the memorabilia-第48章
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＇11＇ Schneid。 cf。 Plat。 〃Rep。〃 vii。 527 D。
＇12＇ 〃Occurrences connected with the night； the month； or year。〃 e。g。
the festival of the Karneia； the ｛tekmerion｝ （point de repere） of
which is the full moon of August。 Cf。 Eur。 〃Alc。〃 449。
＇13＇ See Plat。 〃Soph。〃 220 D； above； III。 xi。 8； 〃Cyrop。〃 I。 vi。 40；
〃Hunting；〃 xii。 6； Hippocr。 〃Aer。〃 28。
＇14＇ See Lewis； 〃Astron。 of the Ancients〃； cf。 Diog。 Laert。 vii。 1。
144。
＇15＇ Or； 〃the causes of these。〃
＇16＇ ｛oude touton ge anekoos en｝。 He had 〃heard；〃 it is said；
Archelaus； a pupil of Anaxagoras。 Cf。 Cic。 〃Tusc。〃 V。 iv。 10。
And to speak generally； in regard of things celestial he set his face
against attempts to excogitate the machinery by which the divine power
formed its several operations。＇17＇ Not only were these matters beyond
man's faculties to discover； as he believed； but the attempt to search
out what the gods had not chosen to reveal could hardly （he supposed）
be well pleasing in their sight。 Indeed； the man who tortured his
brains about such subjects stood a fair chance of losing his wits
entirely； just as Anaxagoras；＇18＇ the headiest speculator of them all；
in his attempt to explain the divine mechanism； had somewhat lost his
head。 Anaxagoras took on himself to assert that sun and fire are
identical；＇19＇ ignoring the fact that human beings can easily look at
fire； but to gaze steadily into the face of the sun is given to no
man； or that under the influence of his rays the colour of the skin
changes； but under the rays of fire not。＇20＇ He forgot that no plant
or vegetation springs from earth's bosom with healthy growth without
the help of sunlight； whilst the influence of fire is to parch up
everything； and to destroy life； and when he came to speak of the sun
as being a 〃red…hot stone〃 he ignored another fact； that a stone in
fire neither lights up nor lasts； whereas the sun…god abides for ever
with intensest brilliancy undimmed。
＇17＇ Or； 〃he tried to divert one from becoming overly…wise in heavenly
matters and the 'mecanique celeste' of the Godhead in His several
operations。〃 See above； I。 i。 11。 See Grote； 〃Plato；〃 i。 438。
＇18＇ Of Clazomenae。 Cf。 Plat。 〃Apol。〃 14； Diog。 Laert。 II。 vi； Cic。
〃Tusc。〃 V。 iv。 10； Cobet； 〃Prosop。 Xen。〃 s。n。； Grote； 〃H。 G。〃 i。
501。
＇19＇ Or； 〃that the sun was simply a fire； forgetting so simple a fact
as that。〃
＇20＇ Or； 〃the complexion darkens； whereas fire has no such effect。〃
Socrates inculcated the study of reasoning processes；＇21＇ but in
these； equally with the rest； he bade the student beware of vain and
idle over…occupation。 Up to the limit set by utility； he was ready to
join in any investigation； and to follow out an argument with those
who were with him； but there he stopped。 He particularly urged those
who were with him to pay the utmost attention to health。 They would
learn all it was possible to learn from adepts； and not only so； but
each one individually should take pains to discover； by a lifelong
observation of his own case； what particular regimen； what meat or
drink； or what kind of work； best suited him； these he should turn to
account with a view to leading the healthiest possible life。 It would
be no easy matter for any one who would follow this advice； and study
his own idiosyncrasy； to find a doctor to improve either on the
diagnosis or the treatment requisite。＇22＇
＇21＇ ｛logismous｝ = （1） 〃arithmetic；〃 （2） 〃calculation；〃 （3）
〃syllogistic reasoning。〃 See L。 Dind。 〃Index。 Gr。〃 s。v。； and
Kuhner ad loc。； cf。 Plat。 〃Gorg。〃 451 C。 It is important to decide
which form of 〃logism〃 is meant here。
＇22＇ Or； 〃to find a doctor better able than himself to 'diagnose' and
prescribe a treatment congenial to health。〃 Cf。 Tac。 〃Ann。〃 vi。
46； Plut。 〃de San。〃 136 E； ap。 Schneid。 ad loc。
Where any one came seeking for help which no human wisdom could
supply； he would counsel him to give heed to 〃divination。〃 He who has
the secret of the means whereby the gods give signs to men touching
their affairs can never surely find himself bereft of heavenly
