. Talis -ergo alius non facile vobis continget, cives. Quare, me si audietis, -parcetis mihi. At vos offensi forsitan, velut dormitantes quum -excitantur, me ferietis, atque Anyto obsequuti, temere occidetis; -posthac reliquum tempus perdormiscetis, nisi quem alium deus vobis -miserit, cura permotus vestri. Me autem talem esse, qui a deo civitati -datus videar, hinc cognoscere poteritis. Nimirum non humanum videtur, -quod ego mea omnia neglexi, resque domesticas tot iam annos pessumire -sivi, vestram autem rem assidue curo, privatim quemque adiens, tamquam -pater aut frater maior, et ad studium impellens virtutis. Quodsi ullum -ex ea re caperem fructum, aut mercedem quaererem ex his adhortationibus, -esset sane aliqua rei ratio: nunc ipsi videtis, hos accusatores, quum in -ceteris omnibus tam impudenter accusarint, tamen non depuduisse adeo, ut -adhiberent qui testaretur, me ullam umquam mercedem aut exegisse aut -postulavisse. Contra enim, opinor, idoneum ego adhibeo testem, vera me -dicere, paupertatem. - -Fortasse igitur mirabile videatur, quod, quum ita privatim quemque -consilio iuvem circumiens atque aliena curans, publice non audeo prodire -in concionem vestram, ut consilio iuvem civitatem. Sed eius rei causa -est, quam vobis audientibus saepe multis in locis exposui, solitum mihi -fieri omen quoddam divinum et daemonium; quod etiam in scripta -accusatione sua Melitus derisit. Mihi vero illud iam a puero audiri -coeptum est, vox quaedam, quae quum auditur, semper repellit me ab eo -quod forte facturus sum, impellit autem numquam. Idque est quod mihi -adversatur ne rempublicam tractem; ac pulcherrime adversari mihi -videtur. Nam profecto, Athenienses, si ego pridem aggressus essem -publica negotia tractare, pridem periissem, neque aut vobis utilitatis -quicquam attulissem, aut mihimet ipsi. At ne succensete mihi, vera -dicenti. Nemo enim hominum salvus erit, qui aut vobis aut cuicumque alii -populo ingenue adversetur, multaque contra ius et leges in civitate -fieri prohibeat; sed necesse est vere pugnaturum pro iure, si salvus -esse vel brevi tempore volet, privatum agere, neque rempublicam -capessere. Gravia equidem dabo vobis argumenta eius rei, non dicta, sed, -quod vos magni ducitis, facta. Audite ergo mihi quae acciderunt, ut -cognoscatis nemini me contra officium cedere metu mortis, quamvis non -cedendo iam iamque perierim. Dicam autem vobis gravia et iudiciaria, sed -vera tamen. Namque ego, Athenienses, nullo umquam publico munere sum -functus, praeterquam senatorio; ac forte quondam tribus nostra Antiochis -locum prytanicum sortita erat, quum vos decem praetores illos, qui -corpora in proelio navali caesorum non sustulerant, cunctos una -sententia damnari iussistis, contra leges, sicut posterius vobis omnibus -visum est: tum ego solus e prytanibus adversatus sum vobis, quo minus -quid faceretis contrarium legibus, diversumque mihi calculum: et quum -rhetores parati essent me deferre atque in ius educere, vosque id -iuberetis et acclamaretis, ego mihi ex lege et iusto periculum potius -subeundum duxi quam vobiscum, iniusta decernentibus, faciendum terrore -vinculorum aut mortis. Atque haec quidem fiebant tum, quum adhuc -populare in civitate imperium erat: quum illud autem ad paucos -pervenisset, Trigintaviri rursus me arcessiverunt cum quatuor aliis in -tholum, atque imperarunt ex Salamine huc adducere Leontem Salaminium, ab -ipsis occidendum; qualia illi etiam aliis multis multa imperabant, quum -polluere criminibus quam plurimos vellent. Tunc vero ego rursus non -verbis sed facto ostendi, mortem videri mihi--nisi subrustice dictum -videbitur--susque