Plato (c. 427-c. 347 BC) - Against the Atheists (Lewis Taylor, editor), 1870

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PLATO CONTRA ATHEOS.

PLATO AGAINST THE ATHEISTS; OR,

THE

TENTH HOOK OP THE DIALOGUE ON LAWS, ACCOMPANIED WITH

CRITICAL NOTES, AND FOLLOWED BY

EXTENDED DISSERTATIONS ON SOME OF

THE MAIN POINTS OF THE PLATONIC PHILOSOPHY AND THEOLOGY, ESPECIALLY AS COMPARED WITH THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.

BY TAYLER LEWIS,

LL.D.,

PROFESSOR OF THE GREEK LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE IN THE UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW-YORK.

rnrv-'n As

the Lord

livetli,

and as thy soul

liveth.

Hebrew Oath.

NEW YORK: HARPER

& BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS,

FRANKLIN SQUARE.

1870

.

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1845, by

Harper afi

&

Brothers,

the Clerk’s Office of the Southern District of

New-Yor&.

TO

lfB

ELIPHALET NOTT,

UEV.

THE VENERABLE

-VTVci

\

*

*'

s

D.D„

PRESIDENT OF UNION COLLEGE .

f,ȣRED

THIS IN

l

alma mater,

WORK

most respectfully

XnscrtfieT),

REMEMBRANCE OF THOSE LESSONS, BOTH OF THEORET ICAL AND PRACTICAL WISDOM, WHICH HAVE AIDED IN FORMING THE MINDS AND CHARACTERS OF SO LARGE ^A PORTION OF

THE EDUCATED MEN OF OUR LA^

t*

nox rx isSs ^33 o'ri^x - r t t v: •

I

•*

•

:

Psalm x iv., 'lirr

0X

3

xbo

’

3

1.

x ynxrrnxi o’nssrrnx xVi Jeremiah

*Ei> avrCp

,

xxiii.,

24

yap £ti/uev, Kal KivovpeOa, nai kofiev. Acts xvii., 28. ,

HiGTEVGac yap del rov TrpoGepxopevov S

rfi

Qe<p f ot>

JJ2TI, Kal Tolg EK£nraii?Lv avTov pcGdanodoTTjg ytv*

rat. •

Hebrews ,

XI.,

6

K\

INTRODUCTION. It

is

Laws

among

generally agreed

those

who

of Plato to be a genuine production, that

a treatise written in his old age.

garded as containing

his

If so,

may

it

most matured and

The was

hold it

be re-

best-set-

on many of the great subjects discussed in his other dialogues. Some have thought that they discovered many contradictions between this work and the Republic. One has even gone so far as to say that they are opposed in every page. In this opinion, however, we cannot concur although it must be admitted tled opinions

;

that they differ in respect to style, and, notwithstand-

ing the near relationship which would seem to be

by

in-

very dissimilar in design. In the one, the State is the main subject of discussion in the other it is a secondary part, subordinate to what dicated

their titles, are

;

more

the writer evidently regards as a higher and

philosophical investigation into the nature of right or

The

practice of contrasting these

two

works has arisen from a wrong view of the true

title

righteousness.

of the one generally styled the Republic. appropriate designation

is

into the

Nature of Right

idently

made

tells

nepÂŁ

A maiov,

or,

The imaginary

.

subservient to

most

Its

An Inquiry State

is

ev-

as he expressly

this, or,

us in the second book, intended only as a model

of the

human

soul, so

magnified that

therein, in large letters,

enough

for the

we might

read

what would not be distinct when examined in the

mental vision

Vide lib. This comparison of the soul to a comii., 369, A. monwealth has been a favourite, not only with Plato, smaller characters of the individual

A

2

spirit.

INTRODUCTION.

