The Memorabilia
by Xenophon
- Pages
- about 254
- Category
- History
- Language
- English
- Reading time
- 4.7 h at 250 wpm
From the opening
I have often wondered by what arguments those who indicted (1) Socrates
could have persuaded the Athenians that his life was justly forfeit to
the state. The indictment was to this effect: "Socrates is guilty of
crime in refusing to recognise the gods acknowledged by the state,
and importing strange divinities of his own; he is further guilty of
corrupting the young."
(1) {oi grapsamenoi} = Meletus (below, IV. iv. 4, viii. 4; "Apol." 11,
19), Anytus ("Apol." 29), and Lycon. See Plat. "Apol." II. v. 18;
Diog. Laert. II. v. (Socr.); M. Schanz, "Plat. Apol. mit deutschen
Kemmentar, Einleitung," S. 5 foll.
In the first place, what evidence did they produce that Socrates refused
to recognise the gods acknowledged by the state? Was it that he did not
sacrifice? or that he dispensed with divination? On the contrary, he was
often to be seen engaged in sacrifice, at home or at the common altars
of the state. Nor was his dependence on divination less manifest. Indeed
that saying of his, "A divinity (2) gives me a sign," was on everybody's
lips. So much so that, if I am not mistaken, it lay at the root of
the imputation that he imported novel divinities; though there was no
greater novelty in his case than in that of other believers in oracular
help, who commonly rely on omens of all sorts: the flight or cry
of birds, the utterances of man, chance meetings, (3) or a victim's
entrails. Even according to the popular conception, it is not the mere
fowl, it is not the chance individual one meets, who knows what things
are profitable for a man, but it is the gods who vouchsafe by such
instruments to signify the same. This was also the tenet of Socrates.
Only, whereas men ordinarily speak of being turned aside, or urged
onwards by birds, or other creatures encountered on the path, Socrates
suited his language to his conviction. "The divinity," said he, "gives
me a sign."
A short sample. Read the whole book
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