deque habendam, sed ut nihil iniustum aut impium -committerem, id vero maximae curae habendum. Me quidem illa potestas -adeo violenta non perterruit, ut iniustum quicquam committerem. Itaque -ut ex tholo egressi sumus, ceteri quatuor iverunt Salamina atque huc -adduxerunt Leontem, ego autem meam viam abii domum. Et forsitan haec -mihi causa fuisset mortis, nisi ista potestas cito sublata esset. Huius -autem rei vobis plurimi erunt testes. Num ergo putatis me tot annos -superaturum fuisse, si publicis muneribus fungerer, bonique viri fungens -officio, iustitiae suffragarer, atque hoc, ut decet, plurimi facerem? -Nihil profecto minus, Athenienses: neque enim alius quisquam hominum -potuerit. At ego per omnem vitam, et publice sicubi quid egi, talis -reperiar, et privatim idem ille, utpote qui nemini umquam concesserim -quicquam praeter aequum, neque alii, neque horum cuiquam, quos ii qui me -calumniantur, dicunt meos discipulos esse. Ego autem nullius umquam -magister fui; sed si quis me loquentem et meas res obeuntem audire -cuperet, sive iunior, sive senior, neminem umquam prohibui. Neque vero -is sum qui pecunia accepta disseram, aut non accepta omittam; sed diviti -pariter et pauperi me praebeo interrogandum, ac si cui libet, -respondenti licet audire quae dico. Atque eorum sive quis probus fit, -sive non fit, iure non sustinuerim causam ipsorum, quorum neque ulli -promisi quicquam doctrinae, neque tradidi. Si quis autem dicit se a me -umquam aut didicisse aut privatim audisse, quod non etiam ceteri omnes, -is, scitote, verum non dicit. Sed qua tandem re nonnullos iam dudum -oblectet conversatio mea, audistis, Athenienses: plane narravi ego vobis -verum, oblectari eos quum audiunt explorari, si qui putant se sapientes -esse, qui non sunt. Est enim res haud iniucunda. Mihi autem hoc, sicut -ego aio, imperatum est a deo ut faciam, tum per vaticinia, tum per -insomnia, tum quocumque demum modo divinum aliud numen homini imperare -aliquid solet ut agat. Haec, Athenienses, et vera sunt et argumentis -vinci facile possunt. Nam si ego iuniores partim corrumpo, partim -corrupi, sane oportebat eos, si qui seniores facti cognorunt sibi, quum -adolescentes essent, in aliqua re umquam me male consuluisse, nunc ipsos -exsurgere meque accusare atque ulcisci: sin autem ipsi nollent, aliqui -certe ex cognatis ipsorum, patres aut fratres aut alii necessarii, -debebant, si quod malum a me cognati eorum perpessi essent, nunc -meminisse atque ulcisci. Venerunt utique, quos adesse video, huc eorum -multi: primum Crito hic, meus aequalis et popularis, Critobuli huius -pater; dein Lysanias Sphettius, Aeschinis huius pater, item Antiphon -Cephisiensis hic, Epigenis pater; atque alii etiam hi, quorum fratres -illa conversatione mea usi sunt, Nicostratus Zotidae filius, Theodoti -frater:--et Theodotus quidem obiit, ut ille mihi non potuerit apud hunc -deprecator esse--: tum Paralus hic Demodoci filius, cuius frater erat -Theages, et hic Adimantus Aristonis filius, cuius hicce Plato frater -est, et Aeantodorus, cuius frater est hic Apollodorus. Sed et alios -plurimos ego vobis nominare possum, quorum omnino aliquem debebat -Melitus in actione sua adhibere testem: et si tunc oblitus est, nunc -adhibeat--ego non impedio--si quid eiusmodi habet. Verum alia omnia -invenietis, cives; omnes mihi succurrere paratos, corruptori, qui -malefacit cognatis ipsorum, uti aiunt Melitus et Anytus. Etenim ipsis -quidem corruptis forsitan esse possit ratio cur succurrant; incorruptis -vero, iam senioribus viris, illorum necessariis, quae potest ratio esse -succurrendi mihi, nisi recta haec et iusta, quod sciunt