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backs on Socrates。 They found his society unattractive； not to speak
of the annoyance of being cross…questioned on their own shortcomings。
Forthwith they devoted themselves to those affairs of state but for
which they would never have come near him at all。
No； if one would seek to see true companions of Socrates； one must
look to Crito；＇24＇ and Chaerephon； and Chaerecrates； to Hermogenes； to
Simmias and Cebes； to Phaedondes and others； who clung to him not to
excel in the rhetoric of the Assembly or the law…courts； but with the
nobler ambition of attaining to such beauty and goodliness of soul as
would enable them to discharge the various duties of life to house and
family； to relatives and friends； to fellow…citizens； and to the state
at large。 Of these true followers not one in youth or old age was ever
guilty； or thought guilty； of committing any evil deed。
＇24＇ For these true followers； familiar to us in the pages of Plato；
（〃Crito；〃 〃Apol。；〃 〃Phaedo；〃 etc） see Cobet； 〃Pros。 Xen。〃
〃But for all that；〃 the accuser insists； 〃Socrates taught sons to pour
contumely upon their fathers＇25＇ by persuading his young friends that
he could make them wiser than their sires； or by pointing out that the
law allowed a son to sue his father for aberration of mind； and to
imprison him； which legal ordinance he put in evidence to prove that
it might be well for the wiser to imprison the more ignorant。〃
＇25＇ See 〃Apol。〃 20； Arist。 〃Clouds；〃 1407； where Pheidippides 〃drags
his father Strepsiades through the mire。〃
Now what Socrates held was； that if a man may with justice incarcerate
another for no better cause than a form of folly or ignorance； this
same person could not justly complain if he in his turn were kept in
bonds by his superiors in knowledge； and to come to the bottom of such
questions； to discover the difference between madness and ignorance
was a problem which he was perpetually working at。 His opinion came to
this： If a madman may； as a matter of expediency to himself and his
friends； be kept in prison； surely； as a matter of justice； the man
who knows not what he ought to know should be content to sit at the
feet of those who know； and be taught。
But it was the rest of their kith and kin； not fathers only （according
to the accuser）； whom Socrates dishonoured in the eyes of his circle
of followers； when he said that 〃the sick man or the litigant does not
derive assistance from his relatives；＇26＇ but from his doctor in the
one case； and his legal adviser in the other。〃 〃Listen further to his
language about friends；〃 says the accuser： 〃'What is the good of their
being kindly disposed； unless they can be of some practical use to
you？ Mere goodness of disposition is nothing； those only are worthy of
honour who combine with the knowledge of what is right the faculty of
expounding it；'＇27＇ and so by bringing the young to look upon himself
as a superlatively wise person gifted with an extraordinary capacity
for making others wise also； he so worked on the dispositions of those
who consorted with him that in their esteem the rest of the world
counted for nothing by comparison with Socrates。〃
＇26＇ See Grote； 〃H。 G。〃 v。 535。
＇27＇ Cf。 Thuc。 ii。 60。 Pericles says； 〃Yet I with whom you are so
angry venture to say of myself； that I am as capable as any one of
devising and explaining a sound policy。〃Jowett。
Now I admit the language about fathers and the rest of a man's
relations。 I can go further； and add some other sayings of his； that
〃when the soul （which is alone the indwelling centre of intelligence）
is gone out of a man； be he our nearest and dearest friend； we carry
the body forth and bury it out of sight。〃 〃Even in life；〃 he used to
say； 〃each of us is ready to part with any portion of his best
possessionto wit； his own bodyif it be useless and unprofitable。
He will remove it himself； or suffer another to do so in his stead。
Thus men cut off their own nails； hair； or corns； they allow surgeons
to cut and cauterise them； not without pains and aches； and are so
grateful to the doctor for his services that they further give him a
fee。 Or again； a man ejects the spittle from his mouth as far as
possible。＇28＇ Why？ Because it is of no use while it stays within the
system； but is detrimental rather。〃
＇28＇ See Aristot。 〃Eth。 Eud。〃 vii。 1。
Now by these instances his object was not to inculcate the duty of
burying one's father alive or of cutting oneself to bits； but to show
that lack of intelligence means lack of worth；＇29＇ and so he called
upon his hearers to be as sensible and useful as they could be； so
that； be it father or brother or any one else whose esteem he would
deserve； a man should not hug himself in careless self…interest；
trusting to mere relationship； but strive to be useful to those whose
esteem he coveted。
＇29＇ i。e。 〃witless and worthless are synonymous。〃
But （pursues the accuser） by carefully culling the most immoral
passages of the famous poets； and using them as evidences； he taught
his associates to be evildoers and tyrranical： the line of Hesiod＇30＇
for instance
No work is a disgrace； slackness of work is the disgrace
〃interpreted；〃 says the accuser； 〃by Socrates as if the poet enjoined
us to abstain from no work wicked or ignoble； do everything for the
sake of gain。〃
＇30＇ 〃Works and Days；〃 309 ｛'Ergon d' ouden oneidos｝。 Cf。 Plat。
〃Charm。〃 163 C。
Now while Socrates would have entirely admitted the propositions that
〃it is a blessing and a benefit to a man to be a worker；〃 and that 〃a
lazy do…nothing is a pestilent evil；〃 that 〃work is good and idleness
a curse；〃 the question arises； whom did he mean by workers？ In his
vocabulary only those were good workmen＇31＇ who were engaged on good
work； dicers and gamblers and others engaged on any other base and
ruinous business he stigmatised as the 〃idle drones〃； and from this
point of view the quotation from Hesiod is unimpeachable
No work is a disgrace； only idlesse is disgrace。
But there was a passage from Homer＇32＇ for ever on his lips； as the
accuser tells usthe passage which says concerning Odysseus；
What prince； or man of name；
He found flight…giv'n； he would restrain with words of gentlest blame：
〃Good sir； it fits you not to fly； or fare as one afraid；
You should not only stay yourself； but see the people stayed。〃
Thus he the best sort us'd； the worst； whose spirits brake out in noise；＇33＇
He cudgell'd with his sceptre； chid； and said； 〃Stay； wretch； be still；
And hear thy betters； thou art base； and both in power and skill
Poor and unworthy； without name in counsel or in war。〃
We must not all be kings。
＇31＇ See below； III。 ix。 9。
＇32＇ 〃Il。〃 ii。 188 foll。； 199 foll。 （so Chapman）。
＇33＇ Lit。 〃But whatever man of the people he saw and found him
shouting。〃W。 Leaf。
The accuser informs us that Socrates interpreted these lines as though
the poet approved the giving of blows to commoners and poor folk。 Now
no such remark was ever made by Socrates； which indeed would have been
tantamount to maintaining that he ought to be beaten himself。 What he
did say was；