guidance。
VIII
Now if any one should be disposed to set the statement of Socrates
touching the divinity＇1＇ which warned him what he ought to do or not
to do； against the fact that he was sentenced to death by the board of
judges； and argue that thereby Socrates stood convicted of lying and
delusion in respect of this 〃divinity〃 of his； I would have him to
note in the first place that； at the date of his trial； Socrates was
already so far advanced in years that had he not died then his life
would have reached its natural term soon afterwards； and secondly； as
matters went； he escaped life's bitterest load＇2＇ in escaping those
years which bring a diminution of intellectual force to allinstead
of which he was called upon to exhibit the full robustness of his soul
and acquire glory in addition；＇3＇ partly by the style of his defence
felicitous alike in its truthfulness； its freedom； and its
rectitude＇4＇and partly by the manner in which he bore the sentence
of condemnation with infinite gentleness and manliness。 Since no one
within the memory of man； it is admitted； ever bowed his head to death
more nobly。 After the sentence he must needs live for thirty days；
since it was the month of the 〃Delia；〃＇5＇ and the law does not suffer
any man to die by the hand of the public executioner until the sacred
embassy return from Delos。 During the whole of that period （as his
acquaintances without exception can testify） his life proceeded as
usual。 There was nothing to mark the difference between now and
formerly in the even tenour of its courage； and it was a life which at
all times had been a marvel of cheerfulness and calm content。＇6＇
＇1＇ Or； 〃the words of Socrates with regard to a divine something which
warned him；〃 etc。
＇2＇ The phraseology is poetical。
＇3＇ Or； 〃in a manner which redounded to his glory。〃
＇4＇ Or； 〃marvellous alike for the sincerity of its language； the free
unbroken spirit of its delivery； and the absolute rectitude of the
speaker。〃
＇5＇ i。e。 the lesser 〃Delian〃 solemnities； an annual festival
instituted； it was said； by Theseus。 See Plut。 〃Theseus；〃 23
（Clough； i。 19）； and for the whole matter see Plat。 〃Phaed。〃 58
foll。
＇6＇ Cf。 Arist。 〃Frogs；〃 82； of Sophocles； ｛o d' eukolos men enthad'；
eukolos d' ekei｝。
＇Let us pause and ask how could man die more nobly and more
beautifully than in the way described？ or put it thus： dying so； then
was his death most noble and most beautiful； and being the most
beautiful； then was it also the most fortunate and heaven…blest； and
being most blessed of heaven； then was it also most precious in the
sight of God。＇＇7＇
＇7＇ This is bracketed as spurious by Sauppe and other commentators。
But see 〃Cyrop。〃 VIII。 ii。 7； 8； for similar ineptitude of style。
R。 Kuhner defends the passage as genuine。
And now I will mention further certain things which I have heard from
Hermogenes； the son of Hipponicus；＇8＇ concerning him。 He said that
even after Meletus＇9＇ had drawn up the indictment； he himself used to
hear Socrates conversing and discussing everything rather than the
suit impending； and had ventured to suggest that he ought to be
considering the line of his defence； to which； in the first instance；
the master answered： 〃Do I not seem to you to have been practising
that my whole life long？〃 And upon his asking 〃How？〃 added in
explanation that he had passed his days in nothing else save in
distinguishing between what is just and what is unjust （right and
wrong）； and in doing what is right and abstaining from what is wrong；
〃which conduct〃 （he added） 〃I hold to be the finest possible practice
for my defence〃； and when he （Hermogenes）； returning to the point
again； pleaded with Socrates： 〃Do you not see； Socrates； how commonly
it happens that an Athenian jury； under the influence of argument；
condemns innocent people to death and acquits real criminals？〃
Socrates replied； 〃I assure you； Hermogenes； that each time I have
essayed to give my thoughts to the defence which I am to make before
the court； the divinity＇10＇ ha
