The Memorable Thoughts of Socrates
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Xenophon. The Memorable Thoughts of Socrates
Introduction
Book I
Chapter I. Socrates Not a Contemner of the Gods of His Country, nor an Introducer of New Ones
Chapter II. Socrates Not a Debaucher of Youth
Chapter III. How Socrates Behaved Through the Whole of His Life
Chapter IV. Socrates Proveth the Existence of a Deity
Chapter V. The Praise of Temperance
Chapter VI. The Dispute of Socrates With Antiphon, the Sophist
Chapter VII. In What Manner Socrates Dissuaded Men From Self-Conceit and Ostentation
Book II
Chapter I. A Conference of Socrates with Aristippus Concerning Pleasure and Temperance
Chapter II. Socrates’ Discourse With His Eldest Son Lamprocles Concerning the Respect Due to Parents
Chapter III. Socrates Reconciles Chaerephon and Chaerecrates, Two Brothers Who Were Formerly at Variance
Chapter IV. A Discourse of Socrates Concerning Friendship
Chapter V. Of the Worth and Value of Friends
Chapter VI. Of the Choice of Friends
Chapter VII. Socrates Showeth Aristarchus how to Get Rid of Poverty
Chapter VIII. Socrates Persuades Eutherus to Abandon His Former Way of Living, and to Betake Himself to Some More Useful and Honourable Employment
Chapter IX. In What Manner Socrates Taught His Friend Crito to Rid Himself of Some Informers, Who Took the Advantage of His Easy Temper
Chapter X. Socrates Advises Diodorus to Do Justice to the Merit of Hermogenes, and to Accept of His Service and Friendship
Book III
Chapter I. Of the Qualifications of a General
Chapter II. The Character of a Good Prince
Chapter III. On the Business of a General of Horse
Chapter IV. A Discourse of Socrates With Nicomachides, in Which He Showeth That a Man Skilful in His Own Proper Business, and Who Manages His Affairs with Prudence and Sagacity, May Make, When Occasion Offers, a Good General
Chapter V. A Conversation Between Socrates and Pericles Concerning the Then Present State of the Republic of Athens, in Which Socrates Lays Down a Method by Which the Athenians May Recover Their Ancient Lustre and Reputation
Chapter VI. Socrates Dissuades Glaucon, a Very Forward Youth, From Taking Upon Him the Government of the Republic, for Which He Was Unfit
Chapter VII. Socrates Persuadeth Charmidas, a Person of Merit and Great Capacity, but Very Modest and Diffident of Himself, to Undertake the Government of the Republic
Chapter VIII. Socrates’ Dispute with Aristippus Concerning the Good and Beautiful
Chapter IX. Socrates Returns Suitable Answers to a Variety of Questions Proposed to Him
Chapter X. Socrates, in Conversation with Several Artificers, a Painter, a Statuary, and an Armourer, Showeth His Skill and Good Taste in the Finer Arts
Chapter XI. Discourse of Socrates With Theodota, an Athenian Lady, of No Good Character; Wherein He Endeavoureth, in the Most Artful and Engaging Manner, to Win Her over from the Criminal Pleasures to Which She Was Addicted unto the Sublimer and More Innocent Delights of Philosophy and Virtue
Chapter XII. Of the Necessity of Exercise to Health and Strength of Body
Chapter XIII. Several Apophthegms of Socrates
Chapter XIV. Socrates Proposeth Some Regulations for the Better Management of Their Public Feasts
Book IV
Chapter I. That Persons of Good Natural Parts, as Well as Those Who Have Plentiful Fortunes, Ought not to Think Themselves Above Instruction. On the Contrary, the one Ought, by the Aid of Learning, to Improve Their Genius; the Other, by the Acquisition of Knowledge, to Render Themselves Valuable
Chapter II. Conference Between Socrates and Euthydemus, in Which He Convinces That Young Man, Who Had a Great Opinion of Himself, That He Knew Nothing
Chapter III. Proofs of a Kind Superintending Providence.—What Returns of Gratitude and Duty Men Ought to Make to God for His Favours.—An Honest and Good Life the Best Song of Thanksgiving or the Most Acceptable Sacrifice to the Deity
Chapter IV. Instances of the Inviolable Integrity of Socrates.—His Conversation with Hippias Concerning Justice
Chapter V. Of the Mischiefs of Intemperance, and the Advantages of Sobriety
Chapter VI. Socrates’ Friends Attain, by Frequenting His Conversation, an Excellent Way of Reasoning.—The Method He Observed in Arguing Shown in Several Instances.—Of the Different Sorts of Government.—How Socrates Defended His Opinions
Chapter VII. Method to Be Observed in Study.—Arts and Sciences No Further Useful, Than They Contribute to Render Men Wiser, Better, or Happier.—Vain and Unprofitable Knowledge to Be Rejected
Chapter VIII. Behaviour of Socrates From the Time of His Condemnation to His Death.—His Character Summed up in a Few Words
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I have often wondered by what show of argument the accusers of Socrates could persuade the Athenians he had forfeited his life to the State. For though the crimes laid unto his charge were indeed great—“That he did not acknowledge the gods of the Republic; that he introduced new ones”—and, farther, “had debauched the youth;” yet none of these could, in the least, be proved against him.