Melitum mentiri, -me autem vera loqui? Sed hactenus, cives. Nam quae habui pro me dicenda, -haec propemodum sunt, et alia, ut puto, eiusdem modi. - - - PERORATIO. - -Fortasse autem aliquis vestrum indignabitur, memor sui, si, quum ipse -quondam vel leviore in periculo quam periculum hoc meum est versatus, -oraverit iudices suppliciterque rogaverit multis cum lacrimis, simul, -quo magis misericordiam moveret, productis filiis suis et aliis -cognatorum atque amicis multis, ego nunc huiusmodi nihil faciam, quamvis -in extremum, ut videor, adductus discrimen. Ergo fortasse, aliquis haec -cogitans, mihi arroganter contumax irascetur hoc ipsum, et calculum -iratus mittet. Quo animo si quis est vestrum--id quod equidem nolim--, -sed si est, aequam mihi rem videor ad eum dicturus, quum dico: Mihi -quoque, vir optime, etiam cognati sunt quidam. Non sum enim, ut Homerus -ait, ex _quercu aut rupe oriundus,_ sed ab hominibus: unde et cognati -mihi sunt, Athenienses, et filii quidem tres; unus iam adolescens, duo -etiam parvuli: quorum tamen nullum huc producam, ut a vobis exorem -absolutionem. Cur tandem igitur nihil huiusmodi faciam? Non arroganti -contumacia, Athenienses, nec vestri contemptu: verum an ego fidenti -animo mortem exspectem, nec ne, alia est ratio: ad existimationem autem -et meam et vestram omninoque civitatis, non convenire mihi arbitror -huiusmodi quicquam facere, qui et hanc aetatem et hoc nomen adeptus sum, -sive illud merito, sive immerito; certe opinio est, Socratem aliqua re -praestare plerisque hominibus. Si igitur ii vestrum qui videntur -praestare aut sapientia aut fortitudine aut alia quacumque virtute, ita -se adhibebunt, turpe id fuerit; quales ego saepe vidi in iudiciis, qui -aliquid esse viderentur, mirifice tamen sese gerere, quippe putantes -nescio quid horrendum sibi eventurum, ubi moriendum foret; quasi -immortales essent futuri, si a vobis non occiderentur. Qui quidem mihi -labem adspergere videntur civitati; adeo ut exterorum non nemo -existimare possit, virtute praestantes Athenienses, et quos quisque -sibimet ipsi in magistratibus ceterisque honoribus mandandis praeponere -soleat, eos nihilo praestantiores mulierculis esse. Haec enim, -Athenienses, nec vos facere decet, qui modo qualescumque esse videmini, -nec si nos faciamus, a vobis concedendum est; sed hoc sane ostendendum, -multo potius damnaturos vos esse eum, qui miserabilia haec spectacula -edat, faciatque ut civitas derideatur, quam qui se teneat quietus. Mitto -existimationem, cives; ne iustum quidem esse arbitror exorare iudicem, -aut ab exorato absolvi, sed docere ac persuadere. Non enim ad hoc sedet -iudex ut ius gratificetur, sed rem ut iudicet; utpote iuratus, se non -gratiam, quibuscumque libeat ipsi, sed ius redditurum esse ex -legibus. Quocirca nec nobis licet assuefacere vos ad peierandum, nec -vobis assuefieri: sic enim neutri nostrum pietatem servare possunt. Ne -igitur putate, Athenienses, ea mihi apud vos facienda, quae neque -honesta, nec iusta nec pia esse censeo, nunc praesertim, pro Iuppiter, -quum maxime [TR3] impietatis arcessitus ab hocce Melito. Nam si -persuadendo atque exorando vim vobis afferrem iuratis, aperte docerem -non statuendos vobis deos esse, et plane, dum causam dico, accusarem -memet ipsum, tamquam deos non credentem. Sed tantum abest ut id faciam, -Athenienses, ut magis etiam credam quam meorum quisquam accusatorum; -iamque vobis permitto ac deo, iudicare de me, sicut optimum tum mihi -futurum est tum vobis. - - - PARS II. - -Quare igitur haud indigne feram, Athenienses, quod factum est ut me -damnaretis, et alias plurimas habeo causas, neque inopinanti mihi id -factum est; quin multo magis utrorumque calculorum miror effectum -numerum. Non enim putaram tam prope afore, sed aliquanto longius: nunc -autem si tres modo calculi aliter cecidissent, opinor, evasissem. Ac -Melitum quidem iam videor mihi evasisse, neque evasi tantum, sed nemini -hoc dubium est, si Anytus et Lyco ad me accusandum non surrexissent, -illum etiam mille drachmas soluturum fuisse, non recepta quinta parte -calculorum.