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

CHAP. IX.

How he carried himself in the Democracy & the Oligarchy.

SOcrates forbore to accept any office in the Common-wealth, (except in his later years that of Senatour) either (as* 1.1 Ae∣lian saith) because hee saw the Athenian government, though under the form of a democracy, was yet nearer to a Tyranny or Monarchy, or* 1.2 as himself professeth▪ being disswaded by his Genius from medling in publick affairs, which advice was his preservation, being too honest to comply with the injustices of the Common-wealth, and to oppose them was extreamly dangerous, as he found experimentally in that short time.

* 1.3 He was chosen to the Senate for the Antiochian tribe, wher∣unto (* 1.4 as we have said) Alopece the Town were he was born be∣longed, and* 1.5 in order thereto took the oath which Solon ap∣pointed to be given to every Senatour, to give sentence accor∣ding to the Lawes, not biassed either by favour, hatred, or any other pretext: In the third year of the 93. Olimpiad (* 1.6 the pre∣heminence coming in course to the Antiochian tribe, and So∣crates thereupon becoming President of the people,) hee had

this occasion of manifesting his constancy.* 1.7 There happen'd a Sea fight between the Athenians and the Lacedaemonians at Arginusae: The Athenian Commanders were ten; the Lacedae∣monians Commander in chief, Callic, atidas; the Lacedaemoni∣ans were overthrown, their Adm••al sunk; the Athenians went back to Arg••uae with the losse of 25 ships, and all the men in them except some few that escaped to land; The ten Com∣manders order'd Theramenes and Thrasilulus (Captains of the Galleyes) to look out after the vessells that were shipwrackt, which as they were going to do, a suddain tempest arose and hindred them; Six of these Commanders returned to Athens where they no sooner came, but upon the account they gave of the fight, the Senate committed them to prison; Theramenes was their accuser, who urged that they might be question'd for not relieving those that were lost by shipwrack; The Commanders just••y answer'd, that they had given order for their relief, and that Theramenes and Thrasibulus, on whom that charge was imposed, were (if any) to be condemned; but that they would not retort the fault on their accusers, for the Tempest sufficiently excused them. This satisfied the Senate for that time, but at the next feast being the Apaturia, some friends of Theramenes, by his instigation shaving their hair, and putting on mourning apparell, pretending to be kinsmen of those that were drowned, came in that habit to the Senate, and causing the charge against the ten Commanders to be renewed, so much incensed the people, that they by menaces contrary to all law, enforced the Senate to condemn them. Socrates being order'd to write the decree against them, avoided it by pre∣tending he could not write; and knew not the form, which oc∣casion'd laughter in the Senate (and perhaps that aspersion of Porphyrius, that he was scarce able to write, which when he did, it was to derision) but the true reason is by Athenaeus acknow∣ledg'd to be his constant fortitude, in that he would not vio∣late the lawes of the Common-wealth contrary to the Oath he had taken,* 1.8 to which he took more heed then to the violence wherewith he was threatned; For when the Senate proceeded to their condemnation, he* 1.9 alone opposed it with his suffrage, whereupon many Oratours prepared to accuse him, and the people cried out with loud clamours, that he might be brought to answer for it: but he chose rather to hazard himself for Law and Justice, then through fear of imprisonment and death to consent to injustice, as the death of these men was afterwards known to be, even to the Athenians themselves: and was soon after punished in Theramenes by the like, wherein Socrates gave the same testimony of his Courage upon this occasion.

Athens after a long war with the Lacedaemonians of 27. years, being taken at last by Lysander, the Lacedaemonian Ge∣nerall

in the first year of the 94th Olympiad, there grew some debate concerning the alteration of the Government, from a democracy to an Oligarchy; Theramenes stood for the continu∣ance of the democracy, but being oveswai'd by the power and threats of Lysander, yielded to the constitution of thirty per∣sons, * 1.10 by title Governours, in effect Tyrants, of which num∣ber was Theramenes (whom they took, in regard of his known moderation and equity, to bridle the rapine and avarice of others) Critias, (first a friend, but now a great enemy to So∣crates for reproving his love of Euridamus) Charicles and others, whose names are set down by Xenophon, as are also their murders unjust sequestrations of lands, and confiscations of goods; They began with punishment of the worst persons, proceeded to the richest, and ended with the best. Never (saith Seneca) was any City more miserable; 1300. (Aechines saith 1500.) of the best persons they put to death without any legall trial, nor was their fury thereby asswaged, but more exasperated; That City where was the Areopagus, the most religious Court of Judica∣ture, where the Senate and people like the Senate used to assemble, was daily made a sad Colledge of Executioners, an un∣happy Court too narrow for the Tyrants without rest from oppression, without hope of liberty or remedy. All fled the City but Socrates, who all this while set not his foot out of the gates; he was continually amongst the people, comforted the lamenting Fa∣thers, encourag'd those that despair'd of the state, reproached to the rich, that had lived in fear to lose their wealth, the late re∣pentance of their dangerous avarice, and to those that would imitate him, gave great examples, whilst he walked free amidst the thirty oppressours.

