As to the manner in which the gods were to be honoured, he, like other heathens, thought it was to be determined by the laws of every particular country. But he justly thought that the satisfaction the gods received from these marks of respect did not depend upon the costliness of the sacrifice. "The offering of a poor man," he said, (p. 49.) "is as acceptable to the gods, as the more expen"sive ones of the rich."

SECTION III.

Of the excellent moral Character of Socrates.

These, it cannot be denied, are excellent sentiments, and much to be admired, considering the little light that Socrates had, viz. that of naturę only, uninstructed by any revalation. And with him these sentiments were not merely speculative. His whole life seems to have been strictly conformable to them, being eminently virtuous, and wholly devoted to the service of his fellow citizens.

Xenophon, who knew him well (though, having been his pupil, we may suppose him to have been prejudiced in his favour) gives the following general account of his character and conduct, (p.

359.) "He was so religious that he did nothing "without the advice of the gods. He was so

just, that he never injured any person in the "smallest matter, but rendered every service in "his power to those with whom he had any con"nection. He was so temperate that he never "preferred what was grateful to what was useful. "He was so prudent, that he never mistook the "the worse for the better; nor did he want the "advice of others, but always judged for himself. "In his conversation, he excelled in defining what "was right, and in shewing it to others, reproving the vicious, and exhorting to the practice " of virtue."

Though the circumstances of Socrates were the reverse of affluent, he would never receive any gratuity for the lessons that he gave, as all other philosophers and public teachers did; and by this means, as he said, (p. 74.) he preserved his freedom and independence. When upon his trial he was urged by his friends to supplicate the judges, as was the universal custom, in order to move their compassion, he refused to ask any favour even of them; being of opinion that this was contrary to the laws, according to which, and not according to favour, judges ought to decide, (p. 317.)

In all the changes in the political state of the turbulent city of Athens, which were many in the time of Socrates, he adhered inflexibly to what he thought to be just, without being influenced by hope or fear. This was particularly conspicuous on two occasions. The first was when, being one of the judges in the case of the ten generals who were tried for their lives on account of their not collecting and burying the dead after a naval engagement, and all the rest (influenced, no doubt, by the popular clamour against them) condemned them to die, he alone refused to concur in the sentence. Soon after the citizens in general, convinced of the injustice of the sentence, though after it had been carried into execution, approved of his conduct. The other was during the government of the thirty tyrants, when, though in manifest danger of his life, he refused to approve of their measures; and he escaped by nothing but their o verthrow, and the city recovering its liberty.

That Socrates at the close of life expressed his. satisfaction in his own conduct cannot be thought extraordinary. It was, he observed, (p. 366.) in concurrence with the general opinion of his countrymen, and with a declaration of the oracle at Delphi in his favour. For when it was consulted

by

by Chærephon, one of his disciples, the answer was, that there was no person more honorable (εXEUDeporεpov) more just, or more wise * than he. (p. 371.)

He put, however, a very modest construction on this oracle; which was that, though he knew no more than other men, he did not, like them, pretend to know more. (p. 9. 12.) so that he only knew himself, and his own ignorance, better than other men. His reputation in consequence of it, and of his conduct in general, had no other than the happiest influence upon him. For, addressing his judges (p. 34.) he observed, that "it be

ing a generally received opinion, that he was wi"ser than other men," he said that "whether that "opinion was well founded or not, he thought he "ought not to demean himself by any unworthy

"action."

Notwithstanding Socrates's consciousness of integrity, and general merit, and the good opinion of the wise and virtuous, he was so sensible of the malice

*In Xenophon the response of the oracle is expressed by owppovestep, but Plato always uses the word oopwlsp. Cicero in referring to it uses the word sapientissimus.

malice of his enemies, that when he was brought before his judges he had no expectation of being acquitted, and therefore he expressed his surprize when he found that he was condemned by a majority of no more than three votes, (p. 36.) out of 500.*

It being customary at Athens, when any person was found guilty of the charge brought against him, to require him to say what, in his own opinion, his punishment should be; and this question being proposed to Socrates, conscious as he was of no demerit, but on the contrary of his valuable services to his country; he said that, since he had made no gain by his profession of public instructor, had never held any lucrative office in the state, and he was poor, he was, like other persons in a similar situation, and with similar claims, entitled to a maintenance at the public expense in the Prytaneum, (p. 37.) If they destroyed him, he farther said, they would not soon find another like him, (p. 27.) This has the appearance of vanity and ostentation. But if the praising a man's self be at all justifiable, it is on such an occasion as this,

*This, exclusive of the president, Rollin suppo ses to have been the number of the judges.