--Aestimat ergo mihi vir litem poenamque morte. Sit -ita. Quanam autem re ego contra aestimabo, Athenienses? Ea certe quam -commerui. Quid igitur? Quam commerui poenam aut multam, quod nescivi -quietus me tenere in vita, nihilque curans ea quae plerique, quaestum, -rem familiarem, conciones et potestates et conspirationes et seditiones -quae in civitate fiunt, quod putabam longe longeque digniorem me esse -quam ut ex talibus salutem quaererem, non egi hoc ut obirem ea quibus -obeundis nec vobis nec mihi ipsi quicquam utilitatis afferre potuissem, -sed ut quemque privatim demererer quo maximo videbar posse merito, hoc -unum egi, ausus cuique vestrum suadere ne suarum rerum ullius curam -susciperet prius quam sui ipsius suscepisset, ut quam optimus et -prudentissimus fieret, neve negotiorum civitatis prius quam ipsius -civitatis, eodemque modo ceterarum item rerum curam et cogitationem -susciperet: quid igitur commerui, talis qui fuerim? Boni sane aliquid, -Athenienses, si modo pro dignitate atque ex vero aestimatis; et quidem -boni id genus quod conveniat mihi. Iam quid convenit pauperi viro, -benemerenti, qui otio indiget ut vos ad virtutem adhortetur? Nihil est -quod tam conveniat, Athenienses, tali viro magis, quam ut ei publice -victus in prytaneo praebeatur; multoque id magis quam si quis vestrum -equo aut bigis aut alio curriculo Olympiis vicit. Is enim vos facit ut -beati videamini esse, ego autem ut sitis: isque victu non indiget, ego -autem indigeo. Itaque si me oportet ex vero ac pro dignitate aestimare, -victum dicam in prytaneo. - -Fortasse igitur vobis, quum haec dico, similiter videor dicere ac de -miseratione et supplicibus verbis, arroganter contumax; verum non ita se -res habet, Athenienses, sed hoc potius modo. Persuasum est mihi, a me -sciente neminem affici iniuria--sed vobis quidem id non persuasero; nam -breve fuit tempus, quo sermones inter nos contulimus: nam si lex esset -vobis, sicut apud alios homines est, morte ne quis multetur unius tantum -diei iudicio sed plurium, persuaderi illud vobis potuisset; nunc autem -non facile est tam brevi tempore tantas calumnias diluere--: sed -persuasum quum sit mihi, a me neminem affici iniurira, multum abest ut -me ipsum iniuria afficiam, meque ipse dicam aliquo malo dignum, aut -huiusmodi aliquid commeruisse. Quid metuens? an ne mihi eveniat id, quod -Melitus me dicit commeruisse, quod nego me scire bonum malumne sit--pro -eo num ex iis, quae certo scio mala esse, delectu facto, hoc me dicam -commeruisse? Num vincula? Et quid me opus est vivere in carcere, -servientem eorum qui quoque tempore constituentur potestati, -Undecimvirorum? an pecuniariam poenam, et in vinculis retineri, donec -solvam? At hic id ipsum mihi recurrit, quod modo dicebam: nihil mihi est -pecuniae, unde solvam. Exsilione ergo aestimabo litem? Fortasse enim -ratam facietis hanc aestimationem. At non tanta vitae cupiditate -occaecatus sum, ut nequeam videre, quum vos, cives mei, perferre non -potueritis meos sermones et conversationem meam, quae vobis adeo molesta -et invidiosa facta est, ut iam ab ea liberari velitis, alios homines eam -facile laturos esse. Id ego ut credam, Athenienses? Pulchra