VI

but with the most philosophical minds in

all

We

ages.

on a much smaller scale in the eleventh book of •The Laws, where the Nightly Conference, or the most find

it

solemn legislative and judicial body

comIn the Re-

in the state,

pared to the head in thQ human system. public

it is

the great idea, to

the fancied State

is

is

which the construction of Sometimes,

altogether secondary.

must be admitted, the author seems so taken up with this imaginary commonwealth, that he unconsciously, perhaps, brings it into the primary place, and thus distorts his plan. It is this occasional forgetfulness of his main design that has introduced into however,

Plato’s

it

Republic those incongruities which,

in all ages,

have been so much complained of. Sometimes the consistency of the under or fictitious part is overlooked, or, in other words, the State is utterly forgotten, while we are carried

away

some of

to

the most abstruse of

metaphysical discussions, such as

may

all

be found in the

and seventh books. Again, his attention seems be so occupied with the outward drapery that he loses sight of his main theme, and, pleased with the sixth

to

efforts

own

of his

fancy, dwells at great length on

merely externa] to the higher and In the third, fourth, and last three books, inner sense. the harmony of primary and secondary is well preserved. In the sixth and seventh he seems to lose sight

what, in

of the

reality,

is

commonwealth almost wholly, while

in

some

parts of the second he appears to have nothing else

before him.

The

fifth

may

be regarded as a sort of

hybrid production, arising from a confusion of both views.

Some

of

its

arrangements are altogether too

unnatural to allow the supposition that they were ever

intended for a real State cult to discover

;

and yet

it

is

very

diffi-

what bearing they can have upon

the

INTRODUCTION.

Vli

higher philosophy to which the whole scheme was

The

tended to be subservient.

least

that Plato here lost himself, and

we

can say

inis,

produced something

which was neither allegory nor reality, neither philosophy nor legislation. It is on the subject of the domestic relations, which are supposed to be assailed in this

book, that there

fifth

between the Republic Plato seems, even in his own day, to

exists the greatest contrariety

and The Laws. have been so reproached with

this

apparent blot

in his

was led to take special pains to do it away in this work of his old age and hence the great desire he shows in The Laws to set in their highphilosophy, that he

;

est light the sanctity of the family, or parental

We

relations.

ial

length in the

first

to

this

at

fil-

some

of the dissertations appended to the

In other respects, the discrepancies between the

text.

Republic and

The Laws have been

Differing,

ted.

have adverted

and

minor

details,

however, as they

greatly exaggera-

may in some

of their

no one can attentively study both with-

out discovering evidences that they are productions of the

same mind, and

that, in the

higher philosophy on which

main elements of that and morals

all legislation

depend, they are substantially the same.

The

Treatise on

Laws

is

undoubtedly intended

really practicable , if not a really existing State.

for a

In

discussing, however, the primary principles of legislation, the

author takes a very wide range, occupying

more time in what he styles the preambles, or recommendatory reasonings about the laws, than in the laws themselves. Hence there are but few points in far

the Platonic philosophy and ethics, as exhibited in the

what have some representative same questions started respecting

other dialogues, but here.

We

find the

INTRODUCTION.

via the nature

and origin of virtue

—whether

it is

or capable of being taught as a science or not er

it is

one or

many

—

that

is,

;

didafcrrj,

wheth-

whether the virtues are ah

so essentially connected that one cannot exist without

the others.

We

find the

end and origin of law

same views

in

—the importance

regard to the

in all things oi

looking to the idea, the ev ev 7rohXoig, or one in many.

same reverence for antiquity and ancient myths, the same disposition to regard religion as the There

is

the

beginning and foundation of every system of

civil pol-

and the same method of representing the ideas of a God, of his goodness, his providence, of a present and future retribution, as lying at the foundation of all morals and all religion. Even in the departments of psychology and ontology we find many things in The Laws which remind us of the author of the Phaedon, the Parmenides, and the These tetus. The favourite doctrines and methods of reasoning contained in the Gorgias are exhibited everywhere and perhaps there is no other part of Plato’s works more in the style and spirit of the Timseus than this very tenth book of The Laws, which we have selected as the ground of our comments in the present work. It was on this account chosen as forming, in our ity,

;

judgment, one of the best central positions from whence to

make excursions over a

philosophy.

We may

large part of the Platonic

perhaps be charged with hav-

ing sometimes used the text as a mere thread on which

hang our own discussions but even should it be admitted that there is some truth in this, still might it to

;

be maintained that those discussions are

all

closely

connected with the Platonic philosophy and theology,

and that from

this field

we

never depart, unless, per-

haps, to dwell on kindred subjects suggested

by the

INTRODUCTION.

Holy make

Our

Scriptures.

IX

object has not been merely to

a classical text-book, but to recommend Plato to

by every means through which

the student or reader

drawn

attention could be lieving that in

no other

to

our favourite author

way

we

could

;

be-

render a better

service to the cause of true philosophy and religion.

