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Article AnOAOriA 2QKPAT0YS, ← Page 3 of 8 →
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Anoaoria 2qkpat0ys,
consequence , that I believe in the existence of such beings ? Does it not ? Undoubtedl y it does . I am putting you in the place of one who perfectly acquiesces with me , although you do not say any thing . But is it not a vulgar belief that demons are gods , or the offsprings of the gods ? What say yott to that opinion ? Yea , or nay ? O yes , I am of that opinion . Whythenif I believe in demonsas you sayandif certain gods
, , , , , are demons , or demons are certain gods , is not this question between us exactl y as I affirm ; that under the cover of rhetorical flourishes , you have spoken an enigma , declaring , that I do not believe in the gods , and in the same breath , that I do believe in them , inasmuch as I believe in demons , whom you allow are gods ! But , supposing that demons are certain illegitimate offspring of the gods , begotten ' out of nymphs , or some other such-like creatures , from whom the common
people say they sprang , is there any person who considers them to he the children of the gods , and yet denies that there are gods ? 11 would be equally as ridiculous as a person , who conceived mules to be the progeny of the horse and the ass , denying that there existed such animals as either horses or asses . Moreover , Melitus , the question here is not , how you may have drawn up the indictment , or how you have convicted me of the counts set forth in itnor how much you are at a loss
; to bring home to me the crime of which you have accused me : but , how you might persuade a man of ignorant mind that there is no effect arising from divine causes , and so , that there are neither demons , nor gods nor demi-gods , or heroes . Athenians , I submissively think , that my defence thus far has sufficiently vindicated me from that part of Melitus ' s indictment whereby
I am charged with acting in my pbilosophical instructions in a manner contrary to the creed established by law . Still , let me recall to your recollection a former observation made to you in the progress of this trial , and which you know to be just , that a great deal of malicious enmity has been excited against me in the public mind , and this it is which will condemn me , if I am condemned , not Melitus , nor Anytus ; but the besotted hatred and prejudiced envy of the multitude . IVliat ,
in truth , has condemned many other virtuous men ; and , I feel a presentiment , that it will be the means of procuring my condemnation , though the idea presents to me nothing terrible . Ferhaps some one may say ; but why are you not ashamed , Socrates , for having pursued a study through which you are now condemned to die ? I would make that person some such reply as this . You do not judge rightl y ^ my friend , if you suppose it behoves a man to weigh life and death against the little profit any pursuit which demands his duty may
occasion him . 11 is not merely what he m ay be engaged in , but whether it he just or unjust , whether he is acting the part of a virtuous or a vicious man . For , according to your idea , the son of Thetis , and those other heroes who fell at Troy , should be had in no estimation . Now , in my opinion , whoever despises such heroic trials incurs disgrace : so that , you would argue , when his mother said to him who was eager to slay Hector , addressing him thus;— " O , my son , if thou wilt the murder of thfriend Patroclusand Hectorthou
avenge y , slay , wilt thyself be slain , - " " for , " " she immediately adds , being a goddess and possessing the power of foreseeing events ; " with the death of Hector fate hath decreed thy destiny to be fulfilled : " he was not deserving of encomium for pursuing his righteous purpose after such a declaration . But he , when he had heard it , despised the peril of death ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Anoaoria 2qkpat0ys,
consequence , that I believe in the existence of such beings ? Does it not ? Undoubtedl y it does . I am putting you in the place of one who perfectly acquiesces with me , although you do not say any thing . But is it not a vulgar belief that demons are gods , or the offsprings of the gods ? What say yott to that opinion ? Yea , or nay ? O yes , I am of that opinion . Whythenif I believe in demonsas you sayandif certain gods
, , , , , are demons , or demons are certain gods , is not this question between us exactl y as I affirm ; that under the cover of rhetorical flourishes , you have spoken an enigma , declaring , that I do not believe in the gods , and in the same breath , that I do believe in them , inasmuch as I believe in demons , whom you allow are gods ! But , supposing that demons are certain illegitimate offspring of the gods , begotten ' out of nymphs , or some other such-like creatures , from whom the common
people say they sprang , is there any person who considers them to he the children of the gods , and yet denies that there are gods ? 11 would be equally as ridiculous as a person , who conceived mules to be the progeny of the horse and the ass , denying that there existed such animals as either horses or asses . Moreover , Melitus , the question here is not , how you may have drawn up the indictment , or how you have convicted me of the counts set forth in itnor how much you are at a loss
; to bring home to me the crime of which you have accused me : but , how you might persuade a man of ignorant mind that there is no effect arising from divine causes , and so , that there are neither demons , nor gods nor demi-gods , or heroes . Athenians , I submissively think , that my defence thus far has sufficiently vindicated me from that part of Melitus ' s indictment whereby
I am charged with acting in my pbilosophical instructions in a manner contrary to the creed established by law . Still , let me recall to your recollection a former observation made to you in the progress of this trial , and which you know to be just , that a great deal of malicious enmity has been excited against me in the public mind , and this it is which will condemn me , if I am condemned , not Melitus , nor Anytus ; but the besotted hatred and prejudiced envy of the multitude . IVliat ,
in truth , has condemned many other virtuous men ; and , I feel a presentiment , that it will be the means of procuring my condemnation , though the idea presents to me nothing terrible . Ferhaps some one may say ; but why are you not ashamed , Socrates , for having pursued a study through which you are now condemned to die ? I would make that person some such reply as this . You do not judge rightl y ^ my friend , if you suppose it behoves a man to weigh life and death against the little profit any pursuit which demands his duty may
occasion him . 11 is not merely what he m ay be engaged in , but whether it he just or unjust , whether he is acting the part of a virtuous or a vicious man . For , according to your idea , the son of Thetis , and those other heroes who fell at Troy , should be had in no estimation . Now , in my opinion , whoever despises such heroic trials incurs disgrace : so that , you would argue , when his mother said to him who was eager to slay Hector , addressing him thus;— " O , my son , if thou wilt the murder of thfriend Patroclusand Hectorthou
avenge y , slay , wilt thyself be slain , - " " for , " " she immediately adds , being a goddess and possessing the power of foreseeing events ; " with the death of Hector fate hath decreed thy destiny to be fulfilled : " he was not deserving of encomium for pursuing his righteous purpose after such a declaration . But he , when he had heard it , despised the peril of death ,