For, as to the first, “That he did not worship the deities which the Republic adored,” how could this be made out against him, since, instead of paying no homage to the gods of his country, he was frequently seen to assist in sacrificing to them, both in his own family and in the public temples?—perpetually worshipping them in the most public, solemn, and religious manner.
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The accuser likewise says that Socrates often repeated, out of Homer, a speech of Ulysses; and from thence he concludes that Socrates taught that the poet advised to beat the poor and abuse the common people. But it is plain Socrates could never have drawn such a wild and unnatural inference from those verses of the poet, because he would have argued against himself, since he was as poor as anyone besides. What he meant, therefore, was only this, that such as are neither men of counsel nor execution, who are neither fit to advise in the city nor to serve in the army, and are nevertheless proud and insolent, ought to be brought to reason, even though they be possessed of great riches. And this was the true meaning of Socrates, for he loved the men of low condition, and expressed a great civility for all sorts of persons; insomuch that whenever he was consulted, either by the Athenians or by foreigners, he would never take anything of any man for the instructions he gave them, but imparted his wisdom freely, and without reward, to all the world; while they, who became rich by his liberality, did not afterwards behave themselves so generously, but sold very dear to others what had cost them nothing; and, not being of so obliging a temper as he, would not impart their knowledge to any who had it not in their power to reward them. In short, Socrates has rendered the city of Athens famous throughout the whole earth; and, as Lychas was said to be the honour of Sparta, because he treated, at his own expense, all the foreigners who came to the feasts of the Gymnopaedies, so it may, with much greater reason, be said of Socrates that he was the glory of Athens, he who all his life made a continual distribution of his goodness and virtues, and who, keeping open for all the world the treasures of an inestimable wealth, never sent any man out of his company but more virtuous, and more improved in the principles of honour, than formerly he was. Therefore, in my opinion, if he had been treated according to his merit, they should have decreed him public honours rather than have condemned him to an infamous death. For against whom have the laws ordained the punishment of death? Is it not for thieves, for robbers, for men guilty of sacrilege, for those who sell persons that are free? But where, in all the world, can we find a man more innocent of all those crimes than Socrates? Can it be said of him that he ever held correspondence with the enemy, that he ever fomented any sedition, that he ever was the cause of a rebellion, or any other the like mischiefs? Can any man lay to his charge that he ever detained his estate, or did him or it the least injury? Was he ever so much as suspected of any of these things? How then is it possible he should be guilty of the crimes of which he was accused; since, instead of not believing in the gods, as the accuser says, it is manifest he was a sincere adorer of them? Instead of corrupting the youth, as he further alleges against him, he made it his chief care to deliver his friends from the power of every guilty passion, and to inspire them with an ardent love for virtue, the glory, the ornament, and felicity of families as well as of states? And this being fact (and fact it is, for who can deny it?), is it not certain that the Republic was extremely obliged to him, and that she ought to have paid him the highest honours?
Having, therefore, observed myself that all who frequented him improved themselves very much in his conversation, because he instructed them no less by his example than by his discourses, I am resolved to set down, in this work, all that I can recollect both of his actions and words.
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