sane mihi -vita erit, si ego hoc aetatis demigrans hinc, urbemque aliam ex alia -mutans et undique expulsus vivam. Certo enim scio, quocumque venero, uti -hac in urbe, non defore qui disserentem me audiant adolescentes; ac si -eos repellam, hi me ipsi expellent, inductis ad id senioribus; sin non -repellam, facient illud eorum et patres et cognati, eorum causa ipsorum. - -Nunc forsitan dixerit aliquis: Tacitus et quietus, Socrate, vivere nobis -non poteris, si hinc egressus eris? Hoc vero pluribus vestrum ad -persuadendum apte explicare longe difficillimum est. Nam sive dicam esse -illud deo non parere, atque ideo me haudquaquam quietum esse posse, non -credetis mihi quasi dissimulatione uso; sin rursus dicam, nullum homini -maius bonum posse contingere, quam ut quotidie sermones conferat de -virtute et ceteris rebus, de quibus disserenti vos mihi operam datis, -meque et alios exploranti--nam inexplorata vita non vitalis homini -est--: hoc igitur dicenti etiam minus credetis mihi. Sed ita res est ut -ego dico, cives; sed non facilis est ad explicandum. Accedit quod ego -non consuevi me dignum deputare ullo malo. Etenim si mihi argentum -esset, tanto litem aestimarem quantum solvere possem--nam nullum mihi ea -re damnum fieret--: nunc autem nihil est; nisi forte, quantum ego -solvere potero, tanto mihi aestimare vultis. Fortasse solvere vobis -potuerim admodum minam argenti: igitur tanto litem aestimo. Sed Plato -hic, Athenienses, et Crito et Critobulus et Apollodorus iubent me -triginta minis aestimare, ipsique se obstringere volunt -sponsione. Aestimo igitur tanto: sponsoresque eius argenti iidem vobis -erunt locupletes. - - - PARS III. - -Exigui quidem temporis causa, Athenienses, nomen vobis et crimen fiet ab -iis, qui civitati vestrae maledicere volent, ex eo quod Socratem -occidistis, virum sapientem. Vocabunt enim me sapientem, etsi non sum, -qui vobis opprobrium dicere cupient. At si parumper exspectassetis, idem -fataliter vobis evenisset. Videte enim aetatem meam, quam longe -processerit in vita, et prope sit mortem. Dico autem illud non ad omnes -vos: sed tantum ad eos qui me morte multarunt. Ac dico hoc quoque ad hos -eosdem. Putatis fortasse, Athenienses, inopia verborum me cecidisse -talium, quibus vos movere potuissem, si putarem nihil non faciendum ac -dicendum, ut a vobis absolverer. Nihil profecto minus. Inopia quidem -cecidi, verum non verborum, sed audaciae et impudentiae, et quod -voluntas mihi defuit dicendi ad vos ea, quae vobis gratissima essent -auditu, si et eiularem et lamentarer atque alia facerem et dicerem -multa, mihi, ut ego aio, indecora; qualia vos adsueti estis ex ceteris -audire. Sed neque antea putabam periculi metu faciendum esse quicquam -inhonestum, nec me nunc poenitet causam ita dixisse, itaque dicentem -multo me emori malo quam isto modo vivere. Neque enim in iudicio neque -in bello aut me aut alium quemquam decet machinando et omnia tentando id -agere ut effugiamus mortem. Nam et in proeliis saepe videmus interitum -posse vitari, si quis sese abiectis armis supplex converterit ad -insequentes; uti et alia sunt multa in quovis genere periculorum effugia -mortis, si quis nihil non facere et dicere ausit. Sed vide ne non illud -difficile sit, Athenienses, mortem evitare, sed multo difficilius, -improbitatem: velocius enim haec currit morte. Ita nunc ego, ut tardus -et senex, a tardiore sum oppressus; accusatores autem mei, ut violenti -et acres, a velociore, malitia. Ac nunc quidem discedimus hinc, ego -morti addicendus a vobis, isti contra addicti veritatis voce pravitati -et iniustitiae. Atque ego illam sententiam