ἡγούμενος εἶναι κατὰ νόμους οὐδεὶς πώποτε οὔτε ἔργον ἀσεβὲς εἰργάσατο ἑκὼν οὔτε λόγον ἀφῆκεν ἄνομον. ἀλλὰ ἕνα δή τι τῶν τριῶν πάσχων, ἢ τοῦτο ὅπερ εἶπον οὐχ ἡγούμενος, ἢ τὸ δεύτερον, ὄντας, οὐ φροντίζειν ἀνθρώπων, ἢ τρίτον, εὐπαραμυθήτους εἶναι, θυσίαις τε καὶ εὐχαῖς παραγομένους. ΚΛ. Τί οὖν δὴ δρῷμεν ἂν ἢ καὶ λέγοιμεν πρὸς αὐτούς; Αθ. 'Ω γαθέ, ἐπακούσωμεν αὐτῶν πρῶτον ἃ τῷ καταφρονεῖν ἡμῶν προσπαίζοντας αὐτοὺς λέγειν μαντεύομαι. ΚΛ. Ποῖα δή ; Αθ. Ταῦτα τάχ' ἂν ἐρεσχελοῦντες εἴποιεν. Ω ξένε 'Αθηναῖε καὶ Λακεδαιμόνιε καὶ Κνώσιε, ἀληθῆ λέγετε. ἡμῶν γὰρ οἱ μὲν τοπαράπαν θεοὺς οὐδαμῶς νομίζουσιν· οἱ δὲ, μηδὲν ἡμῶν φροντίζειν· οἱ δὲ, εὐχαῖς παράγεσθαι, οἵους ὑμεῖς λέγετε. ἀξιοῦμεν δή, καθάπερ ὑμεῖς ἠξιώκατε περὶ νόμων, πρὶν ἀπειλεῖν ἡμῖν σκληρῶς, ἡμᾶς πρότερον ἐπιχειρεῖν πείθειν καὶ διδάσκειν ὡς εἰσὶ θεοί, τεκμήρια λέγοντες ἱκανά, καὶ ὅτι βελτίους ἢ παρὰ τὸ δίκαιον ὑπό τινων δώρων παρατρέπεσθαι κηλούμενοι. νῦν μὲν γὰρ ταῦ. τα ἀκούοντές τε καὶ τοιαῦθ' ἕτερα τῶν λεγομένων ἀρίστων εἶναι ποιητῶν τε καὶ ῥητόρων καὶ μάντεων καὶ ἱερέων, καὶ 15 13. ἀλλὰ ἑν. Supply as follows: “but when he has done thus, he has done itἓν δή τι τῶν τριῶν πάσχων being in one or the other of these three states." 14. τῷ καταφρονεῖν ἡμῶν, “ in their contempt for us.” προσπαίζοντας is best rendered adverbially, " sportively." 15. ὡς εἰσὶ θεοί. This example furnishes an excellent illustration of the general difference between the particles &c and or. Both follow nearly the same class of verbs, and are frequently regarded and rendered as though they were nearly, if not quite, synonymous. The difference, however, in this and similar cases, is obvious. "Ότι would simply refer to the fact ; ὡς, to the manner or reason of it. As, for example, διδάσκειν ὅτι, " to teach us the fact, that there are Gods ;” διδάσκειν ὡς, " to teach us how ;” that is, " in what manner, and for what necessary reasons, there are Gods.” And so in the following sentence: καὶ ὅτι βελτίους ἢ, κ. τ. λ., “ and also the fact that they are better than," &c., or "that they are too good." ἄλλων πολλάκις μυρίων, οὐκ ἐπὶ τὸ μὴ δρᾷν τὰ ἄδικα τρε πόμεθα οἱ πλεῖστοι, δράσαντες δ' ἐξακεῖσθαι πειρώμεθα. παρὰ δὲ δὴ νομοθετῶν φασκόντων εἶναι μὴ ἀγρίων, ἀλλὰ ἡμέρων, ἀξιοῦμεν πειθοῖ πρῶτον χρῆσθαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς, εἰ μὴ πολλῷ βελτίων τῶν ἄλλων λέγοντας περὶ θεῶν ὡς εἰσίν, ἀλλ ̓ οὖν βελτίω γε πρὸς ἀλήθειαν. καὶ τάχα πειθοίμεθ' ἂν ἴσως ὑμῖν, ἀλλ' ἐπιχειρεῖτε, εἴτι μέτριον λέγομεν, εἰπεῖν ἃ προκαλούμεθα. ΚΛ. Οὐκοῦν, ὦ ξένε, δοκεῖ ῥᾴδιον εἶναι ἀληθεύοντας λέγειν ὡς εἰσὶ θεοί ; ΑΘ. Πῶς ; ΚΛ. Πρῶτον μὲν γῆ καὶ ἥλιος, ἄστρα τε τὰ ξύμπαντα, καὶ τὰ τῶν ὡρῶν διακεκοσμημένα καλῶς οὕτως, ἐνιαυτοῖς τε καὶ μησὶ διειλημμένα· καὶ ὅτι πάντες Ελληνές τε καὶ βάρβαροι