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counteracted by excess of toil； was a dietary of which he
disapproved；＇1＇ to gratify the natural claim of appetite in
conjunction with moderate exercise was a system he favoured； as
tending to a healthy condition of the body without trammelling the
cultivation of the spirit。 On the other hand； there was nothing
dandified or pretentious about him； he indulged in no foppery of shawl
or shoes； or other effeminacy of living。
＇1＇ See ＇Plat。＇ 〃Erast。〃 132 C。
Least of all did he tend to make his companions greedy of money。 He
would not； while restraining passion generally； make capital out of
the one passion which attached others to himself； and by this
abstinence； he believed； he was best consulting his own freedom； in so
much that he stigmatised those who condescended to take wages for
their society as vendors of their own persons； because they were
compelled to discuss for the benefits of their paymasters。 What
surprised him was that any one possessing virtue should deign to ask
money as its price instead of simply finding his rward in the
acquisition of an honest friend； as if the new…fledged soul of honour
could forget her debt of gratitude to her greatest benefactor。
For himself； without making any such profession； he was content to
believe that those who accepted his views would play their parts as
good and true friends to himself and one another their lives long。
Once more then： how should a man of this character corrupt the young？
unless the careful cultivation of virtue be corruption。
But； says the accuser；＇2＇ by all that's sacred！ did not Socrates cause
his associates to despise the established laws when he dwelt on the
folly of appointing state officers by ballot？＇3＇ a principle which； he
said； no one would care to apply in selecting a pilot or a flute…
player or in any similar case； where a mistake would be far less
disastrous than in matters political。 Words like these； according to
the accuser； tended to incite the young to contemn the established
constitution； rendering them violent and headstrong。 But for myself I
think that those who cultivate wisdom and believe themselves able to
instruct their fellow…citizens as to their interests are least likely
to become partisans of violence。 They are too well aware that to
violence attach enmities and dangers； whereas results as good may be
obtained by persuasion safely and amicably。 For the victim of violence
hates with vindictiveness as one from whom something precious has been
stolen； while the willing subject of persuasion is ready to kiss the
hand which has done him a service。 Hence compulsion is not the method
of him who makes wisdom his study； but of him who wields power
untempered by reflection。 Once more： the man who ventures on violence
needs the support of many to fight his battles； while he whose
strength lies in persuasiveness triumphs single…handed； for he is
conscious of a cunning to compel consent unaided。 And what has such a
one to do with the spilling of blood？ since how ridiculous it were to
do men to death rather than turn to account the trusty service of the
living。
＇2＇ ｛o kategoros｝ = Polycrates possibly。 See M。 Schantz； op。 cit。；
〃Einleitun；〃 S。 6： 〃Die Anklagerede des Polykrates〃； Introduction；
p。 xxxii。 foll。
＇3＇ i。e。 staking the election of a magistrate on the colour of a bean。
See Aristot。 〃Ath。 Pol。〃 viii。 2； and Dr。 Sandys ad loc。
But； the accuser answers； the two men＇4＇ who wrought the greatest
evils to the state at any timeto wit； Critias and Alcibiadeswere
both companions of SocratesCritias the oligarch； and Alcibiades the
democrat。 Where would you find a more arrant thief； savage； and
murderer＇5＇ than the one？ where such a portent of insolence；
incontinence； and high…handedness as the other？ For my part； in so far
as these two wrought evil to the state； I have no desire to appear as
the apologist of either。 I confine myself to explaining what this
intimacy of theirs with Socrates really was。
＇4＇ See 〃Hell。〃 I。 and II。 passim。
＇5＇ Reading ｛kleptistatos te kai biaiotatos kai phonikotatos｝； or if
｛pleonektistatos te kai biaiotatis｝； translate 〃such a manner of
greed and violence as the one； of insolence； etc。； as the other？〃
See Grote； 〃H。 G。〃 viii。 337。
Never were two more ambitious citizens seen at Athens。 Ambition was in
their blood。 If they were to have their will； all power was to be in
their hands； their fame was to eclipse all other。 Of Socrates they
knewfirst that he lived an absolutely independent life on the
scantiest means； next that he was self…disciplined to the last degree
in respect of pleasures； lastly that he was so formidable in debate
that there was no antagonist he could not twist round his little
finger。 Such being their views； and such the character of the pair；
which is the more probable： that they sought the society of Socrates
because they felt the fascination of his life； and were attracted by
the bearing of the man？ or because they thought； if only we are
leagued with him we shall become adepts in statecraft and unrivalled
in the arts of speech and action？ For my part I believe that if the
choice from Heaven had been given them to live such a life as they saw
Socrates living to its close； or to die； they would both have chosen
death。
Their acts are a conclusive witness to their characters。 They no
sooner felt themselves to be the masters of those they came in contact
with than they sprang aside from Socrates and plunged into that whirl
of politics but for which they might never have sought his society。
It may be objected： before giving his companions lessons in politics
Socrates had better have taught them sobriety。＇6＇ Without disputing
the principle； I would point out that a teacher cannot fail to
discover to his pupils his method of carrying out his own precepts；
and this along with argumentative encouragement。 Now I know that
Socrates disclosed himself to his companions as a beautiful and noble
being； who would reason and debate with them concerning virtue and
other human interests in the noblest manner。 And of these two I know
that as long as they were companions of Socrates even they were
temperate； not assuredly from fear of being fined or beaten by
Socrates； but because they were persuaded for the nonce of the
excellence of such conduct。
＇6＇ ｛sophrosune｝ = 〃sound…mindedness；〃 〃temperence。〃 See below； IV。
iii。 1。
Perhaps some self…styled philosophers＇7＇ may here answer： 〃Nay； the
man truly just can never become unjust； the temperate man can never
become intemperate； the man who has learnt any subject of knowledge
can never be as though he had learnt it not。〃 That； however； is not my
own conclusion。 It is with the workings of the soul as with those of
the body； want of exercise of the organ leads to inability of
function； here bodily； there spiritual； so that we can neither do the
things that we should nor abstain from the things we should not。 And
that is why fathers keep their sons； however temperate they may be；
out of the reach of wicked men； considering that if the society of the
good is a training in virtue so also is the society of the bad its
dis