own experience, how difficult, abstruse, intricate, and at the same time how little useful that kind of learning was to the generality of mankind, he was the first, according to Cicero, who conceived the thought of bringing down philosophy from heaven, to place it in cities, and introduce it into private houses; humanizing it, to use that expression, and rendering it more familiar, more useful in common life, more within the reach of man's capacity, and applying it solely to what might make them more rational, just, and virtuous. He found there was a kind of folly in devoting the whole vivacity of his mind, and employing all his time, in inquiries merely curious, involved in impenetrable darkness, and absolutely incapable of contributing to human happiness; whilst he neglected to inform himself in the ordinary duties of life, and in learning what is conformable, or opposite, to piety, justice, and probity; in what fortitude, temperance, and wisdom consist; what is the end of all government, what the rules of it, and what qualities are necessary for commanding and ruling well. We shall see in the sequel the use he made of this study. It was so far from preventing him to discharge the duties of a good citizen, that it was the means of making him the more observant of them. He bore arms, as did all the people of Athens; but with more pure and elevated motives. He made many campaigns, phi occupati fuerunt, avocavisse philosophiam, et ad vitam communem adduxisse; ut de virtutibus et vitiis, omninoque de bonis rebus et malis quæreret; cœlestia autem vel procul esse a nostra cognitione censeret, vel si maxime cognita essent, nihil tamen ad bene vivendum conferre. Cic. acad. quæst. l. i. n. 15. i Xenoph. Memorab. 1. i. p. 710. was present in many actions, and always distinguished himself by his valor and fortitude. He was seen, towards the end of his life, giving in the senate, of which he was a member, the most shining proofs of his zeal for justice, without being intimidated by the greatest present dangers. He had accustomed himself early to a sober, severe, laborious life; without which it seldom happens, that men are capable of discharging the greatest part of the duties of good citizens. It is difficult to carry the contempt of riches and the love of poverty farther than he did. He looked upon it as a divine perfection to be in want of nothing; and believed, the less we are contented with, the nearer we approach to the Divinity. Seeing the pomp and show displayed by luxury in certain ceremonies, and the infinite quantity of gold and silver employed in them. "How many things" said he, congratulating himself on his condition, " do I not want!" Quantis non egeo! "His father left him eighty mina, that is to say, four thousand livres, which he lent to one of his friends who had occasion for that sum. But the affairs of that friend having taken an ill turn, he lost the whole, and suffered that misfortune with such indifference and tranquillity, that he did not so much as complain of it. We find in Xenophon's Economics, that his whole estate amounted to no more than five mina, or two hundred and fifty livres. The richest persons of Athens were his friends, who could never prevail upon * Xenoph. Memorab. 1. i. p. 731. 1 Socrates in pompa, cum magna vis auri argentique ferretur; Quam multa non desidero, inquit ! Cic. Tusc. Quæst. 1. 5. Liban. in Apolog. Socrat. p. 640. Xenoph. Econ. p. 822 him to accept any share of their wealth. 970 When he was in want of any thing, he was not ashamed to declare it: "If I had money," said he one day in an assembly of his friends, " I should buy me a cloak.' He did not address himself to any body in particular, but contented himself with that general information. His disciples contended for the honour of making him this small present; which was being too slow, says Seneca; their own observation ought to have prevented both the want and the demand. He generously refused the offers and presents of Archelaus king of Macedonia, who was desirous of having him at his court; adding, "that he could not go to a man, who could give him more than it was in his power to return." Another philosopher does not approve this answer. "Was it making a prince a small return," says Seneca, says Seneca, "to undeceive him in his false. ideas of grandeur and magnificence; to inspire him with a contempt for riches; to show him the right use of them; to instruct him in the great art of reigning; in a word, to teach him how to live and how to die? But," continues Seneca, "the true reason which prevented his going to the court of that prince was, that he did not think it consistent for him to seek a voluntary servitude, whose liberty a free city could not suffer him to enjoy." Noluit ire ad voluntariam servitutem is cujus libertatem civitas libera ferre non potuit." • Socrates, amicis audientibus: Emissem, inquit, pallium, si nummos haberem. Neminem poposcit, omnes admonuit. A quo acciperet, ambitus fuit-Post hoc quisquis properaverit, sero dat; jam Socrati defu. it. Senec. de benef. 1. vii. c 24. ? Senec. de benef. 1. v. c. 6. The peculiar austerity of his life did not render him gloomy and morose, as was common enough with the philosophers of those times. In company and conversation he was always gay and facetious, and the sole joy and spirit of the entertainment. Though he was very poor, he piqued himself upon the neatness of his person and house, and could not suffer the ridiculous affectation of Antisthenes, who always wore dirty and ragged clothes. He told him once, that through the holes in his cloak, and the rest of his tatters, abundance of vanity might be discerned. One of the most distinguishing qualities of Socrates, was a tranquillity of soul, that no accident, no loss, no injury, no ill treatment, could ever alter. Some have believed, that he was by nature hasty and passionate, and that the moderation to which he had attained, was the effect of his reflections and endeavours to subdue and correct himself; which would still add to his merit. * Seneca tell us, that he had desired his friends to apprize him whenever they saw him ready to fall into a passion, and that he had given them that privilege over him, which he took himself with them. Indeed the best time to call in aid against rage and anger, that have so violent and sudden a power over us, is when we are yet ourselves, and in cool blood. At the first signal, the least animadversion, he either softened his tone, or was silent. Finding himself in great emotion against a slave; "I would beat you," says he, "if I 4 Xenoph. in conviv. Ælian. 1. iv. c. 11. et l. ix. c. 35. Contra potens malum et apud nos gratiosum, dum conspicimus, et nostri sumus, advocemus. were not angry:" "Caderem te, nisi irascerer. Having received a box on the ear, he contented himself with only saying, with a smile, It is a misfortune not to know when to put on an helmet. W Without going out of his own house, he found enough to exercise his patience in all its extent. Xantippe his wife put it to the severest proofs by her capricious, passionate, violent disposition. It seems, before he took her for his companion, that he was not ignorant of her character; and he says himself in Xenophon, that he had expressly chosen her, from the conviction, that if he should be capable of bearing her insults, there would be no body, though ever so difficult to endure, with whom he could not live. Never was a woman of so violent and fantastical a spirit, and so bad a temper. There was no kind of abuse or injurious treatment, which he had not to experience from her. She would sometimes be transported with such an excess of rage, as to tear off his cloak in the open street; and even one day, after having vented all the reproaches her fury could suggest, she emptied a pot upon his head; at which he only laughed, and said, "That so much thunder must needs produce a shower." * Some ancient authors write, that Socrates married a second wife, named Myrto, who was the granddaughter of Aristides the Just, and that he suffered exceedingly from them both, who were continually quarrelling with each other, and never agreed, but in load a Senec. de Ira. l. i. c. 15. W Xenoph. in conviv. p. 876. Ibid. 1. iii. c. 11. y Plut. in Aristi .p. 335. Athen. I. xiii. 555. Diog. Laert, in Socrat. p. 105. |