Some may say that, in made to talk too much that

we

our great

partiality, Plato

a Christian.

like

It

may

is

be

have found senses higher and more Scriptural

than are contained in the letter of the passages to

which reference extent, the

is

case,

made

yet even

if this is, to

some

only shows the suggestive nature

it

of his philosophy

;

how

;

it

is

capable of carrying the

earnest reader to more spiritual views than the author

and how he

himself, perhaps, ever entertained, in this respect,

cient or

from

modern

We

afar,

think

will be found

it

which we have indulged are thus

naturally suggested

brought from

other profane writers of an-

all

times.

that the views in

differs,

that they are not hunted for, or

;

but are such

not always con-

as, if

tained in the precise letter of our text, do most easily

present themselves in connexion with

one

who

elation.

it,

especially to

reads Plato by the light of the Christian Rev-

On

this subject,

of what

may

be called the

Platonic Spiritual Sense or capability of accommoda,

tion to higher views, the reader

LX., where

is

referred to Disserta-

some length. In pursuance of this favourite plan of recommending Plato and the Platonic philosophy, the method followed in the present work was adopted. The text and critical notes form by much the smallest part, and even these accompanying annotations frequently exhibit as much of a philosophical and theological as of

tion

a

critical

it is

treated of at

character.

The longer

dissertations an

INTRODUCTION. nexed, and which, for the reader’s convenience,

we

have divided into numbered sections, with general and running

titles,

dation of

are devoted almost entirely to the eluci-

some of the main

points of the Platonic phi-

losophy, in their connexion with other systems of antiquity, to

for

a comparison, whenever there was occasion

with the sentiments of Aristotle,

it,

drawn from

illustrations

the Grecian poets, together with a con-

tinual reference to the

Holy

Scriptures,

by way of

resemblance, contrast, agreement, or condemnation.

For these purposes, there have been introduced, from all the other Platonic dialogues, very frequent and extended quotations of the most striking passages

almost

;

h ing such

as,

besides having a natural connexion with

would promote our main design, by producing in the reader a desire to have a deeper knowledge of Plato than is generally possessed by the greater part of our philosophical and theological writhe subject discussed,

To

ters.

these quotations, in almost every case,

translations

have been given, sometimes

sometimes paraphrastic. are,

when

were

The exceptions to

this

and

course

the nature and substance of the quotation

sufficiently indicated

duction.

literal,

full

The main

by the manner of

its

intro-

references are to the Timaeus,

the Republic, the Phaedon, Gorgias, Theaetetus, Par-

menides, Philebus, Protagoras, Symposion, Politicus, Cratylus, Sophista, and the other books of

The Laws,

with occasional citations from most of the minor dialogues having any claims to be regarded as genuine.

The work has been ation

the result of a careful examin-

which we have Plato mainly by himself, and by

of the Platonic writings

sought to interpret

;

in

the aid, on the one hand, of his jealous rival, Aristotle,

and on the other, of

his

enthusiastic admirer

INTRODUCTION.

Of modern

Cicero.

critical

whether English or German,

XI

and philosophical

we make

helps,

display,

little

we have made but little or no use of them. In regard to the text, we have followed that of Bekker and Ast, who hardly differ at all, either in because, in

fact,

Wherever

words or punctuation.

there has been a

departure from them, the reasons are assigned, mainly in the shorter notes.

The

power have been very this

critical

limited,

means within our

and

we

therefore, in

department, ask indulgence for any errors which

may have been committed. For

the philosophical opin-

advanced no such plea is interposed. By their own merit, and their accordance with the true interions

pretation of the Platonic system, they stand or

One design of

the

work

is

fall.

to serve as a text-book

for senior classes in college, not so

much by way

of

furnishing an exercise in the study of the Greek lan-

connex-

guage, as for the higher object of exhibiting,

in

ion with the Platonic, the other systems of

Greek

phi-

losophy, and their bearing upon the Christian theology.

On the same grounds, it is

supposed that it

may be

found

and

useful to students in our theological seminaries,

form no unprofitable addition to the libraries of

gymen, besides commending itself generally tention of our scholars and literary men.

