The history of philosophy, in eight parts by Thomas Stanley.

CHAP. XIIII.

What happened after his death.

HE was buried with tears and much solemnity (contrary to his own direction) by his friends, amongst whom, * 1.1 the excessive grief of Plato is observed by Plutarch,* 1.2 and the mourning habit of Isocrates: As soon as they had performed that last service, fearing the cruelty of the Tyrants, they stole out of the City, the greater part to Megara to Euclid, where they were kindly received,* 1.3 the rest to other parts.

* 1.4 Soon after, I Lacaedemonian youth, who had never more acquaintance with Socrates then what fame gave him, took a journey to Athens, intending to become his disciple; being come as far as the City-gates, & ready to enter, with joy to be neer the end at which he aimed, instead of Socrates, he meets there the newes of his death, whereat he was so troubled, that he would not go within the City-gates, but enquiring the place where he was buried, went thither, and breaks forth into a passionate discourse, accompanyed with many tears, to the enclosed dead body; when night was come, he fell asleep upon the Sepulcher; the next morning, affectionately kissing the dust that lay upon it; and with much passion taking leave of the place, he returned to Megara.

Suidas tells a like story (for that there were more examples then one in this kind, Libanius implies) of a Chain, named Cyrsas, who comming to Athens to hear Socrates, went to his Tomb, and slept there, to whom Socrates appeared in a dream, and discoursed with him; with which only satisfaction he went directly home again.

* 1.5 By these accidents the Athenians were awakened into a

sense of their injustice, considering they were obnoxious to the censure of the Lacedaemonians by extraordinary crimes whose children were so affectionate to the Philosophers whom they had murdered, as to take such long journeys to see Socra∣tes, whom they would not keep when he was with them; here∣at they became so exasperated, that they were ready to tear those wicked men, that were the occasion of his death, peece∣meal with their teeth, the whole City cried out, they dis∣claimed the act, and that the authors thereof ought to be put to death, Antisth••nes furthered their rage by this means* 1.6 Some young men of Pontus invited. o Athens by the same of Socra∣tes, met with Antisthenes, who carried them to Anytus, telling them, he was much wiser then Socrates; whereupon those tha•• •• present, with much indignation, turned Anytus out of the City: thence he went to Heraclea, where some say the Citizens also expelled him,* 1.7 others that they stoned him to death: Mlius was by the Athenians condemned and put to death,* 1.8 others affirme the like of all his accusers without tryall,* 1.9 Platarch, that they so much ha ••d them,* 1.10 as they would not suffer them to kindle ••ire at their houses, they would not answer them any question, they would not wash with them, but threw away the water they had touch'd, as impure, until una∣ble to b••ook this hatred, they hanged themselves.

In further testimony of their penitence, they called home his friends to their former liberty of meeting, they forbad publick spectacles of games and wrestling for a time, they caused his Statue, made in bras••e by Lysippus, to be set up in the Pompeum, and (a Plague ensuing, which they imputed to the injustice of this act) they made an order, that no man should mention Socrates publickly, or on the Theater, that so they might so, get what they had done: Euripides (restrained by this order from doing it directly) reproached them covertly in a Tragedy, named Palamedes (in whom he alluded to Socra∣tes) particularly in these verses,

A Philomele neer mischiefe knew, Is stain (alasse) is slain by you.

At which words, all the spectators understanding they were meant of Socrates, fell a weeping.

The death of this sole person (saith* 1.11 Eunapius) brought a generall calamity upon the Citty; for it may easily be collected by computation of times,* 1.12 that from thence forward the Athenians did nothing conside∣rable, but the Citty by degrees decayed, and with it all Greece.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Plut. de virt. mor.
• * 1.2

  Plut. vit. dec. Orat.
• * 1.3

  Liban.
• * 1.4

  Socrat. Epist.
• * 1.5

  Socrat. Epist.
• * 1.6

  Laert 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Antisth.
• * 1.7

  Themist. Orat. 2.
• * 1.8

  Laert.
• * 1.9

  Diod Sic. 14. Socratic. Epist.
• * 1.10

  De invid. & 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.11

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. For 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 seems to have been some glosse to explain 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. So Callimach. Epigr. As 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.12

  In Aedes: