Apology, Crito, and Phaedo of Socrates | Page 8

such a pitch of ignorance as not to know that if I
make any one of my associates depraved, I shall be in danger of
receiving some evil from him; and yet I designedly bring about this so
great evil, as you say? In this I can not believe you, Melitus, nor do I
think would any other man in the world. But either I do not corrupt the
youth, or, if I do corrupt them, I do it undesignedly: so that in both
cases you speak falsely. But if I corrupt them undesignedly, for such
involuntary offenses it is not usual to accuse one here, but to take one
apart, and teach and admonish one. For it is evident that if I am taught,
I shall cease doing what I do undesignedly. But you shunned me, and
were not willing to associate with and instruct me; but you accuse me
here, where it is usual to accuse those who need punishment, and not

instruction.
14. Thus, then, O Athenians! this now is clear that I have said; that
Melitus never paid any attention to these matters, much or little.
However, tell us, Melitus, how you say I corrupt the youth? Is it not
evidently, according to the indictment which you have preferred, by
teaching them not to believe in the gods in whom the city believes, but
in other strange deities? Do you not say that, by teaching these things, I
corrupt the youth?
Mel. Certainly I do say so.
Socr. By those very gods, therefore, Melitus, of whom the discussion
now is, speak still more clearly both to me and to these men. For I can
not understand whether you say that I teach them to believe that there
are certain gods (and in that case I do believe that there are gods, and
am not altogether an atheist, nor in this respect to blame), not, however,
those which the city believes in, but others; and this it is that you
accuse me of, that I introduce others. Or do you say outright that I do
not myself believe that there are gods, and that I teach others the same?
Mel. I say this: that you do not believe in any gods at all.
Socr. O wonderful Melitus, how come you to say this? Do I not, then,
like the rest of mankind, believe that the sun and moon are gods?
Mel. No, by Jupiter, O judges! for he says that the sun is a stone, and
the moon an earth.
Socr. You fancy that you are accusing Anaxagoras, my dear Melitus,
and thus you put a slight on these men, and suppose them to be so
illiterate as not to know that the books of Anaxagoras of Clazomene are
full of such assertions. And the young, moreover, learn these things
from me, which they might purchase for a drachma, at most, in the
orchestra, and so ridicule Socrates, if he pretended they were his own,
especially since they are so absurd? I ask then, by Jupiter, do I appear
to you to believe that there is no god?

Mel. No, by Jupiter, none whatever.
Socr. You say what is incredible, Melitus, and that, as appears to me,
even to yourself. For this man, O Athenians! appears to me to be very
insolent and intemperate and to have preferred this indictment through
downright insolence, intemperance, and wantonness. For he seems, as
it were, to have composed an enigma for the purpose of making an
experiment. Whether will Socrates the wise know that I am jesting, and
contradict myself, or shall I deceive him and all who hear me? For, in
my opinion, he clearly contradicts himself in the indictment, as if he
should say, Socrates is guilty of wrong in not believing that there are
gods, and in believing that there are gods. And this, surely, is the act of
one who is trifling.
15. Consider with me now, Athenians, in what respect he appears to me
to say so. And do you, Melitus, answer me; and do ye, as I besought
you at the outset, remember not to make an uproar if I speak after my
usual manner.
Is there any man, Melitus, who believes that there are human affairs,
but does not believe that there are men? Let him answer, judges, and
not make so much noise. Is there any one who does not believe that
there are horses, but that there are things pertaining to horses? or who
does not believe that there are pipers, but that there are things
pertaining to pipes? There is not, O best of men! for since you are not
willing to answer, I say it to you and to all here present. But answer to
this at least: is there any