We for a

believe that in this age there

deeper knowledge of Plato.

is

cler-

to the at-

a peculiar call

Some

acquaintance

with his doctrine of ideas seems needed as a corrective to the tendency, so widely prevalent, to resolve

knowledge

into

an experimental induction of

only in physical, but also in science. style,* *

is

If the

Good,

to

ethical

and

facts,

all

not

political

adopt our author’s

own

something more than pleasure or happiness

See The Cratylus.

440, B.

;

also Dissertation

XX., p

163.

— INTRODUCTION.

Xll

either present or anticipated

—

if the

True

higher than past, present, or future facts tiful

something

is

—

the Beau-

if

something more than a generalization from

is

pleasing individual

—

sensations

if

the Just and the

Right involve inquiries far above those endless logomachies,

and questions of casuistry, which form the main

modern

features of

ethics

—

if

the State

a reality

is

transcending a present aggregation of flowing and perishing individuals tinct

wills

—

if

Law

is

a spiritual

power

dis-

from the muscular force of a majority of present

—

if

God

something more than gravitation, or

is

the eternal development of a physical fate,

only another plicable

name

phenomena

if

there

is

a real foundation for

the moral and religious, as distinct from, and not

braced

in,

is

an eternal succession of inex-

for

—

which

the natural or, in other words, ,

and retribution are terms of

far

if

em-

penalty

more solemn import

than the modern jargon about physical consequences then surely

high time that there should be some

is it

disturbance of

opposing views

placid

this ;

taking for granted of the

then surely should Plato be stud-

no other purpose, as a matter of curiosity, to see if there may not possibly be some other philosophy than this noisy Baconianism, about which there is

ied, if for

more noisy, because more empty, transcendentalism, which some would present as its only antidote. In place of all this, we want the clear, simple, common sense philosophy of Plato, commending itself, when rightly understood, to

kept up such an everlasting din, or that

all

still

the aoival evvoiat or universal ideas of the race, in ,

distinction from that miscalled

common

sense which

only the manufactured public opinion of the a philosophy most religious

most practical

—most

—most

childlike in

moment

speculative, its

is

and yet

primeval simpli-

INTRODUCTION. city,

We

and yet most profound.

dence on

this

xia

speak with confi-

The young man who

point.

thusiastic student of Plato

can never be a

an en-

is

sciolist in

regard to education, a quack in literature, a dema-

gogue

an

in politics, or

infidel in religion.

Our main object, then, is to recommend

this

noble phi-

losopher to the present generation of educated young

The

men, especially to our theologians.

by no means professes

present

whole, but merely to present some of points, to allure other

though alluded to discussed under the design,

minds among us

The main

ough examination. in

its

more

almost every dissertation,

own

because

title,

work should be acceptable

treating

it

itself in

attractive thor-

doctrine of ideas,

present

by

its

to a

is

al-

not

we had formed

permitted to accomplish

if

work

forth his system as a

to set

it,

and

if

the

to the public, of

ah*examination of another of the

most interesting of the Platonic dialogues. We conclude with the remark that, in a moral and practical, as well as in a speculative point of view, the

particular subject of the dialogue selected has

claim to attention.

He who

thinks most deeply, and

has the most intimate acquaintance with ture, as exhibited in his

apt to resolve

all

own

when

league with a subtle pantheism,

stituting its

star-dust,

human

heart, will be the

unbelief into Atheism.

will this be the case at a time in

some

is

na-

most

Especially

physical science,

everywhere sub-

jargon of laws, and elements, and nebular

and

vital forces,

and magnetic

fluids, for the

recognition of a personal God, and an ever wakeful,

ever energizing special providence. mit, life.

is

Theism,

we

ad-

everywhere the avowed creed, but it wants It is too much of a mere philosophy. There B

INTRODUCTION.

XIV

are times

home

when

the bare thought tnat

power and a

to the soul with a

which gives a new terest to

every other moral is felt

truth.

that

is,

comes

flash of light

and a more vivid

illumination,

sions the conviction

God

all

It is

in-

on such occa-

unbelief

is

Atheism,

acknowledgment of a mere natural power clothed with no moral attributes, and giving rise to no moral sanctions. We want vividness given to the or an

