the memorabilia-第41章
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manifest a great regard； nay； a tender care； towards mankind。
Soc。 Well； and what do you make of the fact that where we are
powerless to take advantageous forethought for our future； at this
stage they themselves lend us their co…operation； imparting to the
inquirer through divination knowledge of events about to happen； and
instructing him by what means they may best be turned to good account？
Euth。 Ay； and you； Socrates； they would seem to treat in a more
friendly manner still than the rest of men； if； without waiting even
to be inquired of by you； they show you by signs beforehand what you
must； and what you must not do。＇19＇
＇19＇ See above； I。 iv。 14； for a parallel to the train of thought on
the part of Aristodemus 〃the little；〃 and of Euthydemus； and for
Socrates' ｛daimonion｝； see above； Grote； 〃Plato；〃 i。 400。
Soc。 Yes； and you will discover for youself the truth of what I say；
if； without waiting to behold the outward and visible forms＇20＇ of the
gods themselves； you will be content to behold their works； and with
these before you； to worship and honour the Divine authors of
them。＇21＇ I would have you reflect that the very gods themselves
suggest this teaching。＇22＇ Not one of these but gives us freely of his
blessings； yet they do not step from behind their veil in order to
grant one single boon。＇23＇ And pre…eminently He who orders and holds
together the universe；＇24＇ in which are all things beautiful and
good；＇25＇ who fashions and refashions it to never…ending use unworn；
keeping it free from sickness or decay；＇26＇ so that swifter than
thought it ministers to his will unerringlythis God is seen to
perform the mightiest operations； but in the actual administration of
the same abides himself invisible to mortal ken。 Reflect further； this
Sun above our heads； so visible to allas we supposewill not suffer
man to regard him too narrowly； but should any essay to watch him with
a shameless stare he will snatch away their power of vision。 And if
the gods themselves are thus unseen； so too shall you find their
ministers to be hidden also； from the height of heaven above the
thunderbolt is plainly hurled； and triumphs over all that it
encounters； yet it is all…invisible； no eye may detect its coming or
its going at the moment of its swoop。 The winds also are themselves
unseen； though their works are manifest； and through their approach we
are aware of them。 And let us not forget； the soul of man himself；
which if aught else human shares in the divinehowever manifestly
enthroned within our bosom； is as wholly as the rest hidden from our
gaze。 These things you should lay to mind； and not despise the
invisible ones； but learn to recognise their power； as revealed in
outward things； and to know the divine influence。＇27＇
＇20＇ Cf。 Cic。 〃de N。 D。〃 I。 xii。 31； Lactantius； 〃de Ira；〃 xi。 13。
＇21＇ See L。 Dindorf ad loc。 （ed。 Ox。 1862）； ｛theous｝； G。 Sauppe； vol。
iii。 〃An。 crit。〃 p。 xxix； R。 Kuhner； C。 Schenkl。
＇22＇ i。e。 〃that man must walk by faith。〃 For ｛upodeiknunai｝ cf。
〃Econ。〃 xii。 18。
＇23＇ Schneid。 cf。 Plat。 〃Crat。〃 396。
＇24＇ Or； 〃the co…ordinator and container of the universe。〃
＇25＇ Or； 〃in whom all beauty and goodness is。〃
＇26＇ Cf。 〃Cyrop。〃 VIII。 vii。 22； above； I。 iv。 13。
＇27＇ ｛to daimonion｝； the divinity。
Nay； Socrates （replied Euthydemus）； there is no danger I shall turn a
deaf ear to the divine influence even a little； of that I am not
afraid； but I am out of heart to think that no soul of man may ever
requite the kindness of the gods with fitting gratitude。
Be not out of heart because of that （he said）； you know what answer
the god at Delphi makes to each one who comes asking 〃how shall I
return thanks to heaven？〃〃According to the law and custom of your
city〃； and this； I presume； is law and custom everywhere that a man
should please the gods with offerings according to the ability which
is in him。＇28＇ How then should a man honour the gods with more
beautiful or holier honour than by doing what they bid him？ but he