νομίζουσιν εἶναι θεούς. ΑΘ. Φοβοῦμαί γε, ὦ μακάριε, τοὺς μοχθηρούς, (οὐ γὰρ δή ποτε εἴποιμ ̓ ἂν ἔσγε αἰδοῦμαι) μήπως ὑμῶν καταφρονήσωσιν. ὑμεῖς μὲν γὰρ οὐκ ἴστε αὐτῶν πέρι τὴν τῆς διαφθο ρᾶς αἰτίαν, ἀλλ' ἡγεῖσθε ἀκρατείᾳ μόνον ἡδονῶν τε καὶ 1. οὐκ ἐπὶ τὸ μὴ ὁρᾷν τὰ ἄδικα. This may be freely rendered thus : "Instead of being turned away from the commission of sin, the most of us are wholly occupied in attempts to avert its consequences." In this there is most concisely, yet most forcibly expressed, the essential difference between two things that are often mistaken the one for the other, namely, between true religion, consisting in right views of the Divine Nature, or that true "fear of the Lord which is to depart from evil” (τρέπεσθαι ἐπὶ τὸ μὴ δρᾷν τὰ ἄδικα), and superstition, which is wholly occupied, not in the avoidance of sin, but in vain attempts to cure the evils and terrors which it brings upon the soul, (δράσαντες δ' ἐξακεῖσθαι πειρώμεθα). This superstition, or false religion, as Plato elsewhere shows, is nearly allied to Atheism. Note LXXX. and LXXXI., App. See 2. πολλῷ βελτίω. The antithesis here is between πολλῷ βελτίω and βελτίω γε, “ better, indeed, in respect to truth, if not far better.” 3. ἀληθεύοντας. See Note III., App. 4. διαφθορᾶς. We have adopted this instead of the common reading, διαφορᾶς. It is supported by the authority of Cornarius and Stephanus, although Ficinus seems to have read διαφορᾶς, and is in ἐπιθυμιῶν ἐπὶ τὸν ἀσεβῆ βίον ὁρμᾶσθαι τὰς ψυχὰς αὐ τῶν. ΚΛ. Τὸ δὲ τί πρὸς τούτοις αἴτιον ἄν, ὦ ξένε, εἴη ; ΑΘ. Σχεδὸν ὃ παντάπασιν ὑμεῖς ἔξω ζῶντες οὐκ ἂν εἰ δείητε, ἀλλὰ ὑμᾶς ἂν λανθάνοι. ΚΛ. Τί δὴ τοῦτο φράζεις τανῦν ; Αθ. Αμαθία τις μάλα χαλεπή, δοκοῦσα εἶναι μεγίστη φρόνησις. ΚΛ. Πῶς λέγεις ; ΑΘ. Εἰσὶν ἡμῖν ἐν γράμμασι λόγοι κείμενοι, οἳ παρ' ὑμῖν οὐκ εἰσὶ δι' ἀρετὴν πολιτείας, ὡς ἐγὼ μανθάνω· οἱ μὲν, ἔν τισι μέτροις, οἱ δὲ, καὶ ἄνευ μέτρων, λέγοντες περὶ θεῶν, οἱ μὲν παλαιότατοι, ὡς γέγονεν ἡ πρώτη φύσις οὐρανοῦ, τῶν τε ἄλλων· προϊόντες δὲ τῆς ἀρχῆς οὐ πολὺ Θεογονίαν διεξέρχονται, γενόμενοί τε ὡς πρὸς ἀλλήλους ὡμίλησαν. ἃ τοῖς ἀκούουσιν εἰ μὲν εἰς ἄλλο τι καλῶς ἢ μὴ far better accordance with all the words of the context-morum corruptio atque depravatio―rottenness of soul. In the same way are the same class of persons characterized by the Psalmist : "The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God;" by yn annen, corrupt are they, and abominable in their deeds. Psalm xiv., 1. a), corrupti, perditis moribus sunt. They are altogether become filthy. 5. ὁρμᾶσθαι, “ to rush impetuously or violently.” Admirably descriptive of the headlong course of those to whom it is here applied. 