185 



the Prytaueia lie nobly refused to put to the vote the unjust 

 and illegal sentence of death passed against the victorious 

 generals of Arginusse; and afterwards, with equal firmness, 

 resisted the order of the thirty tyrants for the apprehension of 

 Leon the Salaminian. In his personal habits, it was his pro- 

 fessed purpose to limit as much as possible the number of his 

 wants, that he might the more nearly approach to the perfec- 

 tion of the gods, who wanted nothing. He never sought to 

 gain influence either as a general or as a statesman ; not that 

 he shunned a contest with an unbridled democracy, but be- 

 cause he was impressed with a lively conviction that he was 

 called by the Deity to strive, by means of his teaching and 

 life, after a revival of moral feeling and the laying of a scien- 

 tific foundation for it. The internal voice had warned him 

 against participating in political afi'airs. He discharged his 

 mission by conversing freely with all classes, frequenting for 

 that purpose the most public places. He was a public talker 

 for instruction, whereas all other teachers either took money 

 for their lessons, or at least gave them apart from the multi- 

 tude, to special pupils. 



With respect to the divine monitor within him, commonly 

 called his daemon or genius, it is incorrect (as Mr. Grote and 

 Dr. Tliirlwall both maintain) to designate it as a separate 

 personality. It may be questioned if Socrates himself ever 

 personified it, since he always called it either ^'ro ^xtfA.otio¥"" 

 (which is ambiguous), or "to tov Osov (Ty,/x£<o»," and spoke 

 of it, moreover, as a peculiar intimation to which he had 

 been subject from cliildhood. The accusation founded upon 

 this at his trial, that he worshipped other than Athenian gods, 

 was, therefore, unjust. Without questioning his religious 

 sincerity, which there is abundant reason to believe, it may 

 perhaps be doubted how far he could have proved that his alleged 

 inspiration was real, not imaginary, had he been subjected to 

 a cross-examination as close and searching as that to which he 

 subjected others. The Greeks, however, it is notorious, were 



2 B 



