The works of Plato (Vol. 1 of 6) : $b A new and literal version chiefly from the text of StallbaumPlato
PhilosophyPhilosophy
The works of Plato (Vol. 1 of 6) : $b A new and literal version chiefly from the text of Stallbaum
Plato
Philosophy -- Early works to 1800
_Phæd._ Of his fellow-countrymen, this Apollodorus was present, and
Critobulus, and his father Crito, moreover Hermogenes, Epigenes,
Æschines, and Antisthenes; Ctesippus the Pæanian, Menexenus, and some
other of his countrymen were also there: Plato I think was sick.
_Ech._ Were any strangers present?
_Phæd._ Yes: Simmias the Theban, Cebes, and Phædondes: and from Megara,
Euclides and Terpsion.
7. _Ech._ But what! were not Aristippus and Cleombrotus present?
_Phæd._ No: for they were said to be at Ægina.
_Ech._ Was any one else there?
_Phæd._ I think that these were nearly all who were present.
_Ech._ Well now: what do you say was the subject of conversation?
_Phæd._ I will endeavour to relate the whole to you from the beginning.
On the preceding days I and the others were constantly in the habit of
visiting Socrates, meeting early in the morning at the court-house where
the trial took place, for it was near the prison. 8. Here then we waited
every day till the prison was opened, conversing with each other; for it
was not opened very early, but, as soon as it was opened we went in to
Socrates, and usually spent the day with him. On that occasion however,
we met earlier than usual; for on the preceding day, when we left the
prison in the evening, we heard that the ship had arrived from Delos. We
therefore urged each other to come as early as possible to the
accustomed place; accordingly we came, and the porter, who used to admit
us, coming out, told us to wait, and not enter until he called us.
“For,” he said, “the Eleven are now freeing Socrates from his bonds, and
announcing to him that he must die to-day.” But in no long time he
returned, and bade us enter.
9. When we entered, we found Socrates just freed from his bonds, and
Xantippe, you know her, holding his little boy and sitting by him. As
soon as Xantippe saw us, she wept aloud and said such things as women
usually do on such occasions, as “Socrates, your friends will now
converse with you for the last time and you with them.” But Socrates,
looking towards Crito, said, “Crito, let some one take her home.” Upon
which some of Crito’s attendants led her away, wailing and beating
herself.
But Socrates sitting up in bed, drew up his leg, and rubbed it with his
hand, and as he rubbed it, said; “What an unaccountable thing, my
friends, that seems to be, which men call pleasure; and how wonderfully
is it related towards that which appears to be its contrary, pain; in
that they will not both be present to a man at the same time, yet, if
any one pursues and attains the one, he is almost always compelled to
receive the other, as if they were both united together from one head.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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