The Apology | Page 5

public altars; and so might Meletus himself, if he had wished. And as to
novel divinities, how, pray, am I supposed to introduce them by stating
that I have a voice[21] from God which clearly signifies to me what I
ought do do? Why, what else do those who make use of the cries of
birds or utterences of men draw their conclusions from if not from
voices? Who will deny that the thunder has a voice and is a very
mighty omen;[22] and the priestess on her tripod at Pytho,[23] does not
she also proclaim by voice the messages from the god? The god, at any
rate, has foreknowledge, and premonishes those whom he will of what
is about to be. That is a thing which all the world believes and asserts
even as I do. Only, when they describe these premonitions under the
name of birds and utterances, tokens[24] and soothsayers, I speak of a
divinity, and in using that designation I claim to speak at once more
exactly and more reverentially than they do who ascribe the power of
the gods to birds. And that I am not lying against the Godhead I have
this as a proof: although I have reported to numbers of friends the
counsels of heaven, I have never at any time been shown to be a
deceiver or deceived."
[20] Cf. "Mem." I. i. 2.
[21] Cf. Plat. "Apol." 19.
[22] Cf. "Anab." III. ii. 11; Aristoph. "Birds," 720.
[23] Delphi.

[24] Or, "the objects that meet us." See Prof. Jebb ad Theophr. "Ch."
xxviii. 5.
As they listened to these words the judges murmured their dissent,
some as disbelieving what was said, and others out of simple envy that
Socrates should actually receive from heaven more than they
themselves; whereupon Socrates returned to the charge. "Come," he
said, "lend me your ears while I tell you something more, so that those
of you who choose may go to a still greater length in refusing to believe
that I am thus highly honoured by the divine powers. Chaerephon[25]
once, in the presence of many witnesses, put a question at Delhi
concerning me, and Apollo answered that there was no human being
more liberal, or more upright, or more temperate than myself." And
when once more on hearing these words the judges gave vent, as was
only natural, to a fiercer murmur of dissent, Socrates once again spoke:
"Yet, sirs, they were still greater words which the god spake in oracle
concerning Lycurgus,[26] the great lawgiver of Lacedaemon, than
those concerning me. It is said that as he entered the temple the god
addressed him with the words: 'I am considering whether to call thee
god or man.' Me he likened not indeed to a god, but in excellence[27]
preferred me far beyond other men."
[25] L. Dindorf cf. Athen. v. 218 E; Hermesianax ap. Athen. xiii. 599 A;
Liban. vol. iii. pp. 34, 35; Plat. "Apol." 21 A; Paus. i. 22. 8; Schol. ad
Aristoph. "Clouds," 144; Grote, "H. G." viii. 567 foll.
[26] See Herod. i. 65:
{ekeis, o Lukoorge, emon pori piona neon, Zeni philos kai pasin
'Olumpia domat' ekhousi dizo e se theon manteusomai e anthropon. all'
eti kai mallon theon elpomai, o Lukoorge.}
Cf. Plut. "Lyc." 5 (Clough, i. 89).
[27] Or, "gave judgment beforehand that I far excelled."
"Still I would not have you accept this even on the faith of the god too
rashly; rather I would have you investigate, point by point, what the

god has said. I ask you, is there any one[28] else, you know of, less
enslaved than myself to the appetites[29] of the body? Can you name
another man of more independent spirit than myself, seeing that I
accept from no one either gifts or pay? Whom have you any right to
believe to be more just[30] than one so suited with what he has, that the
things of others excite no craving in him?[31] Whom would one
reasonably deem wise, rather than such a one as myself, who, from the
moment I began to understand things spoken,[32] have never omitted
to inquire into and learn every good thing in my power? And that I
laboured not in vain, what more conclusive evidence than the fact that
so many of my fellow-citizens who make virtue their pursuit, and many
strangers also, choose my society in preference to that of others?[33]
And how are we to explain the fact that though all know well enough
that I am wholly unable to repay them in money, so many are eager to
present me with some gift?[34] And what do you make of this--while
no one dreams of dunning me for benefits conferred, hosts of people
acknowledge debts of gratitude to myself? And what of this,