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the gods with offerings according to the ability which is in him。＇28＇ How
then should a man honour the gods with more beautiful or holier honour
than by doing what they bid him？ but he must in no wise slacken or fall
short of his ability； for when a man so does； it is manifest； I presume； that
at the moment he is not honouring the gods。 You must then honour the
gods； not with shortcoming but according to your ability； and having so
done； be of good cheer and hope to receive the greatest blessings。 For
where else should a man of sober sense look to receive great blessings if
not from those who are able to help him most； and how else should he
hope to obtain them save by seeking to please his helper； and how may he
hope to please his helper better than by yielding him the amplest
obedience？
＇28＇ Or； 〃and that law； I presume； is universal which says； Let a
man；〃 etc。； and for the maxim see above； 〃Anab。〃 III。 ii。 9。
By such wordsand conduct corresponding to his wordsdid Socrates
mould and fashion the hearts of his companions； making them at once
more devout and more virtuous。＇29＇
＇29＇ Or； 〃sounder of soul and more temperate as well as more pious。〃
IV
But indeed＇1＇ with respect to justice and uprightness he not only made
no secret of the opinion he held； but gave practical demonstration of it；
both in private by his law…abiding and helpful behaviour to all；＇2＇ and in
public by obeying the magistrates in all that the laws enjoined； whether in
the life of the city or in military service； so that he was a pattern of loyalty
to the rest of the world； and on three several occasions in particular： first；
when as president （Epistates） of the assembly he would not suffer the
sovereign people to take an unconstitutional vote；＇3＇ but ventured； on the
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side of the laws； to resist a current of popular feeling strong enough； I
think； to have daunted any other man。 Again； when the Thirty tried to lay
some injunction on him contrary to the laws； he refused to obey； as for
instance when they forbade his conversing with the young；＇4＇ or again；
when they ordered him and certain other citizens to arrest a man to be put
to death；＇5＇ he stood out single…handed on the ground that the injunctions
laid upon him were contrary to the laws。 And lastly； when he appeared as
defendant in the suit instituted by Meletus；＇6＇ notwithstanding that it was
customary for litigants in the law courts to humour the judges in the
conduct of their arguments by flattery and supplications contrary to the
laws；＇7＇ notwithstanding also that defendants owed their acquittal by the
court to the employment of such methods； he refused to do a single thing
however habitual in a court of law which was not strictly legal； and though
by only a slight deflection from the strict path he might easily have been
acquitted by his judges；＇8＇ he preferred to abide by the laws and die rather
than transgress them and live。
＇1＇ L。 Dindorf suspects ＇SS。 1…6； ｛'Alla men 。 。 。 pollakis｝＇； ed。
Lips。 1872。 See also Praef。 to Ox。 ed。 p。 viii。
＇2＇ Or； 〃by his conduct to all； which was not merely innocent in the
eye of law and custom but positively helpful。〃
＇3＇ See above； I。 i。 18； 〃Hell。〃 I。 vii。 14； 15； Grote； 〃H。 G。〃 viii。
272。
＇4＇ See above； I。 ii。 35。
＇5＇ Leon of Salamis。 See 〃Hell。〃 II。 iii。 39； Plat。 〃Apol。〃 32 C；
Andoc。 〃de Myst。〃 46。
＇6＇ See above； I。 i。 1； Plat。 〃Apol。〃 19 C。
＇7＇ Kuhner cf。 Quintil。 VI。 i。 7： 〃Athenis affectus movere etiam per
praeconem prohibatur orator〃； 〃Apol。〃 4； Plat。 〃Apol。〃 38 D； E。
＇8＇ See Grote； 〃H。 G。〃 viii。 p。 663 foll。
These views he frequently maintained in conversation； now with one
and now with another； and one particular discussion with Hippias of Elis＇9＇
on the topic of justice and uprightness has come to my knowledge。＇10＇
＇9＇ For this famous person see Cob。 〃Pros。 Xen。〃 s。n。； Plat。 〃Hipp。
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maj。〃 148； Quint。 xii。 11； 21； Grote； 〃H。 G。〃 viii。 524。
＇10＇ Or； 〃I can personally vouch for。〃
Hippias had just arrived at Athens after a long absence； and chanced to
be present when Socrates was telling some listeners how astonishing it
was that if a man wanted to get another taught to be a shoemaker or
carpenter or coppersmith or horseman； he would have no doubt where to
send him for the purpose： 〃People say；〃＇11＇ he added； 〃that if a man wants
to get his horse or his ox taught in the right way；＇12＇ the world is full of
instructors； but if he would learn himself； or have his son or his slave
taught in the way of right； he cannot tell where to find such instruction。〃
＇11＇ L。 Dindorf； after Ruhnken and Valckenar； omits this sentence
｛phasi de tines 。 。 。 didaxonton｝。 See Kuhner ad loc。 For the
sentiment see Plat。 〃Apol。〃 20 A。
＇12＇ Cf。 〃Cyrop。〃 II。 ii。 26； VIII。 iii。 38； also 〃Horsem。〃 iii。 5；
〃Hunting；〃 vii。 4。
Hippias； catching the words； exclaimed in a bantering tone： What！ still
repeating the same old talk；＇13＇ Socrates； which I used to hear from you
long ago？
＇13＇ This tale is repeated by Dio Chrys。 〃Or。〃 III。 i。 109。 Cf。 Plat。
〃Gorg。〃 490 E。
Yes （answered Socrates）； and what is still more strange； Hippias； it is
not only the same old talk but about the same old subjects。 Now you； I
daresay； through versatility of knowledge；＇14＇ never say the same thing
twice over on the same subject？
＇14＇ Or； 〃such is the breadth of your learning；〃 ｛polumathes｝。 Cf。
Plat。 〃Hipp。 maj。〃
To be sure （he answered）； my endeavour is to say something new on
all occasions。
What （he asked） about things which you know； as for instance in a
case of spelling； if any one asks you； 〃How many letters in Socrates； and
what is their order？〃＇15＇ I suppose you try to run off one string of letters
to…day and to…morrow another？ or to a question of arithmetic； 〃Does twice
five make ten？〃 your answer to…day will diff