6. Αμαθία τις. A more perfect description of this disease of Atheism (διαφθορᾶς) could not be given. It sets forth the malady with its cause, and is equally applicable to ancient and to modern times: “ an invincible ignorance, fancying itself the highest wisdom.” Αμαθία here has no reference to speculative or scientific knowledge, but is used in the usual Platonic sense for "ignorance of one's self." 7. οἱ μὲν ἐν μέτροις. See Note IV., App. 8. λέγοντες . . . ὡς. See remarks on ὡς and ὅτι, page 3, 15. 9. προϊόντες δε, “ Advancing, or going on from the discussion of the origin (τῆς ἀρχῆς) of the first nature (τῆς πρώτης φύσεως), which was the subject of the most ancient (or Orphic) writings (τῶν παλαι οτάτων), they treated next of the theogony, that is, the individual births and generations of the Gods, with their actions and mutual intercourse,” as set forth by Homer and Hesiod. 10 .13 καλῶς ἔχοι, οὐ ῥᾴδιον ἐπιτιμᾷν παλαιοῖς οὖσιν. εἰς μέντοι γονέων τε θεραπείας καὶ τιμὰς οὐκ ἂν ἔγωγέ ποτε ἐπαινῶν εἴποιμι, οὔτε ὡς ὠφέλιμα, οὔτε ὡς τοπαράπαν ὀρθῶς εἴρηται. τὰ μὲν οὖν δὴ τῶν ἀρχαίων πέρι μεθείσθω καὶ χαιρέτω, καὶ ὅπη θεοῖσι φίλον λεγέσθω ταύτῃ τὰ δὲ τῶν νέων ἡμῖν καὶ σοφῶν αἰτιαθήτων ὅπη κακῶν αἴτια. τόδε οὖν οἱ τῶν τοιούτων ἐξεργάζονται λόγοι. ἐμοῦ γὰρ καὶ σοῦ, ὅταν τεκμήρια λέγωμεν ὡς εἰσὶ θεοί, ταῦτα αὐτὰ προσφέροντες, ἥλιον τε καὶ σελήνην καὶ ἄστρα καὶ γῆν, ὡς θεοὺς καὶ θεῖα ὄντα, ὑπὸ τῶν σοφῶν τούτων ἀναπεπεισ‐ μένοι ἂν λέγοιεν ὡς γῆν τε καὶ λίθους ὄντα αὐτὰ, καὶ οὐ δὲν τῶν ἀνθρωπείων πραγμάτων φροντίζειν δυνάμενα, λόγοισι δὲ ταῦτα εὖ πως εἰς τὸ πιθανὸν περιπεπεμμένα. 10. παλαιοῖς ούσιν. See Note V., App. 15 11. γονέων θεραπείας καὶ τιμὰς. He alludes here to the poetical fables respecting the treatment of Saturn by his son Jupiter. This, to Plato, was the most offensive part of the Grecian mythology, and he often alludes to it, as a sort of standing example, whenever he attacks the poets in other portions of his works. See the Republic, ii., 377, Ρ : τὰ δὲ δὴ του Κρόνου ἔργα καὶ πάθη ὑπὸ τοῦ υἱέως, κ. τ. λ. It interfered with his high views respecting those duties which grow out of the domestic relations, especially the duty of filial obedience. Hence it furnishes his constant example, whenever he would condemn the demoralizing and irreligious tendency of some of the ancient poetry. 12. οὔτε ὡς τοπαράπαν ὀρθῶς εἴρηται. These and similar portions of the mythology he would altogether expunge, as being utterly incapable of any improved allegorical meaning, however gently he might deal with the system as a whole. See Note V., App. 13. καὶ ὅπη θεοῖσι φίλον, “ May what we have said respecting these ancient and venerable matters be thus said as may be agreeable to Heaven,” as it may be paraphrased. We see, from this expression, with what a gentle, pious, and cautious hand he touches the ancient mythology; how he seems to implore forgiveness for venturing to cast away anything that might have claims to reverence for its antiquity, and which, under all its deformity, might yet, perhaps, contain the corrupted and disguised remains of some primitive or anciently-revealed truth. 