God

great idea of

as a judge, a moral governor, a

special superintendent of the world

and

all its

move-

ments, the head of a moral system, to which the ma-

chinery of natural laws serves but as the temporary scaffolding,

to

be continued, changed, replaced, or

removed, when the great ends

finally

was designed

for

which alone

have been accomplished. Just as such an idea of God is strong and clear, so will be a conviction of sin, so will be a sense of the need of expiation, so will be a belief in a personal Redeemer, it

and so

shall

will follow in

its

train

an assurance of

all

the

and deep, that no boastful pretension of that science which makes the natural the foundation of the moral, and no solemn

verities of the Christian faith, so strong

stumbling-blocks in the letter of the Bible will for a

moment

any disquietude. There is a want of such a faith, as is shown bv the feverish anxiety in respect to the discoveries of science, and the results of This the agitations of the social and political world. timid unbelief, when called by its true name, is Atheyield

it

The next

ism.

great battle-ground of infidelity will

not be the Scriptures. will

be

summoned

What

to defend the

the great truth involving

gious truth is the

—

faith there

all

who

remain

very being of a God,

every other moral and

the primal truth, that

rewarder of

may

reli-

HE IS, and that he

diligently seek

him

.

«

CONTENTS. Introduction

.......... .......

Png

v

Statement of the Argument

Greek Text and Critical Notes

.

.

EXCURSUS

.

1

.

to 84

I.

Platonic View of the Parental and Filial Relations, and the Ancient Doctrine generally on this Subject

The

.

.

.87

II.

The Words

—The Preamble, the Ad-

npooifuov and Uapa/j,v6tov visory or Argumentative Part of the .

Law

.

.

.

.95

III.

Subjective Sense of the

Word

97

’A ?i7j6ev(j

IV.

The Orphic Poetry Plato’s

Regard

99

for Antiquity

y. and the Ancient Mythology.

— His

Use of the Word QeoI

102

....

VI.

Philosophy and Character of Anaxagoras

105

VII.

The Divine

Justice the

Ground of Human

Law

.

.

.110

VIII.

Universality of the Belief in a

God

Ill

IX. Antiquity of Atheism

114

X. Principle of Authority

116 XI.

Degrees of Atheism.

—Peculiarity of Plato’s Style

.

.

.117

XII.

Ancient Doctrine of the Four Elements

119

XIII. Atheistical Doctrine of $v(ng, Tvxv, and

T exvrj

.

.

.130

CONTENTS.

XVi

Atheistical Doctrine that ture, but by Art

Law

XIV. Mfi and Religion were not by Na.

.

135

XV The Figure Aposiopesis

139

.

XVI.

Argument

for the

Existence of a God from Motion

.

.

141

.

144

.

146

XVII. Soul Older than Body

XVIII.

Remarkable Comparison of the Dangerous Flood

XIX. Invocation of the Divine Aid in the Argument. amples of this from other Dialogues

.

— Striking Ex148

XX. of the Ancient Schools, Do all Things flow 1 &c. with a Sketch of some of the principal Materializing or Atheistical Philosophers who belonged to the Ionic, and to the Physical School of Elea 152

The Great Question ;

....

XXI. Mathematical Use of the

Word A oyog

164

XXII.

-166

Paradox of Circular Motion XXIII.

The words QOLo ig,

Teveatg, UaOog, and $6opd

.

.

.

.167

XXIV.

— ..........

Philosophy of the Verb Ytyvopac

TO

BE.

Platonic use of

E Ifii

and

170

XXV. Ancient Divisions of Motion.

— Distinction

—According

to Plato.

—According

between Teveaig and ’A/iXolucig. ^-The Atomic Theory more favourable to Theism than the

to Aristotle.

184

Doctrine of Occult Qualities

XXVI.

A vroKLvijGig,

— —

or Self-motion of Soul. Energy or Action be Whether on this View longs to the Essence of the Deity. God must have created Worlds from Eternity. Aristotle’s His own DocMisrepresentations of Plato on this Point. trine.

the

—

Aristotle’s

first

Immoveable

— — Essence. — Moral

Reasons

of Moving Causes

190

XXVII.

The Words A oyog,

EMo$-,

and

’Idea

.

.

.

.

.

.195

—

— CONTENTS.

XVII

XXVIII. Distinction between

Page

v

A oyog and O voua XXIX.

196

Distance between Self-motion and Motion by Impulse. —Impassable Chasm between' Spirit and Matter. Ideas of The Word IIoAChange, Cause, and Spirit inseparable. Principle of Euphonic Attraction loarfj 201

Infinite

—

—

.

.

