A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

8GO SOCRATES. SOCRATES.
turn and the condemnation of Socrates were de- multate qouaM Plato cUtm Xenoplonc2te exercuisse
voted by the latter, in undisturbed repose, to poetic fertur, p. 19.)
attempts (the first he had made in his life), and to II. Among those who attached themselves with
the usual conversation with his friends. One of more than ordinary intimacy to Socrates, some
these conversations, on the duty of obedience to were attracted mainly by the spiritual power which
the laws even in the case of an unjust application he exercised over men. To learn this power from
of them, Plato has reported in the Crito, so called him, that they might apply it in the conduct of the
after the faithful follower of the condemned man, who affairs of the state, was probably the immediate
bore that name, and who, although he himself had object of men like Critias (for Alcibiades, who is
become bail for Socrates, had endeavoured without here named in coimection with him - Xen. ll3enz.
success to persuade him to make his escape. In i. 2. ~ 14, &c. —was doubtless actuated by a
another, imitated or worked up by Plato in the nobler admiration for the whole personal character
Ph/aedo, Socrates immediately before he drank the of the philosopher; see especially Plat. Syinp.
poison developed the grounds of his immovable p. 213, &c.), and such remained attached to him
conviction of the immortality of the soul. The only till ambition hurried them in other directions.
manner in which the assembled friends, in the Others sought to dive into the teaching and life of
alternation of joyful admiration and profound grief, Socrates, in order to obtain for themselves and
lauded him as one who, by the divine appointment, others an enduring rule of morality (comp. Xen.
was going to a place where it must fare well with Men. i. 2. ~ 48). How his image had exhibited
him, if with any one;-how lihe departed from them itself to them and impressed itself upon them,
with the one wish, that, in their care for themselves, several among them endeavoured to render manithat is, for their true welfare, they would cherish in fest by noting down the conversations at which
their memories his latest and his earlier sayings;_ they had been present. Among such Xenophon
and how, with his last breath, he designates the and Aeschines hold the chief rank, though they
transition to the life that lies beyond death as the could hardly have been the only ones who comtrue recovery from a state of impurity and disease, posed such memorials. Others felt themselves
-all this is set before us with such liveliness, that urged to develope still further the outlines of the
we gladly accord with the closing words of the Socratic doctrine, and, according to their original
dialogue:-"Thus died the man, who of all with bent and their different modes of apprehending
whom we were acquainted was in death the noblest, and developing it, arrived at very different theoin life the wisest and most just." (Plat. Plsaed. ries. But, persuaded that they were only advancing
pp. 58, 59, 115, 118, ib. Interp.; comp. Xen. on the path marked out by Socrates, they referred
Mesm. iv. 8. ~ 4, &c.) to him their own peculiar amplifications of his
To the accusations which were brought against doctrines. Just as in the dialogues of Plato. even
Socrates in his impeachment subsequent enviers in the Timaeus and the Laws, we find Socrates
and haters added others, of which that impeach- brought forward as leading, or at least introducing
ment takes no cognizance, and which are destitute the conversations and investigations, so also Elof all credibility on other grounds. The accusa- cleides, Antisthenes, and others seem to have ention that he was addicted to the vice of paederastia deavoured in their dialogues to glorify him, and to
(Lucian de Domo, c. 4., and in contradiction Maxim. exhibit him as the originator of their doctrines.
Tyr. Dissert. xxv. xxvi. xxvii.; J. M. Gesner, (Athen. v. p. 216, c.; A. Gellius, N.A. ii. 17; comp.
Socrates sanctus paederasta, Traj. ad Rhen. 1769), Ch. A. Brandis, Ueber die Grundlinien der Lehre des
we do not hesitate, supported by his unambiguous Socrates, in the Rliein. l]fuseum, 1827, i. p. 120, &c.)
expressions respecting the essence of true, spi- In this way arose two essentially different represenritual love in Xenophon (Syanp. 8. ~ 2,19, 32, &c., tations of Socrates, and in antiquity it was already
Meam. i. 2. ~ 29, &c., 3. ~ 8, &c.) and Plato (Syrzp. disputed whether Plato or Xenophon (Sext. Emp.
p. 222, &c.), to reject as a calumny. Also the adv. Masth. vii. 8), or even whether Plato or Aesaccount that in consequence of a resolution of the chines (Aristid. Orat. Plat. ii. p. 367, comp. 474)
people allowing bigamy, which was passed during had sketched the more accurate picture of the man.
the Peloponnesian war, he was married to two He himself left either absolutely nothing in a
women at the same time (Plut. Aristid. p. 335; written form (Cic. de Orat. iii. 16; Plut. de Alex.
Athen. xii. p. 555, &c.; Diog. Laf'rt., &c.), is to fort. p. 328; Diog. Lairt. i. 16), or only a rhythbe set aside as unfounded, since the existence of mical version of some of Aesop's fables and the
any such resolution of the people cannot be proved, introduction to a hymn to Apollo, which he had
while the Socratics know of only one wife, Xan- composed during his imprisonment, when for the
thippe, and the account itself is not free from first time in his life he made any attempts in
contradictions. J. Luzac, following Bentley and verse (Plat. Phaed. p. 61). The quotations that
others, completely refutes it (Lect. Att. de Bigamlia antiquity possessed of it were of doubtful authenSocratis, Lugd. Bat. 1809). ticity (Diog. Laert. ii. 42; Themist. Orat. xiv.
Whether, and how soon after the death of So- p. 321). What we possess from Aeschines, that
crates, repentance seized the Athenians, and his is well authenticated, is limited to fragments. We
accusers met with contempt and punishment; and have therefore only to decide for Xenophon, who
further whether and when, to expiate the crime, exhibited considerable mental affinity with Socrates,
a brazen statue, the work of Lysippus, was dedi- or for Plato. Now Plato manifestly makes Socracated to his memory (Plut. de Invid. et Odio, p. tes occupy his own place, and transfers to him the
537, &c.; Diog. Lart. ii. 43. ib. Menag.), it is not doctrines that were peculiar -to himself. Xenoeasy to determine with any certainty, in conse- phon on the contrary exhibits no other intention
quence of the indefiniteness of the statements. than that of communicating information with fideFive years after his execution, Xenophon found lity, and refrains from mixing up with his reprehimself obliged to compose the Memorabilia, in sentation anything that was peculiar to himself.
vindication of Socrates. (Comp. A. Boeckh, de Si- This was so much the easier for him, as it was