The Apology | Page 6

that during
the siege,[35] while others were pitying themselves[36] I lived in no
greater straits than when the city was at the height of her prosperity?
and of this, that while others provide themselves with delicacies[37] of
the market at great cost, mine are the dainties of the soul more sweet
than theirs,[38] procured without expense? If in all I have said about
myself no one can convict me of lying, is it not obvious that the praise I
get from gods and men is justly earned? And yet in spite of all, Meletus,
you will have it that by such habits I corrupt the young. We know, I
fancy, what such corrupting influences are; and perhaps you will tell us
if you know of any one who, under my influence, has been changed
from a religous into an irreligious man; who, from being sober-minded,
has become prodigal; from being a moderate drinker has become a
wine-bibber and a drunkard; from being a lover of healthy honest toil
has become effeminate, or under the thrall of some other wicked
pleasure."
[28] Lit. "whom do you know," and so throughout.
[29] Cf. Plat. "Phaed." 66 C.

[30] Or, "so attempered and adjusted." The phrase savours of "cynic."
theory.
[31] Or, "present no temptation to him"; lit. "that he stands in no further
need of what belongs to his neighbours."
[32] {ta legomena}, "the meaning of words and the force of argument."
[33] {ek panton}. Cf. Thuc. i. 120, {osper kai en allois ek panton
protimontai (oi egemones)}, "as they (leaders) are first in honour, they
should be first in the fulfilment of their duties" (Jowett).
[34] The commentators quote Libanius, "Apol." vol. iii. p. 39, {kai dia
touto ekalei men Eurulokhos o Kharistios, ekalei de Skopas k
Kranonios, oukh ekista lontes, upiskhnoumenoi}. Cf. Diog. Laert. ii. 31,
{Kharmidou oiketas auto didontos, in' ap' auton prosodeuoito, oukh
eileto}. Cf. id. 65, 74.
[35] See "Hell." II. ii. 10.
[36] {oikteirein eautous}. See L. Dind. ad loc. For an incident in point
see "Mem." II. vii.
[37] Plat. "Rep." iii. 404 D, "refinements of Attic confectionery."
[38] {ek tes psukhes}, possibly "by a healthy appetite." Cf. "Symp." iv.
41. The same sentiment "ex ore Antisthenis." See Joel, op. cit. i. 382;
Schanz, Plat. "Apol." p. 88, S. 26.
"Nay, bless my soul," exclaimed Meletus, "I know those whom you
persuaded to obey yourself rather than the fathers who begat them."[39]
[39] Cf. "Mem." I. ii. 49.
"I admit it," Socrates replied, "in the case of education, for they know
that I have made the matter a study; and with regard to health a man
prefers to obey his doctor rather than his parents; in the public
assembly the citizens of Athens, I presume, obey those whose
arguments exhibit the soundest wisdom rather than their own relations.

And is it not the case that, in your choice of generals, you set your
fathers and brothers, and, bless me! your own selves aside, by
comparison with those whom you believe to be the wisest authorities
on military matters?"
"No doubt, Socrates," replied Meletus, "because it is expedient and
customary so to do."
"Well then," rejoined Socrates, "does it not strike even you, Meletus, as
wonderful when in all ordinary concerns the best people should obtain,
I do not say only an equal share, but an exclusive preference; but in my
case, simply because I am selected by certain people as an adept in
respect of the greatest treasure men possess--education, I am on that
account to be prosecuted by you, sir, on the capital charge?"
Much more than this, it stands to reason, was urged, whether by
himself or by the friends who advocated his cause.[40] But my object
has not been to mention everything that arose out of the suit. It suffices
me to have shown on the one hand that Socrates, beyond everything,
desired not to display impiety to heaven,[41] and injustice to men; and
on the other, that escape from death was not a thing, in his opinion, to
be clamoured for importunately--on the contrary, he believed that the
time was already come for him to die. That such was the conclusion to
which he had come was made still more evident later when the case had
been decided against him. In the first place, when called upon to
suggest a counter-penalty,[42] he would neither do so himself nor
suffer his friends to do so for him, but went so far as to say that to
propose a counter-penalty was like a confession of guilt. And
afterwards, when his companions wished to steal him out of prison,[43]
he would not follow their lead, but would seem to have treated the idea
as a jest, by asking "whether they happened to know of some place