ratam habeo, istique hanc -suam. Igitur haec et oportebat sic, opinor, agi, et satis tolerabiliter -acta puto. - -Quod reliquum est, cupio vobis vaticinari, condemnatores mei. Perveni -enim nunc eo ubi maxime homines vaticinantur, quum mors imminet. Nam -praedico, cives, si me occideritis, continuo vobis post excessum meum -venturam esse poenam, longe, Iuppiter, graviorem illam quam qua me -multastis capitali. Hoc enim nunc fecistis, spe inducti fore ut -reddendam vitae rationem defugiatis: sed contra plane eventurum vobis -dico. Plures erunt vobis castigatores, quos adhuc ego cohibebam, vos -autem id non sentiebatis; eruntque illi graviores, quo adolescentiores -sunt, et vestram magis movebunt indignationem. Si vero putatis, -occidendis hominibus prohibituros vos esse ne quis vobis vitam exprobret -parum honeste actam, haud recte iudicatis. Ista enim via defugere -censuram nec licet nec decet; at haec et pulcherrima cuique et facillima -via est, non intercipere ceteros, sed suum ipsius animum sic componere -ut fiat quam optimus. Ita haec vobis qui me condemnastis vaticinatus, -desino. - -Cum his vero qui me absolverunt libenter colloquar de iis, quae modo -facta sunt, interim dum magistratus suas res agunt, egoque nondum -abducor quo abductum me mori oportet. Itaque mihi manete, cives, tantum -temporis: nihil enim obstat quo minus inter nos confabulemur, quoad -licet. Nam vobis tamquam amicis ostendere volo, quid significent haec -quae mihi nunc usu venerunt. Etenim mihi, iudices--quippe vos iudicum -nomine recte appellarim--mirabile quiddam evenit. Nam consuetum mihi -divinum omen priore quidem tempore perquam frequens semper erat, et -perlevibus de causis adversabatur, ubi quid non bene facturus -essem. Nunc autem, ut ipsi videtis, hoc accidit mihi, quod sane quis -putet ac vere numeratur extremum malorum: sed mihi neque exeunti mane -domo adversatum est signum dei, neque quum huc adscenderem in iudicium, -neque in ulla sermonis parte, si quid dicere vellem; tametsi id in aliis -sermonibus mihi plurimis locis medium dictionis cursum inhibuit. Nunc -autem nusquam in huius diei actione mihi, nec facienti quicquam nec -dicenti, adversatum est. Cuius rei quam causam esse suspicer, ego dicam -vobis. Nam videtur id quod mihi accidit bonum fuisse; ac nequaquam recte -suspicamur, qui malum putamus esse mortem. Magno argumento mihi hoc -fuit: non potest fieri quin adversatum mihi fuisset consuetum signum, -nisi ego aliquid boni essem acturus. - -Consideremus iam sic quoque, quam magna spes sit bonum illud esse. Ex -duobus enim alterum est mors: nam aut velut in nihilum interitus est, ut -ne ullum quidem ullius rei sensum retineat mortuus, aut, quod vulgo -dicitur, commutatio quaedam et peregrinatio animi hac ex sede hinc in -aliam sedem. Ac sive omnis sensus privatio est, similisque ei somno, quo -quis consopitus ne somnium quidem ullum cernit, mirificum prorsus lucrum -est in morte. Ego enim putarim, si quis deligere velit talem noctem, in -qua sic dormivit ut nullum viderit somnium, ceterasque noctes et dies -vitae suae comparatas cum ea nocte velit reputare ac dicere, quot dies -et noctes melius suaviusque tali nocte egerit in sua vita; putarim eum, -non modo privatum hominem sed regem magnum, admodum numerabiles illas -reperturum esse, cum ceteris collatas diebus et noctibus. Quodsi -eiusmodi quiddam est mors, lucrum equidem dico: ita enim nihil amplius -videtur omne consequens tempus esse quam una nox: sin similis mors est -migrationi hinc in aliam sedem, veraque sunt quae dicuntur, habitare -illic omnes qui vita cesserunt, quid est quod huic bono praeferamus, -iudices? Nam