crito-第4章

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evil　eye　upon　you　as　a　subverter　of　the　laws；　and　you　will　confirm　in　the

minds　of　the　judges　the　justice　of　their　own　condemnation　of　you。　　For　he

who　is　a　corrupter　of　the　laws　is　more　than　likely　to　be　a　corrupter　of　the

young　and　foolish　portion　of　mankind。　　Will　you　then　flee　from　well…ordered

cities　and　virtuous　men？　and　is　existence　worth　having　on　these　terms？　　Or

will　you　go　to　them　without　shame；　and　talk　to　them；　Socrates？　　And　what

will　you　say　to　them？　　What　you　say　here　about　virtue　and　justice　and

institutions　and　laws　being　the　best　things　among　men？　　Would　that　be

decent　of　you？　　Surely　not。　　But　if　you　go　away　from　well…governed　states

to　Crito's　friends　in　Thessaly；　where　there　is　great　disorder　and　licence；

they　will　be　charmed　to　hear　the　tale　of　your　escape　from　prison；　set　off

with　ludicrous　particulars　of　the　manner　in　which　you　were　wrapped　in　a

goatskin　or　some　other　disguise；　and　metamorphosed　as　the　manner　is　of

runaways；　but　will　there　be　no　one　to　remind　you　that　in　your　old　age　you

were　not　ashamed　to　violate　the　most　sacred　laws　from　a　miserable　desire　of

a　little　more　life？　　Perhaps　not；　if　you　keep　them　in　a　good　temper；　but　if

they　are　out　of　temper　you　will　hear　many　degrading　things；　you　will　live；

but　how？as　the　flatterer　of　all　men；　and　the　servant　of　all　men；　and

doing　what？eating　and　drinking　in　Thessaly；　having　gone　abroad　in　order

that　you　may　get　a　dinner。　　And　where　will　be　your　fine　sentiments　about

justice　and　virtue？　　Say　that　you　wish　to　live　for　the　sake　of　your

childrenyou　want　to　bring　them　up　and　educate　themwill　you　take　them

into　Thessaly　and　deprive　them　of　Athenian　citizenship？　　Is　this　the

benefit　which　you　will　confer　upon　them？　　Or　are　you　under　the　impression

that　they　will　be　better　cared　for　and　educated　here　if　you　are　still

alive；　although　absent　from　them；　for　your　friends　will　take　care　of　them？　

Do　you　fancy　that　if　you　are　an　inhabitant　of　Thessaly　they　will　take　care

of　them；　and　if　you　are　an　inhabitant　of　the　other　world　that　they　will　not

take　care　of　them？　　Nay；　but　if　they　who　call　themselves　friends　are　good

for　anything；　they　willto　be　sure　they　will。



'Listen；　then；　Socrates；　to　us　who　have　brought　you　up。　　Think　not　of　life

and　children　first；　and　of　justice　afterwards；　but　of　justice　first；　that

you　may　be　justified　before　the　princes　of　the　world　below。　　For　neither

will　you　nor　any　that　belong　to　you　be　happier　or　holier　or　juster　in　this

life；　or　happier　in　another；　if　you　do　as　Crito　bids。　　Now　you　depart　in

innocence；　a　sufferer　and　not　a　doer　of　evil；　a　victim；　not　of　the　laws；

but　of　men。　　But　if　you　go　forth；　returning　evil　for　evil；　and　injury　for

injury；　breaking　the　covenants　and　agreements　which　you　have　made　with　us；

and　wronging　those　whom　you　ought　least　of　all　to　wrong；　that　is　to　say；

yourself；　your　friends；　your　country；　and　us；　we　shall　be　angry　with　you

while　you　live；　and　our　brethren；　the　laws　in　the　world　below；　will　receive

you　as　an　enemy；　for　they　will　know　that　you　have　done　your　best　to　destroy

us。　　Listen；　then；　to　us　and　not　to　Crito。'



This；　dear　Crito；　is　the　voice　which　I　seem　to　hear　murmuring　in　my　ears；

like　the　sound　of　the　flute　in　the　ears　of　the　mystic；　that　voice；　I　say；

is　humming　in　my　ears；　and　prevents　me　from　hearing　any　other。　　And　I　know

that　anything　more　which　you　may　say　will　be　vain。　　Yet　speak；　if　you　have

anything　to　say。



CRITO：　　I　have　nothing　to　say；　Socrates。



SOCRATES：　　Leave　me　then；　Crito；　to　fulfil　the　will　of　God；　and　to　follow

whither　he　leads。







End