按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
SOCRATES： Why； Crito； when a man has reached my age he ought not to be
repining at the approach of death。
CRITO： And yet other old men find themselves in similar misfortunes； and
age does not prevent them from repining。
SOCRATES： That is true。 But you have not told me why you come at this
early hour。
CRITO： I come to bring you a message which is sad and painful； not； as I
believe； to yourself； but to all of us who are your friends； and saddest of
all to me。
SOCRATES： What？ Has the ship come from Delos； on the arrival of which I
am to die？
CRITO： No； the ship has not actually arrived； but she will probably be
here to…day； as persons who have come from Sunium tell me that they have
left her there； and therefore to…morrow； Socrates； will be the last day of
your life。
SOCRATES： Very well； Crito； if such is the will of God； I am willing； but
my belief is that there will be a delay of a day。
CRITO： Why do you think so？
SOCRATES： I will tell you。 I am to die on the day after the arrival of
the ship？
CRITO： Yes； that is what the authorities say。
SOCRATES： But I do not think that the ship will be here until to…morrow；
this I infer from a vision which I had last night； or rather only just now；
when you fortunately allowed me to sleep。
CRITO： And what was the nature of the vision？
SOCRATES： There appeared to me the likeness of a woman； fair and comely；
clothed in bright raiment； who called to me and said： O Socrates；
'The third day hence to fertile Phthia shalt thou go。' （Homer； Il。）
CRITO： What a singular dream； Socrates！
SOCRATES： There can be no doubt about the meaning； Crito； I think。
CRITO： Yes； the meaning is only too clear。 But； oh！ my beloved Socrates；
let me entreat you once more to take my advice and escape。 For if you die
I shall not only lose a friend who can never be replaced； but there is
another evil： people who do not know you and me will believe that I might
have saved you if I had been willing to give money； but that I did not
care。 Now； can there be a worse disgrace than thisthat I should be
thought to value money more than the life of a friend？ For the many will
not be persuaded that I wanted you to escape； and that you refused。
SOCRATES： But why； my dear Crito； should we care about the opinion of the
many？ Good men； and they are the only persons who are worth considering；
will think of these things truly as they occurred。
CRITO： But you see； Socrates； that the opinion of the many must be
regarded； for what is now happening shows that they can do the greatest
evil to any one who has lost their good opinion。
SOCRATES： I only wish it were so； Crito； and that the many could do the
greatest evil； for then they would also be able to do the greatest good
and what a fine thing this would be！ But in reality they can do neither；
for they cannot make a man either wise or foolish； and whatever they do is
the result of chance。
CRITO： Well； I will not dispute with you； but please to tell me； Socrates；
whether you are not acting out of regard to me and your other friends： are
you not afraid that if you escape from prison we may get into trouble with
the informers for having stolen you away； and lose either the whole or a
great part of our property； or that even a worse evil may happen to us？
Now； if you fear on our account； be at ease； for in order to save you； we
ought surely to run this； or even a greater risk； be persuaded； then； and
do as I say。
SOCRATES： Yes； Crito； that is one fear which you mention； but by no means
the only one。
CRITO： Fear notthere are persons who are willing to get you out of
prison at no great cost； and as for the informers they are far from being
exorbitant in their demandsa little money will satisfy them。 My means；
which are certainly ample； are at your service； and if you have a scruple
about spending all mine； here are strangers who will give you the use of
theirs； and one of them； Simmias the Theban； has brought a large sum of
money for this very purpose； and Cebes and many others are prepared to
spend their money in helping you to escape。 I say； therefore； do not
hesitate on our account； and do not say； as you did in the court （compare
Apol。）； that you will have a difficulty in knowing what to do with yourself
anywhere else。 For men will love you in other places to which you may go；
and not in Athens only； there are friends of mine in Thessaly； if you like
to go to them； who will value and protect you； and no Thessalian will give
you any trouble。 Nor can I think that you are at all justified； Socrates；
in betraying your own life when you might be saved； in acting thus you are
playing into the hands of your enemies； who are hurrying on your
destruction。 And further I should say that you are deserting your own
children； for you might bring them up and educate them； instead of which
you go away and leave them； and they will have to take their chance； and if
they do not meet with the usual fate of orphans； there will be small thanks
to you。 No man should bring children into the world who is unwilling to
persevere to the end in their nurture and education。 But you appear to be
choosing the easier part； not the better and manlier； which would have been
more becoming in one who professes to care for virtue in all his actions；
like yourself。 And indeed； I am ashamed not only of you； but of us who are
your friends； when I reflect that the whole business will be attributed
entirely to our want of courage。 The trial need never have come on； or
might have been managed differently； and this last act； or crowning folly；
will seem to have occurred through our negligence and cowardice； who might
have saved you； if we had been good for anything； and you might have saved
yourself； for there was no difficulty at all。 See now； Socrates； how sad
and discreditable are the consequences； both to us and you。 Make up your
mind then； or rather have your mind already made up； for the time of
deliberation is over； and there is only one thing to be done； which must be
done this very night； and if we delay at all will be no longer practicable
or possible； I beseech you therefore； Socrates； be persuaded by me； and do
as I say。
SOCRATES： Dear Crito； your zeal is invaluable； if a right one； but if
wrong； the greater the zeal the greater the danger； and therefore we ought
to consider whether I shall or shall not do as you say。 For I am and
always have been one of those natures who must be guided by reason；
whatever the reason may be which upon reflection appears to me to be the
best； and now that this chance has befallen me； I cannot repudiate my own
words： the principles which I have hitherto honoured and revered I still
honour； and unless we can at once find other and better principles； I am
certain not to agree with you； no； not even if the power of the multitude
could inflict many more imprisonments； confiscations； deaths； frightening
us like children with hobgoblin terrors （compare Apol。）。 What will be the
fairest way of considering the question？ Shall I return to your old
argument about the opinions of men？we were saying that some of them are
to be regarded； and others not。 Now were we right in maintaining this
before I was condemned？ And has the argument which was once good now
proved to be talk for the sake of talkingmere childish nonsense？ That is
what I want to consider with your help； Crito：whether； under my present
circumstances； the argument appears to be in any way different or not； and
is to be allowed by me or disallowed。 That argument； which； as I believe；
is maintained by many persons of authority； was to the effect； as I was
saying； that the opinions of some men are to be regarded； and of other men
not to be regarded。 Now you； Crito； are not going to die to…morrowat
least； there is no human probability of this； and therefor