si quis delatus ad inferos, ab his qui se iudices ferunt -evaserit, eosque convenerit qui vere sunt iudices, quos etiam dicunt -illic iudicare, Minoem, Rhadamanthum, Aeacum, Triptolemum, atque alios, -quotquot ex semideis vitam iuste peregerunt, an spernenda videri poterit -ea migratio? Iam vero versari cum Orpheo, Musaeo, Hesiodo, Homero, -quanti cuique vestrum aestimandum videtur? Ego certe saepe emori cupio, -si illa sunt vera. Nam mihi quidem ipsi delectabilis ibi conversatio -erit, si colloqui licebit cum Palamede et Aiace Telamonio, et si quis -priscorum alius iniquo iudicio oppressus est: conferre meos casus cum -illorum, non iniucunda, ut arbitror, res erit. Id vero vel maximum erit, -ita me vivere, ut eos qui illic sunt, similiter atque hic homines, -examinem atque explorem, quis sapiens sit eorum, et quis sibi videatur -esse, quum non sit. Quanti tandem quis aestimandum putabit, iudices, -explorare eum qui magnum illum exercitum duxit ad Troiam, aut Ulyssem -aut Sisyphum? ne sexcentos memorem alios, vel viros vel mulieres, -quibuscum versari et colloqui et ad examinis consuetudinem redire, -nimium quantum erit beatitatis. Non enim illi, opinor, ea de causa nos -occident. Nam et ceteris rebus beatiores illi sunt nobis qui hic -vivimus, et reliquum iam tempus immortales sunt, si modo quod vulgo -dicitur, verum est. - -Sed vos quoque decet, iudices, bonam spem agitare de morte, idque unum -animo tenere verum, numquam viro bono mali quicquam evenire posse, nec -vivo, nec mortuo, nec res eius negligi a diis: nec mihi haec nunc -acciderunt fortuito, sed illud non dubium est, quin iam mori atque his -aerumnis exsolvi optimum fuerit mihi. Propterea etiam nusquam me -revocavit signum istud; nec magnopere iis, qui me condemnarunt et qui -accusarunt, succenseo: etsi non eo consilio agebant condemnatores mei et -accusatores, sed quod mihi nocere se crediderant; in quo sane non carent -iusta reprehensione. - -Tantum adhuc ab iis peto. Filios meos, quum primum adoleverunt, -coercete, cives, eodemque illos modo vexate, quo ego vos vexabam, si -vobis videbuntur vel opibus vel ulli alii rei studere potius quam -virtuti; ac si videbuntur sibi aliquid esse, quum nihil sint, exprobrate -illis, sicut ego vobis, quod non studeant iis quibus oportet rebus, -putentque aliquid se esse, quum nullo sint numero. Quod si feceritis, -iusta acceperimus et ego a vobis ipse et filii. Sed iam tempus est hinc -abire, mihi quidem ad moriendum, vobis ad vivendum. Utris autem nostrum -melius cessurum sit, id nemo quisquam scit praeter deum. - - - FINIS. - - -[TR1] "Quomodo" -> "quomodo". - -[TR2] "Utrum" -> "utrum". - -[TR3] "quummaxime" -> "quum maxime". - - - - - TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES: - -The following edition was used for the transcription of the Latin text: - - Friedrich August Wolf, "Platonis Apologia Socratis" (Berlin, Nauck, - 1812) - -The introduction was taken from this edition: - - F. Wagner, "Plato's Apology of Socrates and Crito" (Boston, John - Allyn, 1877) - -Headings were added to match the logical structure pointed out in this -introduction. Footnotes added by the Transcriber are marked as [TR1], -[TR2], etc. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Platonis Apologia Socratis, by Plato - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PLATONIS APOLOGIA SOCRATIS *** - -***** This file should be named 51139-0.txt or 51139-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/1/1/3/51139/ - -Produced by Carolus Raeticus -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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