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and Rhadamanthus and Æacus 49 and Triptolemus, 50 and other sons of God who were righteous in their own life, that pilgrimage will be worth making. What would not a man give if he might converse with Orpheus 51 and Musæus 52 and Hesiod 53 and Homer 54? Nay, if this be true, let me die again and again. I, too, shall have a wonderful interest in a place where I can converse with Palamedes, 55 and Ajax 56 the son of Telamon, and other heroes of old, who have suffered death through an unjust judgment; and there will be no small pleasure, as I think, in comparing my own sufferings with theirs. Above all, I shall be able to continue my search into true and false knowledge; as in this world, so also in that; I shall find out who is wise, and who pretends to be wise, and is not. What would not a man give, O judges, to be able to examine the leader of the great Trojan expedition 57; or Odysseus 58 or Sisyphus, 59 or numberless others, men and women too! What infinite delight would there be in conversing with them and asking them questions! For in that world they do not put a man to death for this; certainly not. For besides being happier in that world than in this, they will be immortal, if what is said is true.

49 In the Gorgias, another of Plato's dialogues, Socrates relates the following myth. There was of old a law that the just and holy man should go after death to the Islands of the Blest, but the wicked man should go to Tartarus, the house of punishment. Now, it often happened that a soul went to the wrong place after death. This was because judgment had been passed before death, when the material bodies and garments of the judges and the judged formed a double veil, which prevented clear vision and correct judgment. As a remedy Zeus appointed his three sons, Æacus (é'acus), Minos (mi'nos), and Rhadamanthus (răd'a-man'thus), to become after death judges in the world below, where with naked souls they could pierce the naked souls of the dead, and the judgment would be just.

50 Triptolemus (trip-tõl'e-mus): a legendary character noted for his piety and beneficence.

31 Orpheus (or'fe-us): a celebrated mythical poet and musician. See Protagoras, note 28.

52 Musæus (mu-se-us): a mythological musician, seer, and priest. See Protagoras, note 28.

53 Hesiod (he'si-od): a celebrated Greek poet, almost, if not quite, as ancient as Homer. Many works attributed to him are extant.

See Apology, note 39.

55 Palamedes (păl'a-me'dēz): a Greek hero of the Trojan War, noted for his wisdom and ingenuity. The Greeks attributed many inventions to him.

se Ajax [ā'jax, son of Telamon (těl'a-mon)]: a Greek hero of surpassing strength and stature, second only to Achilles in bravery at the siege of Troy.

57 See Apology, note 21.

56 Odysseus (0ō-dys'sus): one of the most illustrious Greek heroes of the Trojan War, noted for his courage and cunning. The adventures of his twenty years of wandering on his return from Troy are related in Homer's Odyssey.

Sisyphus (sis'i-fus), the legendary builder and King of Corinth.

Wherefore, O judges, be of good cheer about death, and know this of a truth that no evil can happen to a good man, either in life or after death. He and his are not neglected by the gods; nor has my own approaching end happened by mere chance. But I see clearly that to die and be released was better for me; and therefore the oracle gave no sign. For which reason, also, I am not angry with my accusers or my condemners; they have done me no harm, although neither of them meant to do me any good; and for this I may gently blame them.

Still I have a favor to ask of them. When my sons are grown up, I would ask you, O my friends, to punish them; and I would have you trouble them, as I have troubled you, if they seem to care about riches, or anything, more than about virtue; or if they pretend to be something when they are really nothing, then reprove them, as I have reproved you, for not caring about that for which they ought to care, and thinking that they are something when they are really nothing. And if you do this, I and my sons will have received justice at your hands.

42

The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our ways-I to die, and you to live. Which is better God only knows.

60" For if a man think himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. "-Gal., vi. 3.

EUTHYDEMUS

INTRODUCTION

The Euthydemus is a farce-with a purpose. The clew to the purpose is found in the conversation between Socrates and Crito at the close of the dialogue. Crito was a well-todo Athenian citizen and a warm personal friend of Socrates. As a citizen, business man, and father, he had the interests and was naturally inclined to share the average opinions of his fellow-citizens. Like other Athenians, he was accordingly inclined to distrust the new breed of men called Sophists, who were turning the world upside down with their teachings. He knew and loved and trusted Socrates, and did not therefore confuse him with the Sophists; but he saw that others did so, and partly for fear on Socrates' account, partly for fear that his sons would be misled and corrupted by the new learning, he came to Socrates with anxious questions and warnings.

The dialogue Euthydemus is intended to show the difference between Socrates and the Sophists in such a way that a wayfaring man, though a fool, should not confuse them. The Sophists have nothing real to teach, believe in nothing real to teach; Socrates believes unvaryingly in the reality and power of the truth. Their art is word trickery; the art of Socrates is step-by-step approach to the truth. Their purpose is to get the boy's money; Socrates will take no money, but wants to save the boy's life. In spite of these differences,

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