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TheMemorabilia1TheMemorabiliabyXenophonTranslationbyH.G.DakynsTheMemorabilia2BOOKIIIhaveoftenwonderedbywhatargumentsthosewhoindicted[1]SocratescouldhavepersuadedtheAtheniansthathislifewasjustlyforfeittothestate.Theindictmentwastothiseffect:Socratesisguiltyofcrimeinrefusingtorecognisethegodsacknowledgedbythestate,andimportingstrangedivinitiesofhisown;heisfurtherguiltyofcorruptingtheyoung.[1]{oigrapsamenoi}=Meletus(below,IV.iv.4,viii.4;Apol.11,19),Anytus(Apol.29),andLycon.SeePlat.Apol.II.v.18;Diog.Laert.II.v.(Socr.);M.Schanz,Plat.Apol.mitdeutschenKemmentar,Einleitung,S.5foll.Inthefirstplace,whatevidencedidtheyproducethatSocratesrefusedtorecognisethegodsacknowledgedbythestate?Wasitthathedidnotsacrifice?orthathedispensedwithdivination?Onthecontrary,hewasoftentobeseenengagedinsacrifice,athomeoratthecommonaltarsofthestate.Norwashisdependenceondivinationlessmanifest.Indeedthatsayingofhis,Adivinity[2]givesmeasign,wasoneverybody'slips.Somuchsothat,ifIamnotmistaken,itlayattherootoftheimputationthatheimportednoveldivinities;thoughtherewasnogreaternoveltyinhiscasethaninthatofotherbelieversinoracularhelp,whocommonlyrelyonomensofallsorts:theflightorcryofbirds,theutterancesofman,chancemeetings,[3]oravictim'sentrails.Evenaccordingtothepopularconception,itisnotthemerefowl,itisnotthechanceindividualonemeets,whoknowswhatthingsareprofitableforaman,butitisthegodswhovouchsafebysuchinstrumentstosignifythesame.ThiswasalsothetenetofSocrates.Only,whereasmenordinarilyspeakofbeingturnedaside,orurgedonwardsbybirds,orothercreaturesencounteredontheTheMemorabilia3path,Socratessuitedhislanguagetohisconviction.Thedivinity,saidhe,givesmeasign.Further,hewouldconstantlyadvisehisassociatestodothis,orbewareofdoingthat,upontheauthorityofthissamedivinevoice;and,asamatteroffact,thosewholistenedtohiswarningsprospered,whilsthewhoturnedadeafeartothemrepentedafterwards.[4]Yet,itwillbereadilyconceded,hewouldhardlydesiretopresenthimselftohiseverydaycompanionsinthecharacterofeitherknaveorfool.Whereashewouldhaveappearedtobeboth,supposing[5]theGod-givenrevelationshadbutrevealedhisownpronenesstodeception.Itisplainhewouldnothaveventuredonforecastatall,butforhisbeliefthatthewordshespokewouldinfactbeverified.Thenonwhom,orwhat,wastheassurancerooted,ifnotuponGod?Andifhehadfaithinthegods,howcouldhefailtorecognisethem?[2]Or,Adivinesomething.SeeEncyc.Brit.Socrates.Dr.H.Jackason;TheDaemonofSocrates,F.W.H.Myers;K.Joel,DerechteundderXenophontischeSokrates,i.p.70foll.;cf.Aristot.M.M.1182a10.[3]SeeAesch.P.V.487,{enodioustesombolous},andpathwaytokens,L.Campbell;Arist.Birds,721,{sombolonornin}:Frogs,196,{tosometukhonexion};Eccl.792;Hor.Od.iii.27,1-7.[4]SeeAnab.III.i.4;Symp.iv.48.[5]Or,ifhisvauntedmanifestationsfromheavenhadbutmanifestedthefalsityofhisjudgment.Buthismodeofdealingwithhisintimateshasanotheraspect.Asregardstheordinarynecessitiesoflife,[6]hisadvicewas,Actasyoubelieve[7]thesethingsmaybestbedone.Butinthecaseofthosedarkerproblems,theissuesofwhichareincalculable,hedirectedhisfriendstoconsulttheoracle,whetherthebusinessshouldbeundertakenornot.Noone,hewouldsay,whowishestomanageahouseorcitywithsuccess:nooneaspiringtoguidethehelmofstatearight,canaffordtodipensewithaidfromabove.Doubtless,skillincarpentering,building,smithying,farming,oftheartofgoverningmen,togetherwiththetheoryoftheseTheMemorabilia4processes,andthesciencesofarithmetic,economy,strategy,areaffairsofstudy,andwithinthegraspofhumanintelligence.Yetthereisasideevenofthese,andthatnottheleastimportant,whichthegodsreservetothemselves,thebearingofwhichishiddenfrommortalvision.Thus,letamansowafieldorplantafarmneversowell,yethecannotforetellwhowillgatherinthefruits:anothermaybuildhimahouseoffairestproportion,yetheknowsnotwhowillinhabitit.Neithercanageneralforeseewhetheritwillprofithimtoconductacampaign,norapoliticianbecertainwhetherhisleadershipwillturntoevilorgood.Norcanthemanwhowedsafairwife,lookingforwardtojoy,knowwhetherthroughherheshallnotreapsorrow.Neithercanhewhohasbuiltupapowerfulconnectioninthestateknowwhetherheshallnotbymeansofitbecastoutofhiscity.Tosupposethatallthesematterslaywithinthescopeofhumanjudgment,totheexclusionofthepreternatural,waspreternaturalfolly.NorwasitlessextravaganttogoandconsultthewillofHeavenonanyquestionswhichitisgiventoustodecidebydintoflearning.Asthoughamanshouldinquire,AmItochooseanexpertdriverasmycoachman,oronewhohasneverhandledthereins?ShallIappointamarinertobeskipperofmyvessel,oralandsman?Andsowithrespecttoallwemayknowbynumbering,weighing,andmeasuring.ToseekadvicefromHeavenonsuchpointswasasortofprofanity.Ourdutyisplain,hewouldobserve;wherewearepermittedtoworkthroughournaturalfaculties,thereletusbyallmeansapplythem.Butinthingswhicharehidden,letusseektogainknowledgefromabove,bydivination;forthegods,headded,grantsignstothosetowhomtheywillbegracious.[6]Or,inthesphereofthedetermined,{taanagkaia}=certa,quorumeventusestnecessarius;thingspositive,thelaw-ordaineddepartmentoflife,aswemightsay.SeeGrote,H.G.i.ch.xvi.500andpassim.[7]Reading{osnomizoien},orif{osenomizen},translateAstothingswi