A Life of Socrates by Dr. G. Wiggers [pp. 236-265]

Life of Socerates.
patience, that by the power of divine grace she soon become as
devout and gentle as himself. His joy at her conversion brought
with it recovery from his despondency, and they lived happily
together ever after. But sober reason can never justify such
marriages. The nature of that union, which God has always
honoured when rightly formed, brings with it trials enough
even when the parties are well matched, without seeking for contrarieties of taste and temper in order to test the virtues of
either husband or wife. According to the notions of his age
and neighbours, Socrates was no doubt a good husband. His
patience was truly exemplary. We are not sure, however, that
he bore his full share in domestic cares. Mere quietness of behaviour in a husband is but a small part of the duty he owes a
wife. She is entitled, to his best endeavours to make their home
comfortable and agreeable. Nor is there any evidence that Socrates made proper efforts to encourage her to a different course
of conduct, but was willing to keep her as a touch-stone of his
philosophy. He did not fairly answer the question of Antisthenes, "Why do you not educate Xanthippe?" We also see
a painful want of gallantry in concealing the faults of a wife.
Gallantry, we call it, because the higher principle of Christian
tenderness and delicacy could not be expected in a heathen man,
surrounded by heathen neighbours. By this woman Socrates
had several sons. Of these, three were living at the time of his
death, but none of them seem ever to have become distinguished.
Two of them were children when their father was taken from
them; and the third, then a youth, called Lamprocles, seems to
have enjoyed few advantages from intercourse with his father.
This is not the only case in which distinguished men have
neglected proper attention to their own families. With the
ignorant, turbulent mother, and a negligent absent father, who
ever attained to greatness or goodness? Ancient Athens, like
modern France, "wanted mothers" and fathers too, who would
make home what it ought to be. But he, who looks among
heathen philosophers and Gallican infidels for a model family,
is looking for the living among the dead. "Do men gather
grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? A corrupt tree cannot
bring forth good fruit."
The military history of Socrates is not long, but is full of
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