Theramenes opposing this cruelty and injustice, was accused by Critias for betraying the trust of the Common-wealth, whereof he acquitted himself to the satisfaction of the Senate; But Critias and his faction fearing he might overthrow the Oli∣garchy, seized upon him with a troop of souldiers; Theramenes run to the Altar, but being dragg'd from thence by the officers, he behaved himself like (saith Diodorus) the Disciple of Socrates; the people pittied him, but none of them durst offer to help him, because he was compass'd in by the souldiers, ex∣cept Socrates and two of his companions, who ran to him and endeavoured to rescue him out of the hands of the officers; The∣ramenes desired them to forbear, telling them that he much loved and commended their kindnesse and virtue, but that it would be the greatest misfortune he could have, if their love to him should occasion their deaths; whereupon Socrates and his com∣panions seeing none come in to join with them in his aid, and that the contrary party was too strong for them, gave over:

Theramenes was carried to prison, and there (being sentenced to drink hemlock) died.

These outrages of the thirty Tyrants Socrates did not for∣bear to censure.* 1.11 Seeing many eminent persons put to death, and the rich circumvented & betray'd to excessive punishments, he said to Antist∣henes, doth it repent thee that we have done nothing in our whole lives great & remarkable, as those Monarchs who are described in Tragedies, Atreus's, Thyestes's Agamemnon's and Aegisthus's? they are in those playes beheaded, teasted with their own flesh, and generally destroyed; Bu•• no P••et was ever so bold and impudent as to bring a hog killed upon the stage.

* 1.12 To another who murmur'd b••cause he was not looked upon since they began to rule, are you sorry for it said he? Hee said likewise,* 1.13 that it were strange if a Neatherd who diminished and impoverished his herd, should not confesse himself an ill Neatherd; but more strange that one who being set over a City, made the Citizens worse, and their number less, should not confesse himself an ill Governour. This came to their know∣ledge, whereupon Critias and Charicles sent for him, and forbad him strictly to teach or discourse with any of the young men. Socrates asked them, if in a••s of prohibition he might be permitted to question what hee understood n••t, which they granting; Then (continues he) I am ready to obey the Lawes, but lest I transgresse them through ignorance, I desire to be informed, whether when you forbid me the act of speaking, this act be to be understood of things spoken rightly or not rightly; if of the first, I must abstain from speaking what is right; if of the second, I must take care to speak nothing but what is right; Hereupon Charicles being displeased, said, Since you understood not that Socrates, we command you what is easier to be understood, that hence forward you speak not at all with any of the young men; To take away all ambiguity replies Socra∣tes, that I may not exceed my limitation; let me know expresly at what years you call a man young: so long saith Charicles, as he is uncapa∣ble of being Senatour, and bath not attained to the height of his judge∣men; you are not to speak with any under thirty; May I not buy, answers Socrates, of any under that age, nor ask them the price of any thing? That you may, saith Charicles, but your custom is to ask questions of things which you know very well; forbear those: and shall I not then, replies Socrates, make answer if anyone ask me where Charicles dwells, or where Critias is? To such questions saith Charicles you may. You must (continues Critias) refrain from the artisicers, whose ears you have sufficiently grated with your impertinent discourse; I must then obstain (saith Socrates) from justice, piety, and the like; Even from the very Neatherds replies Charicles, which unlesse you do, take heed your head come not short home.

This ill will and jealousie w^ch they had conceived against So∣crates was increased by the secret departure of some friends of his out of the City, which was reported to be done by his con∣trivement, to give intelligence to the Thebans: nor was that

suspicion without reason, as is manifest by his last Epistle: here∣upon they sumon'd him into the Court, where some complaints were brought against him, of which having acquitted himselfe, they (to get a better cause of quarrel against him) gave order to him and four more to go to the Pyraeum, and to apprehend Leon, whom they meant to put to death, that they might possesse his estate: But Socrates refused, adding, that he would never willing∣ly assist an unjust act; whereupon Cha••icles said, dost thou think Socrates to talk thus peremptorily, and not to suffer? A thousand ills, answered Socrates, but none so grievous as to do unjustly. Charicles made no reply, nor any of the rest; the other foure went for Leon, Socrates directly to his house; but from thence forward, the jealousie they had of him was so much encreased, that* 1.14 if their power had not been soon dissolved, they would have gone neer to have taken away his life.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Var. hist. 3.
• * 1.2

  Plat. Apol.
• * 1.3

  Plat. Apol. Gorg.
• * 1.4

  Chap. 1.
• * 1.5

  Xen. memor. 1. p. 711.
• * 1.6

  Plat. Apol.
• * 1.7

  Xenoph. hist. Graec. 1.
• * 1.8

  Xenoph. me∣mor. 1.
• * 1.9

  Laert 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉per∣haps 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.10

  Diod. Sic. lib 14.
• * 1.11

  Aelian. var. hist. 2.
• * 1.12

  Laert.
• * 1.13

  Xenoph. memor. 1.
• * 1.14

  Plat. Apol.