Phaedrus — Plato

< Theseus (the'sys) : a legendary Greek ■ hero, one of whose exploits was the slaying of a monster called the Minotaur (m^n'o-taur). To this monster, imprisoned in a cave of Crete, Athens had to send a yearly sacrifice of seven youths and seven maidens. Theseus went voluntarily as one of these victims to Crete and with the help of Ariadne (a'ri-ad'ne), the king's daughter, succeeded in slaying the Minotaur.

The grateful Athenians preserved the ship in which Theseus made his voyage and sent in it every year envoys and a sacrifice to Delos. Delos (de'los), a small island of the ^gean, was sacred to the worship of Apollo, one of the greatest and most beneficent of the Greek gods, who is said to have been born there. The priest of Apollo decked the stem of the vessel with garlands before it left port

PH^DO 419 Socrates brought to my recollection ; whether I speat myself or hear another speak of him. Ech, You will have listeners who are of the same mind with you, and I hope that you will be as exact as you can. Phad, I remember the strange feeling which came over me at being with him.

For I could hardly believe that I was present at the death of a friend, and therefore I did not pity him, Echecrates ; his mien and his language were so noble and fearless in the hour of death that to me he appeared blessed.

I thought that in going to the other world he could not be without a divine call, and that he would be happy, if any man ever was, when he arrived there ; and therefore I did not '^ pity him as might seem natural at such a time. But neither could I feel the pleasure which I usually felt in philosophical discourse (for philosophy was the theme of which we spoke).

I was pleased and 1 was also pained, because I knew that he was soon to die, and this strange mixture of feeling was shared by us all ; we were laughing and weeping by turns, especially the excitable Apollodorus — you know the sort of man ? Ech. Yes. Phced. He was quite overcome ; and I myself, and all of us were greatly moved. Ech. Who were present ? Fhced.

Of native Athenians there were, besides Apollodorus, Critobulus and his father Crito, Hermogenes, Epigenes, ^schines, and Antisthenes ; likewise Ctesippus of the deme of Pseania, Menexenus, and some others ; but Plato, if I am not mistaken, was ill. Ech, Were there any strangers ? Fhced, Yes, there were \ Simmias the Theban, and Cebes, and Phsedondes ; Euclid and Terpsion, who came from Megara. Ech, And was Aristippus there, and Cleombrotus ?

' » Hermogenes (h?r-m6j'e-nez) ; Epigenes and iCschines : mentioned in Apology, 33. Antisthenes (<ln-tYs'the-nez) ; Ctesippus : speaker in Euthydemus ; Menexenus (me-n5x'e nus) ; Phsdondes (fe-d6n'dez) ; Euclid (ulcud) ; Terpsion (terp'sl-on) ; Aristippus (ir-Ts-tip'us) ; Cleombrotus (kle-6mTDr6- tus). Of these the most imp>ortant are Euclid, Aristippus and Antisthenes, each of whom founded a school of philosophy.

These are called minor Socratic schools, because each of them partially represents the teaching and spirit of Socrates. Plato perhaps means to censure Cleombrotus and Aristippus for not being present, although so near (the island iEgina (e-ji'na) and Its city of that name being but twenty miles from Athens, southwest). Cicero says that Cleombrotus alter reading this dialogue killed himself by throwing himse^ into the sea.

420 PLATO THE TEACHER JPhad, No, they were said to be in iEgina. Ech, Any one else ? Phad. I think that these were about all. Ech. And what was the discourse of which you spoke ? Phad, I will begin at the beginning, and endeavor to repeat the entire conversation. You must understand that we had been previously in the habit of assembling early in the morning at the court in which the trial was held, and which is not far from the prison.

There we remained talking with one another until the opening of the prison doors (for they were not opened very early), and then went in and generally passed the day with Socrates. On the last morning the meeting was earlier than usual ; this was owing to our having heard on the previous evening that the sacred ship had arrived from Delos, and therefore we agreed to meet very early at the accustomed place.

On our going to the prison, the jailer who answered the door, instead of admitting us, came out and bade us wait and he would call us. * * For the eleven, ' * • he said, * * are now with Socrates ; they are taking off his chains, and giving orders that he is to die to-day. ' ' He soon returned and said that we might . come in.

On entering we found Socrates just released from chains, and Xanthippe,'^ whom you know, sitting by him, and holding his child in her arms.

When she saw us she uttered a cry and said, as women will: '*0 Socrates, this is the last time that either you will converse with your friends, or they with you.*' Socrates turned to Crito and said : ** Crito, let some one take her home.'* Some of Crito's people accordingly led her away, crying out and beating herself.

And when she was gone, Socrates, sitting up on the couch, began to bend and rub his leg, saying, as he rubbed : How singular is the thing called pleasure, and how curiously related to pain, which might be thought to be the opposite of it ; for they • See Apology, note 45. ' Xanthippe (zan-tTp'pe) : wife of Socrates. Her name has been proverbial in ancient and modern times as that of a shrew.

Some find excuse for her in her husband's neglect of his private affairs. Xenophon says that her son became embittered on account of his mother's severity and that Socrates reasoned with the son, reminding him ot the mother's many acts of self-sacrifice for her children. In the incident here related, her grief seems to us much more creditable than the indifference of Socrates. Compare John xix.

26 and 27: " When Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciple standing by whom he loved, he saith to his mother, Woman, behold thy son ! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother 1 And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home."