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HE had two wives, the first Xantippe, a Citizens daughter of Athens, as Theodoret affirmes, who addes, that she was dishonest before he married her, even with himselfe, besides others: Athenaeus also saith, that after he was married, he lent her to a friend, and that Alcibiades lay with her: But Aristoke∣nus and Porphyrius, from whom these as persons are derived, have been noted of too much malignity, to be of any autho∣rity.
She was (according to the Character* 1.1 Agellius gives her) curst, froward, chiding, and ••colding alwaies both day and night,* 1.2 and for that reason he chose her, as he profest to Antisthenes, from observing, that they who would be excel∣lent in horse-manship, chose the roughest horses, knowing, if they are able to manage them, they may easily rule others: He, desirous to use much coversation with men, took her to wife; knowing, if he could bear with her, he might easily con∣verse with all men. To Alcibiades, who said, her scolding was intollerable, he profest it was nothing to him, being used to it like such as live in the continuall noise of a mill. Besides, saith he, cannot you endure the cackling of hens; but they answered Alcibiades, bring me Eggs and chickens; and my Xan∣tippe, replies Socrates, children.
Of her impatience, and his sufferance, there are severall in∣stances; * 1.3 one day before some of his friends, she fell into the usuall extravagance of her passion, whereupon he not answe∣ring anything, went forth with them, but was no sooner out of the doore, when she running up into the chamber, threw down water upon his head, whereat turning to his friends, did I not tell you, saith he, that after so much thunder we should have rain.
Another time she pulled his Cloak off from his shoulders in the open Forum;* 1.4 some friends present counselled him to beat her. Yes, saith he, that whilst we two fight, you may all stand by, and cry, Well done Socrates, to him Xantippe.
To some other story in the same kind▪* 1.5 Antoninus alludes in these words; how Socrates looked when he was sain to gird himselfe with askin, Xantippe having taken his cloths away, and carried them forth with her, and what he said to his friends, who out of a modest re∣spectsulnesse, went back, secing him so attired.
Having brought Euthydemus from the Palaestrae to dine with him,* 1.6 Xantippe running to the table, angry, and scolding, over∣turned it; Euthydemus much troubled, rose up, and would have gone away, when Socrates did not: a Hen, saith he, the other day did the very samething at your house, yet I was not angry thereat.
Alcibiades having sent him a crious march-pane,* 1.7 Xantippe furiously (as her manner was) threw it our of the basket, and trode upon it; whereat Socrates laughing, and shall not you (saith he) lose your share in it.
Another time she offered to go to a publick show attired undecently;* 1.8 take heed, saith he, you be not rather the spectacle then the spectatour.
With reason therefore he said,* 1.9 I had three evills, Grammer, Poesy, and an ill wife; two I have shaken off, but my ill wife I cannot.
His other wife was named Myrto,* 1.10 Niece to Lystmachus daughter of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, not the just, as Laertius, and from him Suidas affirm; but another of that name, the 3d. from him as is observed by A∣the••aeus, for the two daughters of Aristides the just, could not but be of great age before the 77. Olympiad, wherein Socrates was born, long before, which time Aristides died an old man in Exile; for that Themistocles died the second year of the 77. O∣lympiad is certain. and as Aemilius Probus affirms, Aristides dyed four years before Themistocles was banished Athens, here∣upon Plutarch more cautio••sly calls her not the daughter, but Niece of Aristides.
Some because Xantippe(as is manifest from Plato outlived him, believe he was first married to Myrto, but that he had both these wives at the same time, which is attested by Demetrius Pholereus, Aristoxenus (to whom Athenaeus saith, that Aristotle gave the ground) Callisthenes and Porphyrius: whence Aristippus in his* 1.11 Epistle to his daughter Myrto, adviseth her to go to Athens, and above all to honour Xantippe and Myrto, and to live with them as he with Socrates.
The occasion, whereupon the Athe••ans, who from the time of Cecrops had strictly observed single marriage, allowed bigamy, in the time of Socrates was this; In the second year of the 87 O∣lympiad, and the third of the 88. Athens was visited extreamly with the pestilence, which attended by war and famine, occa∣sioned to great a searcity of men, that they made in edict it might to be lawfull for any that would to take two wives, Euripi∣des made use of this indulgence, and that Socrates also did so, is attested by Satyrus the peripatetick, and Hieronymus the Rho∣dian, who recorded the order; to which Athenaeus imputes the silence of the Comick Poets in this particular, who omitted no grounds of reproach. Plutarch implies, that he took her out of charity, for she was a widdow (* 1.12 without any portion or dow∣er) extreamly in want.
* 1.13 Perphyrius reports, that these two (Xantippe and Myr∣to) quarrell'd they would at last fall both upon Socrates. and beat him, because he stood by and never parted them, but laughed as well when they fought with him, as with one anto∣ther.
By Xantippe hee had a son named Lamprocles, who could not brook her impatience so well as his Father, and being 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by her into disobedience, was reclaimed by Socrates; Hee died young, as may be gathered from Plutarch, who saith, Tim••chus of Chaero••ca dying very young, desired earnestly of Socrates that he might be buried near his son Lamprocles, who died but few daies before, being his dear friend, and of the same age. It ap∣pears from Plato, that he had more sons by her for in his Apolo∣gy he mentions three, two grown men, the other child,
which seems to be the same, brought by Xantippe to him in pri∣son the day of his death, and as Plato describes it, held in her lap.
By Myrto he had two sons, the eldest Sophroniscus, the young∣est Menedemus or Menexenus, though some say he had Menede∣mus by Xantippe.
1. 17.
L••••n.
Laert.
Laert.
Lib. 2. 26.
Plut. de ira cahib.
Aelian v••r. hist. 11. 12.
Aellan. 7. 10. Laert. Stob.
Stob. 188.
Theodoret.
Socratic. Epist.
Laert.
Theo••oret.