It is in this way that the Dæmon or divine auxiliary serves the purpose of reconciling what would otherwise be an inconsistency in the proceedings of Sokrates. I mean, that such is the purpose served in _this_ dialogue: I know perfectly that Plato deals with the case differently elsewhere: but I am not bound (as I have said more than once) to force upon all the dialogues one and the same point of view. That the agency of the Gods was often and in the most important cases, essentially undiscoverable and unpredictable, and that in such cases they might sometimes be prevailed on to give special warnings to favoured persons--were doctrines which the historical Sokrates in Xenophon asserts with emphasis.[27] The Dæmon of Sokrates was believed, both by himself and his friends, to be a special privilege and an extreme case of divine favour and communication to him.[28] It was perfectly applicable to the scope of the Theagês, though Plato might not choose always to make the same employment of it. It is used in the same general way in the Theætêtus;[29] doubtless with less expansion, and blended with another analogy (that of the mid-wife) which introduces a considerable difference.[30] [Footnote 27: Xenoph. Memor. i. 1, 8-9-19. Euripid. Hecub. 944. [Greek: phu/rousi d' au)ta\ theoi\ pa/lin te kai\ pro/sô, taragmo\n e)ntithe/ntes, ô(s a)gnôsi/a| se/bômen au)tou/s.]] [Footnote 28: Xenoph. Mem. iv. 3, 12.] [Footnote 29: Plato, Theætêt. 150 D-E.] [Footnote 30: Plato, Apolog. Sokr. 33 C. [Greek: e)moi\ de\ tou=to, ô(s e)gô/ phêmi, proste/taktai u(po\ toou= theou= pra/ttein kai\ e)k manteiô=n kai\ e)x e)nupni/ôn kai\ panti\ tro/pô|, ô(=|pe/r ti/s pote kai\ a)/llê thei/a moio/ra a)nthrô/pô| kai\ o(tiou=n prose/taxe pra/ttein.] 40 A. [Greek: ê( ga\r ei)ôthui=a/ moi mantikê\ ê( tou= daimoni/ou e)n me\n tô=| pro/sthen _chro/nô| panti\ pa/nu puknê\ a)ei\ ê)=n kai\ pa/nu e)pi\ smikroi=s e)nantioume/nê_, ei)/ ti me/lloimi mê\ o)rthô=s pra/xein.] Compare Xenophon, Memor. iv. 8, 5; Apol. Sokr. c. 13.] APPENDIX. [Greek: To\ daimo/nion sêmei=on.]