14. νέων σοφῶν. See Note VI., App. 15. περιπεπεμμένα—περιπέττειν. This is a term of cookery, and Κλ. Χαλεπόν γε λόγον, ὦ ξένε, εἰρηκὼς τυγχάνεις, εἰ γε εἰς ἦν μόνον· νῦν δὲ ὅτε πάμπολλοι τυγχάνουσιν, ἔτι χαλεπώτερον ἂν εἴη. ΑΘ. Τί οὖν δή ; τί λέγωμεν ; τί χρὴ δρᾷν ἡμᾶς; πότερον ἀπολογησώμεθα οἷον κατηγορήσαντός τινος ἐν ἀσεβέσιν ἀνθρώποις ἡμῶν φεύγουσι' περὶ τῆς νομοθεσίας, λέγουσιν signifies to crust over-crustare. Compare Seneca, De Provid., 6, non est ista sincera felicitas—crusta est. Also Aristophanes, Plutus, 159: Αισχυνόμενοι γὰρ ἀργύριον αἰτεῖν ἴσως, "With a name they crust over their depravity." The metaphor here suggests the thought of vile doctrines, like pernicious and unhealthy dishes, crusted over with some specious disguise to allure the eye and tempt the appetite. Socrates was ever fond of drawing comparisons from the body to the soul, from the health of the one to the moral soundness of the other, and from the sciences and arts that pertain to the one, to that higher philosophy which is concerned with the wants and relations of the other. The use of this word here corresponds well with his ordinary similes, and especially those made use of in the Gorgias, in which false philosophy (σοφιστική) holds the same relation to the soul that the unhealthy confectionary art (ὀψοποϊικὴ) bears to the body. See the Gorgias, pages 28, 29, Leip. : ὅτι ἡ κομμωτικὴ πρὸς γυμναστικὴν, τοῦτο σοφιστικὴ πρὸς νομοθετικὴν, και ὅτι ἡ ὀψοποιικὴ πρὸς ἰατρικὴν τουτο ῥητορικὴ πρὸς δικαιοσύνην. 1. φεύγουσι. This is rendered by some aversari, non tolerare. So Ast, qui nos aversantur. It also, as a term of the Athenian courts of law, signifies to be defendant in a suit or prosecution, as diúkwv signifies the plaintiff, pursuer, or prosecutor; both terms being derived from the ancient custom of the pursuit of the homicide by the avenger of blood, and from thence transferred to other legal contests both of a civil and criminal kind. Ficinus, in accordance with this idea, renders—in judicium pertractos. Το warrant this, however, the reading should be φεύγοντες or φεύγοντας, with a change in the construction of the Greek. The first version seems so far fetched, that we would prefer combining the two ideas by translating φεύγουσι, “ who put us on our defence.” This agrees well with ἀπολογησώμεθα, and with the whole context. The speaker is complaining of the hardship of being compelled to assume the attitude of apologist or de |