[76] See MARTHA: _La prédication morale populaire_ (“Les moralistes sous l’empire romain,” pp. 240, 241).—“A cette époque la philosophie était une espèce de religion qui imposait à ses adeptes au moins l’extérieur de la vertu. Les sophistes se reconnaissent à leur mœurs licencieuses et à leurs manières arrogantes, les philosophes à la dignité de leur conduite et de leur maintien. On entrait dans la philosophie par une sorte de conversion édifiante: on ne pouvait en sortir que par une apostasie scandaleuse.” See the passages referred to by M. MARTHA, and, in addition, DION’S account of his “conversion” in _Oratio_ xiii. (_De Exilio_), and his comparisons between the sophist and the peacock, and the philosopher and the owl, in _Oratio_ xii. (_De Dei Cognitione_). [77] CICERO: _Acad. Poster._, i. 4. (Reid’s translation.) Cf. RITTER and PRELLER: sec. 204, note “a” on XENOPHON: _Memorabilia_, iv. 3. 1, and i. 4. 4.—“Socratem quodam modo naturæ studuisse vel ex nostro loco luculenter cernitur, ubi deprehendis eum teleologicam quæ dicitur viam ingressum, quæ ratio transiit ad Socraticos. Inde corrigendus Cicero _Acad. Poster._, i. 4.” Cf. BENWELL’S Preface to his edition of the _Memorabilia_: “Quam graviter de Dei providentia et de admirabili corporis humani structura Socratem disserentem inducit!”—It must be conceded, however, that in Xenophon’s account Socrates is described as discussing natural phenomena still with a view to ethical edification. (_Memorab._, iv. 3.) [78] PLATO: _Timæus_, 59 C. [79] W. S. LANDOR: _Diogenes and Plato (Imaginary Conversations)_.—“Draw thy robe around thee; let the folds fall gracefully, and look majestic. That sentence is an admirable one, but not for me. I want sense, not stars.” Cf. Dr. MARTINEAU: _Plato (Types of Ethical Theory)_.—“The perfection which consists in contemplation of the absolute, or the attempt to copy it, may be the consummation of Reason, but not of character.” [80] Cf. LANDOR: _loc. cit._—“The bird of wisdom flies low, and seeks her food under hedges; the eagle himself would be starved if he always soared aloft and against the sun. The sweetest fruit grows near the ground, and the plants that bear it require ventilation and lopping.” [81] ARCHER-HIND: _The Phædo of Plato_, Appendix I.