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least； there is no human probability of this； and therefore you are
disinterested and not liable to be deceived by the circumstances in which
you are placed。 Tell me then； whether I am right in saying that some
opinions； and the opinions of some men only； are to be valued； and that
other opinions； and the opinions of other men； are not to be valued。 I ask
you whether I was right in maintaining this？
CRITO： Certainly。
SOCRATES： The good are to be regarded； and not the bad？
CRITO： Yes。
SOCRATES： And the opinions of the wise are good； and the opinions of the
unwise are evil？
CRITO： Certainly。
SOCRATES： And what was said about another matter？ Is the pupil who
devotes himself to the practice of gymnastics supposed to attend to the
praise and blame and opinion of every man； or of one man onlyhis
physician or trainer； whoever he may be？
CRITO： Of one man only。
SOCRATES： And he ought to fear the censure and welcome the praise of that
one only； and not of the many？
CRITO： Clearly so。
SOCRATES： And he ought to act and train； and eat and drink in the way
which seems good to his single master who has understanding； rather than
according to the opinion of all other men put together？
CRITO： True。
SOCRATES： And if he disobeys and disregards the opinion and approval of
the one； and regards the opinion of the many who have no understanding；
will he not suffer evil？
CRITO： Certainly he will。
SOCRATES： And what will the evil be； whither tending and what affecting；
in the disobedient person？
CRITO： Clearly； affecting the body； that is what is destroyed by the evil。
SOCRATES： Very good； and is not this true； Crito； of other things which we
need not separately enumerate？ In questions of just and unjust； fair and
foul； good and evil； which are the subjects of our present consultation；
ought we to follow the opinion of the many and to fear them； or the opinion
of the one man who has understanding？ ought we not to fear and reverence
him more than all the rest of the world： and if we desert him shall we not
destroy and injure that principle in us which may be assumed to be improved
by justice and deteriorated by injustice；there is such a principle？
CRITO： Certainly there is； Socrates。
SOCRATES： Take a parallel instance：if； acting under the advice of those
who have no understanding； we destroy that which is improved by health and
is deteriorated by disease； would life be worth having？ And that which has
been destroyed isthe body？
CRITO： Yes。
SOCRATES： Could we live； having an evil and corrupted body？
CRITO： Certainly not。
SOCRATES： And will life be worth having； if that higher part of man be
destroyed； which is improved by justice and depraved by injustice？ Do we
suppose that principle； whatever it may be in man； which has to do with
justice and injustice； to be inferior to the body？
CRITO： Certainly not。
SOCRATES： More honourable than the body？
CRITO： Far more。
SOCRATES： Then； my friend； we must not regard what the many say of us：
but what he； the one man who has understanding of just and unjust； will
say； and what the truth will say。 And therefore you begin in error when
you advise that we should regard the opinion of the many about just and
unjust； good and evil； honorable and dishonorable。'Well；' some one will
say； 'but the many can kill us。'
CRITO： Yes； Socrates； that will clearly be the answer。
SOCRATES： And it is true； but still I find with surprise that the old
argument is unshaken as ever。 And I should like to know whether I may say
the same of another propositionthat not life； but a good life； is to be
chiefly valued？
CRITO： Yes； that also remains unshaken。
SOCRATES： And a good life is equivalent to a just and honorable onethat
holds also？
CRITO： Yes； it does。
SOCRATES： From these premisses I proceed to argue the question whether I
ought or ought not to try and escape without the consent of the Athenians：
and if I am clearly right in escaping； then I will make the attempt； but if
not； I will abstain。 The other considerations which you mention； of money
and loss of character and the duty of educating one's children； are； I
fear； only the doctrines of the multitude； who would be as ready to restore
people to life； if they were able； as they are to put them to deathand
with as little reason。 But now； since the argument has thus far prevailed；
the only question which remains to be considered is； whether we shall do
rightly either in escaping or in suffering others to aid in our escape and
paying them in money and thanks； or whether in reality we shall not do
rightly； and if the latter； then death or any other calamity which may
ensue on my remaining here must not be allowed to enter into the
calculation。
CRITO： I think that you are right； Socrates； how then shall we proceed？
SOCRATES： Let us consider the matter together； and do you either refute me
if you can； and I will be convinced； or else cease； my dear friend； from
repeating to me that I ought to escape against the wishes of the Athenians：
for I highly value your attempts to persuade me to do so； but I may not be
persuaded against my own better judgment。 And now please to consider my
first position； and try how you can best answer me。
CRITO： I will。
SOCRATES： Are we to say that we are never intentionally to do wrong； or
that in one way we ought and in another way we ought not to do wrong； or is
doing wrong always evil and dishonorable； as I was just now saying； and as
has been already acknowledged by us？ Are all our former admissions which
were made within a few days to be thrown away？ And have we； at our age；
been earnestly discoursing with one another all our life long only to
discover that we are no better than children？ Or； in spite of the opinion
of the many； and in spite of consequences whether better or worse； shall we
insist on the truth of what was then said； that injustice is always an evil
and dishonour to him who acts unjustly？ Shall we say so or not？
CRITO： Yes。
SOCRATES： Then we must do no wrong？
CRITO： Certainly not。
SOCRATES： Nor when injured injure in return； as the many imagine； for we
must injure no one at all？ （E。g。 compare Rep。）
CRITO： Clearly not。
SOCRATES： Again； Crito； may we do evil？
CRITO： Surely not； Socrates。
SOCRATES： And what of doing evil in return for evil； which is the morality
of the manyis that just or not？
CRITO： Not just。
SOCRATES： For doing evil to another is the same as injuring him？
CRITO： Very true。
SOCRATES： Then we ought not to retaliate or render evil for evil to any
one； whatever evil we may have suffered from him。 But I would have you
consider； Crito； whether you really mean what you are saying。 For this
opinion has never been held； and never will be held； by any considerable
number of persons； and those who are agreed and those who are not agreed
upon this point have no common ground； and can only despise one another
when they see how widely they differ。 Tell me； then； whether you agree
with and assent to my first principle； that neither injury nor retaliation
nor warding off evil by evil is ever right。 And shall that be the premiss
of our argument？ Or do you decline and dissent from this？ For so I have
ever thought； and continue to think； but； if you are of another opinion；
let me hear what you have to say。 If； however； you remain of the same mind
as formerly； I will proceed to the next step。
CRITO： You may proceed； for I have not changed my mind。
SOCRATES： Then I will go on to the next point； which may be put in the
form of a question：Ought a man to do what he admits to be right； or ought
he to betray the right？
CRITO： He ought to do what he thinks right。
SOCRATES： But if this is