must in no wise slacken or fall short of his ability； for when a man
so does； it is manifest； I presume； that at the moment he is not
honouring the gods。 You must then honour the gods； not with
shortcoming but according to your ability； and having so done； be of
good cheer and hope to receive the greatest blessings。 For where else
should a man of sober sense look to receive great blessings if not
from those who are able to help him most； and how else should he hope
to obtain them save by seeking to please his helper； and how may he
hope to please his helper better than by yielding him the amplest
obedience？
＇28＇ Or； 〃and that law； I presume； is universal which says； Let a
man；〃 etc。； and for the maxim see above； 〃Anab。〃 III。 ii。 9。
By such wordsand conduct corresponding to his wordsdid Socrates
mould and fashion the hearts of his companions； making them at once
more devout and more virtuous。＇29＇
＇29＇ Or； 〃sounder of soul and more temperate as well as more pious。〃
IV
But indeed＇1＇ with respect to justice and uprightness he not only made
no secret of the opinion he held； but gave practical demonstration of
it； both in private by his law…abiding and helpful behaviour to
all；＇2＇ and in public by obeying the magistrates in all that the laws
enjoined； whether in the life of the city or in military service； so
that he was a pattern of loyalty to the rest of the world； and on
three several occasions in particular： first； when as president
（Epistates） of the assembly he would not suffer the sovereign people
to take an unconstitutional vote；＇3＇ but ventured； on the side of the
laws； to resist a current of popular feeling strong enough； I think；
to have daunted any other man。 Again； when the Thirty tried to lay
some injunction on him contrary to the laws； he refused to obey； as
for instance when they forbade his conversing with the young；＇4＇ or
again； when they ordered him and certain other citizens to arrest a
man to be put to death；＇5＇ he stood out single…handed on the ground
that the injunctions laid upon him were contrary to the laws。 And
lastly； when he appeared as defendant in the suit instituted by
Meletus；＇6＇ notwithstanding that it was customary for litigants in the
law courts to humour the judges in the conduct of their arguments by
flattery and supplications contrary to the laws；＇7＇ notwithstanding
also that defendants owed their acquittal by the court to the
employment of such methods； he refused to do a single thing however
habitual in a court of law which was not strictly legal； and though by
only a slight deflection from the strict path he might easily have
been acquitted by his judges；＇8＇ he preferred to abide by the laws and
die rather than transgress them and live。
＇1＇ L。 Dindorf suspects ＇SS。 1…6； ｛'Alla men 。 。 。 pollakis｝＇； ed。
Lips。 1872。 See also Praef。 to Ox。 ed。 p。 viii。
＇2＇ Or； 〃by his conduct to all； which was not merely innocent in the
eye of law and custom but positively helpful。〃
＇3＇ See above； I。 i。 18； 〃Hell。〃 I。 vii。 14； 15； Grote； 〃H。 G。〃 viii。
272。
＇4＇ See above； I。 ii。 35。
＇5＇ Leon of Salamis。 See 〃Hell。〃 II。 iii。 39； Plat。 〃Apol。〃 32 C；
Andoc。 〃de Myst。〃 46。
＇6＇ See above； I。 i。 1； Plat。 〃Apol。〃 19 C。
＇7＇ Kuhner cf。 Quintil。 VI。 i。 7： 〃Athenis affectus movere etiam per
praeconem prohibatur orator〃； 〃Apol。〃 4； Plat。 〃Apol。〃 38 D； E。
＇8＇ See Grote； 〃H。 G。〃 viii。 p。 663 foll。
These views he frequently maintained in conversation； now with one and
now with another； and one particular discussion with Hippias of
Elis＇9＇ on the topic of justice and uprightness has come to my
knowledge。＇10＇
＇9＇ For this famous person see Cob。 〃Pros。 Xen。〃 s。n。； Plat。 〃Hipp。
maj。〃 148； Quint。 xii。 11； 21； Grote； 〃H。 G。〃 viii。 524。
＇10＇ Or； 〃I can personally vouch for。〃
Hippias had just arrived at Athens after a long absence； and chanced
to be present when Socrates was telling some listeners how astonishing
it was that if a man wanted to get another taught to be a shoemaker or
carpenter or coppersmith or horseman； he would have no doubt where to
send him for the purpose： 〃People say；〃＇11＇ he ad
