the hope of that happiness which he expects in another life; and that hope can be founded only upon the belief of the soul's immortality.

Socrates employed the last day of his life in entertaining his friends upon this great and important subject; from which conversation Plato's admirable dialogue, entitled The Phædon, is wholly taken. He explains to his friends all the arguments for believing the soul immortal, and refutes all the objections against it, which are very nearly the same that are made at this day.

When Socrates had done speaking, Crito begged he would give him, and the rest of his friends, his last instructions with regard to his children, and other affairs, that by executing them, they might have the consolation of showing their respect for his memory. "I shall recommend nothing to you this day," replied Socrates, "more than I have already done, which is to take care of yourselves; you cannot give me and my family a greater satisfaction." Crito having asked him afterwards, in what manner he would wish to be buried: "As you please," said Socrates; "if you can lay hold of me, and I escape not out of your hands." At the same time, looking on his friends with a smile, "I can never," added he, "persuade Crito, that Socrates is he who converses with you, and arranges the several parts of his discourse; for he always imagines that I am what he is going to see dead in a little time: he confounds me with my carcase, and therefore asks me how I would be interred." On finishing these words, he rose up, and went to bathe himself in a chamber adjoining. After he came out of the bath, his children were brought to him; for he had three, two very little, and the other grown up. He spoke to them for some time, gave his orders to the women who took care of them, and then dismissed them. Being returned into his chamber, he laid himself down upon his bed.

The servant of the eleven entered at the same instant, and having informed him that the time for drinking the juice of hemlock was come (which was at sun-set) the servant was so deeply afflicted, that he turned his back, and fell a weeping." See," said Socrates," the good heart of this man; since my imprisonment he has often come to see me, and to converse with me; he is more worthy than all his fellows; how heartily the poor man weeps for me!" The fatal cup was now brought. Socrates asked what it was necessary for him to do? "Nothing more," replied the servant, "than, as soon as you have drank off the whole draught, to walk about till you find your legs grow weary, and afterwards lie down upon your bed." He took the cup without any emotion, or change in his colour or countenance; and regarding the man with a steady and assured look: 68 Well," said he, "what say you of this drink; may one make a libation of it?" Upon being told there was only enough for one dose: "at least," continued he, may say our prayers to the gods, as it is our duty, and implore them to make our exit from this world, and our last stage happy, which is what I most ardently beg of them." After having spoke these words, he kept silence for some time, and then drank off the whole draught, with an amazing tranquillity, and serenity of aspect not to be expressed, or hardly even conceived.

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Until then his friends had been able, though with great difficulty, to refrain from tears; but after he had drank the potion, they were no longer masters of themselves, but wept abundantly. Apollodorus in particular, who had been in tears almost during the whole day, began then to make such loud and bitter lamentations as pierced the hearts of all that were present. Socrates alone remained unmoved, and even reproved his friends, though with his usual mildness and good-nature. "What are you doing?" said he to them:

"I wonder at you! Oh! what is become of your virtue? Was it not for this I sent away the women, that they might not fall into these weaknesses; for I have always heard you say that we ought to die peaceably, and blessing the gods. Be at ease, I beg you, and show more constancy and resolution." He then obliged them to restrain their tears.

In the mean time he kept walking to and fro; and when be found his legs grow weary, he lay down upon his back, as he had been directed. The poison then operated more and more. When Socrates found it begin to gain upon the heart, uncovering his face, which had been covered, no doubt, to prevent any thing from disturbing him in his last moments, "Crito," said he, "we owe a cock to Esculapius; discharge that vow for me, and pray do not forget it." Soon after which he breathed his last. Crito went to his body, and closed his mouth and eyes.-Such was the (end of Socrates, in the first year of the ninety-fifth olympiad, and the seventieth of his age.

It was not till some time after the death of this great man, that the people of Athens perceived their mistake, and began to repent of it; but their hatred against him being at length extinguished, their prejudices cured, and time having given them an opportunity for reflection, the notorious injustice of the sentence appeared in all its horrors. Nothing was heard throughout the city but discourses in favour of Socrates. The academy, the lyceum, private houses, public walks, and market-places, seemed still to re-echo the sound of his loved voice."Here," said they," he formed our youth, and taught our children to love their country, and to honour their parents. In this place he gave us his admirable lessons, and sometimes bestowed on us seasonable reproaches, to engage us more warmly in the pursuit of virtue. Alas! how have we rewarded him for such important services!" All Athens was plunged into the deepest affliction. The schools

were shut up, and the public exercises suspended. The accusers were called to account for the innocent blood they had caused to be shed. Melitus was condemned, to die, and the rest banished. Plutarch observes, that all those who had any share in this odious transaction were held in such detestation among the citizens, that no one would give them fire, answer them any question, or go into the same bath with them; and they had the place cleaned where they bathed, lest they should be polluted by touching it; which drove them at last to such despair, that many of them killed themselves.

The Athenians, not content with having punished his accusers, caused a statue of brass to be erected to him, of the workmanship of the celebrated Lysippus, and placed it in one of the most conspicuous parts of their city. They carried their respect to a still higher degree, even to a religious veneration. They dedicated a chapel to him, as to a hero and a demigod, and gave it the name of The Chapel of Socrates.

CHAPTER XI.

FROM THE DEATH OF SOCRATES TO THE DEATH OF EPAMINONDAS.

AFTER the destruction of the Athenian power by Lysander, the Spartans were the next state that took the lead in the affairs of Greece, and the Eleans were the first that felt the weight of their resentment, for having refused to admit them to the Olympic games in common with the rest of the Greeks. About the same time, Agesilaus, being chosen king of Sparta, was sent into Asia with an army,

under pretence of freeing the Grecian cities in that quarter. He gained a signal victory over Tissaphernes, near the river Pactolus, where he forced the enemy's camp, and found considerable plunder. The Persian monarch, afraid to oppose him openly in the field, endeavoured to subvert his interest among the Grecian states by power of money; and in this he was but too successful. The first whom he gained over to his side, were the Thebans, and these were soon after followed by the Athenians, who gladly seized this opportunity of throwing off the Spartan yoke. In a little time, the Argives, Corinthians, Euboeans, and other states, acceded to the confederacy; so that the Spartans were obliged to recall Agesilaus out of Persia, where he was carrying on the war, in order to oppose the powerful combination that was now forming against them. But before his arrival, they were forced to come to an engagement with the enemy near Sicyon, where, though the Spartan allies were at first routed, yet they themselves, by their single valour, in the end gained the victory, with the loss of no more than eight

men.

This advantage, however, was in some measure counterbalanced by a loss at sea, which the Spartans sustained near Cnidus. Conon, the Athenian general, being appointed to command the Persian fleet against them, took fifty of their ships, and pursued the rest into port. Agesilaus, on the ether hand, obtained a considerable victory over the Athenians and their allies, upon the plains of Coronea. Thus was the war carried on by furious but undecisive engagements, till at length all parties growing equally weary of a quarrel, in which none of them were any great gainers, a peace was concluded in the second year of the ninety-eighth olympiad ; and from the many stipulations in favour of Persia, Plutarch terms this peace, the ruin and reproach of Greece.

The Spartans, being thus freed from all fears of a foreigu