Dialogue

 1 Crito|        exhibit the character of Socrates in one light only, not as
 2 Crito|        the state...~The days of Socrates are drawing to a close;
 3 Crito|      Thessaly and other places.~Socrates is afraid that Crito is
 4 Crito|    because the circumstances of Socrates are altered? Crito admits
 5 Crito|   unable or unwilling to reply.~Socrates proceeds:—Suppose the Laws
 6 Crito|     murmuring in his ears.~That Socrates was not a good citizen was
 7 Crito|         to make the proposal to Socrates, we seem to recognize the
 8 Crito|       Works) is of opinion that Socrates ‘did well to die,’ but not
 9 Crito|      difficulty in arguing that Socrates should have lived and preferred
10 Crito|         is still the paradox of Socrates in his last hours. He must
11 Crito|       beginning by the dream of Socrates and the parody of Homer.
12 Crito|        PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE: Socrates, Crito.~SCENE: The Prison
13 Crito|     Crito.~SCENE: The Prison of Socrates.~SOCRATES: Why have you
14 Crito|         The Prison of Socrates.~SOCRATES: Why have you come at this
15 Crito|          CRITO: Yes, certainly.~SOCRATES: What is the exact time?~
16 Crito|    CRITO: The dawn is breaking.~SOCRATES: I wonder that the keeper
17 Crito|        me because I often come, Socrates; moreover. I have done him
18 Crito|       have done him a kindness.~SOCRATES: And are you only just arrived?~
19 Crito|       No, I came some time ago.~SOCRATES: Then why did you sit and
20 Crito|   should not have liked myself, Socrates, to be in such great trouble
21 Crito|         you bear this calamity.~SOCRATES: Why, Crito, when a man
22 Crito|     prevent them from repining.~SOCRATES: That is true. But you have
23 Crito|       and saddest of all to me.~SOCRATES: What? Has the ship come
24 Crito|        and therefore to-morrow, Socrates, will be the last day of
25 Crito|      the last day of your life.~SOCRATES: Very well, Crito; if such
26 Crito|     CRITO: Why do you think so?~SOCRATES: I will tell you. I am to
27 Crito|       what the authorities say.~SOCRATES: But I do not think that
28 Crito|       the nature of the vision?~SOCRATES: There appeared to me the
29 Crito|        called to me and said: O Socrates,~‘The third day hence to
30 Crito|          What a singular dream, Socrates!~SOCRATES: There can be
31 Crito|       singular dream, Socrates!~SOCRATES: There can be no doubt about
32 Crito|      clear. But, oh! my beloved Socrates, let me entreat you once
33 Crito|   escape, and that you refused.~SOCRATES: But why, my dear Crito,
34 Crito|   occurred.~CRITO: But you see, Socrates, that the opinion of the
35 Crito|        lost their good opinion.~SOCRATES: I only wish it were so,
36 Crito|          but please to tell me, Socrates, whether you are not acting
37 Crito|          then, and do as I say.~SOCRATES: Yes, Crito, that is one
38 Crito|       you are at all justified, Socrates, in betraying your own life
39 Crito|     difficulty at all. See now, Socrates, how sad and discreditable
40 Crito|        I beseech you therefore, Socrates, be persuaded by me, and
41 Crito|         by me, and do as I say.~SOCRATES: Dear Crito, your zeal is
42 Crito|         this?~CRITO: Certainly.~SOCRATES: The good are to be regarded,
43 Crito|        not the bad?~CRITO: Yes.~SOCRATES: And the opinions of the
44 Crito|         evil?~CRITO: Certainly.~SOCRATES: And what was said about
45 Crito|         CRITO: Of one man only.~SOCRATES: And he ought to fear the
46 Crito|        many?~CRITO: Clearly so.~SOCRATES: And he ought to act and
47 Crito|      put together?~CRITO: True.~SOCRATES: And if he disobeys and
48 Crito|       CRITO: Certainly he will.~SOCRATES: And what will the evil
49 Crito|       is destroyed by the evil.~SOCRATES: Very good; and is not this
50 Crito|      CRITO: Certainly there is, Socrates.~SOCRATES: Take a parallel
51 Crito|   Certainly there is, Socrates.~SOCRATES: Take a parallel instance:—
52 Crito|        is—the body?~CRITO: Yes.~SOCRATES: Could we live, having an
53 Crito|     body?~CRITO: Certainly not.~SOCRATES: And will life be worth
54 Crito|     body?~CRITO: Certainly not.~SOCRATES: More honourable than the
55 Crito|      the body?~CRITO: Far more.~SOCRATES: Then, my friend, we must
56 Crito|       can kill us.’~CRITO: Yes, Socrates; that will clearly be the
57 Crito|     will clearly be the answer.~SOCRATES: And it is true; but still
58 Crito|     that also remains unshaken.~SOCRATES: And a good life is equivalent
59 Crito|      also?~CRITO: Yes, it does.~SOCRATES: From these premisses I
60 Crito|       think that you are right, Socrates; how then shall we proceed?~
61 Crito|      how then shall we proceed?~SOCRATES: Let us consider the matter
62 Crito|       answer me.~CRITO: I will.~SOCRATES: Are we to say that we are
63 Crito|      say so or not?~CRITO: Yes.~SOCRATES: Then we must do no wrong?~
64 Crito|    wrong?~CRITO: Certainly not.~SOCRATES: Nor when injured injure
65 Crito|       Rep.)~CRITO: Clearly not.~SOCRATES: Again, Crito, may we do
66 Crito|        evil?~CRITO: Surely not, Socrates.~SOCRATES: And what of doing
67 Crito|    CRITO: Surely not, Socrates.~SOCRATES: And what of doing evil
68 Crito|        or not?~CRITO: Not just.~SOCRATES: For doing evil to another
69 Crito| injuring him?~CRITO: Very true.~SOCRATES: Then we ought not to retaliate
70 Crito|       have not changed my mind.~SOCRATES: Then I will go on to the
71 Crito|        do what he thinks right.~SOCRATES: But if this is true, what
72 Crito|      say?~CRITO: I cannot tell, Socrates, for I do not know.~SOCRATES:
73 Crito|    Socrates, for I do not know.~SOCRATES: Then consider the matter
74 Crito|       interrogate me: ‘Tell us, Socrates,’ they say; ‘what are you
75 Crito|         that?~CRITO: Very good, Socrates.~SOCRATES: ‘And was that
76 Crito|     CRITO: Very good, Socrates.~SOCRATES: ‘And was that our agreement
77 Crito|    would probably add: ‘Answer, Socrates, instead of opening your
78 Crito|    CRITO: I think that they do.~SOCRATES: Then the laws will say: ‘
79 Crito|       laws will say: ‘Consider, Socrates, if we are speaking truly
80 Crito|         as we were saying, you, Socrates, will be exposed if you
81 Crito|         proof,’ they will say, ‘Socrates, that we and the city were
82 Crito|       CRITO: We cannot help it, Socrates.~SOCRATES: Then will they
83 Crito|       cannot help it, Socrates.~SOCRATES: Then will they not say: ‘
84 Crito|        will they not say: ‘You, Socrates, are breaking the covenants
85 Crito|        your agreements. Not so, Socrates, if you will take our advice;
86 Crito|       come to them as an enemy, Socrates, and their government will
87 Crito|        shame, and talk to them, Socrates? And what will you say to
88 Crito|       they will.~‘Listen, then, Socrates, to us who have brought
89 Crito|          I have nothing to say, Socrates.~SOCRATES: Leave me then,
90 Crito|       nothing to say, Socrates.~SOCRATES: Leave me then, Crito, to