XXX. Argument of Ancient Atheists that Apparent Evidences of Design were only Evidences of subsequent Accommodation. Things (they said) older than Knowledge of Things, and

—

therefore older than Soul

204

XXXI. Platonic Doctrine of the Evil Principle. cessity

— Of ’Av&yKq,

or Ne-

207

XXXII. Platonic Analogy between the Motion of that of a Sphere, or of the Heavens

N ovg

and

and 219

XXXIII.

—

The Motions of the Evil Soul Irregular and Disorderly. The nearer an Approach to the Pure Reason, the more of Fixedness and Uniformity. Heaven a State of Eternal Rest. Atheistic Objection from the unvarying Regularity of the Heavens, from whence was inferred the Absence of Will and

—

Reason

224

XXXIV. Platonic Doctrine of the Animation of the Heavenly Bodies. Ancient Belief that each Nation had its own peculiar Guardian Daemon or Genius 229

—

XXXV. Three Hypotheses

in respect to the

Animation of the Heav-

enly Bodies

233

XXXVI. v

a or Vehiculum Mundi. O able Passage from Euripides

Ff)g

xw

->

—Examination of a Remark 235

XXXVII.

— Doctrine

Second Grand Division of the Argument. Mistake of Cudworth Special Providence.

—

....

of a

237

XXXVIII. The Greek Words

for Blessedness,

Happiness, Fortune, &c.

.

239

XXXIX. Atheistic Argument against Providence drawn from the ProsPlato’s Language compared with perity of the Wicked. that of the Scriptures 243

—

.

B

2

— CONTENTS.

XV111

XL.

Pug9

Singular Word AnodLOTro/LiTreoftcu, and the Use made of it by Plato

The

’

Remarkable 245

XLI. 'Defect of Plato’s Theology in regard to the Doctrine of Atonement and the Necessity of Expiation 249 l

XLII.

#

Highest Proof of the Divine Goodness, the a tion of the Moral Sense

priori

Convic-

253

XLIII.

Sublime Mode in which the Bible represents the Divine Providence and Omniscience as contrasted with all mere Philosophizing on these Attributes. Analysis of the Greek Word ’A vSpeia, as denoting one of the Cardinal Virtues of Soul. 255 Piety of Epicureanism

—

XLIV.

— ....

true Dignity of Man his Religious Nature. the Greeek Words Sefiaf, E vaebtLa, &c.

The

Analysis of

259

XLV.

Men Compared

to

Sheep of the Divine Pasture.

Plato on this Subject in

Harmony with

— Language of

that of the Scriptures 261

XLVI. Forms of Greek Verbs

Peculiarity of certain Negative

.

.

262

XLVII.

—

Great Things cannot Exist without Small. Application of the Maxim to the Doctrine of a Special* Providence, to Education, and to Politics 264

XLVIII.

....

Gentleness of Plato’s Mode of Argument, and Adaptation to the Minds of the Young

its

peculiar

267

XLIX.

The Machinery of Physical Events controlled by Invisible Spir268 itual Agencies. The Doctrine of Plato and of the Bible.

—

.

L.

Nihilo — Greek Ideas Respect — Language of the Fathers. — Plato defended against the Charge of teaching the Eternity of the World and of Matter. — Platonic Sense the Maxim. — Comparison of Hebrews, with the Language of Plato. —

The Ancient Maxim De

in

Nihil.

to Creation.

of

Difficulties

xi., 3,

of Reason when the Doctrine of Cieation from Revelation

is

examined apart 272

CONTENTS.

XIX

LI.

Page

Doctrine that the Parts are made for the Whole as set forth by Plato, and as viewed by Modern Rationalists and Semi-

—

Infidels. The Converse Doctrine, that the Whole is also for the Parts, examined with Reference to the Mutual Harmony 286 of both

LII.

Atheistic Objection

drawn from the Extent of the Universe

.

292

LIII.

—

Explanation of a Difficult Passage. Remarks on those Views that resolve Morality into an Obedience to Physical Laws, and regard all Punishment as Consequential instead of Penal 294

LIV.

The Word ’Av^eOpog able

Passage

in the

as distinguished from

A luvioc.

—Remark-

Timaeus

300

LV.

The Greek Words

for Eternity,

A I6v

and A lovloq

.

.

.

302

LVI. Plato’s Doctrine of the Freedom of the Will, viewea in Connexion with the Law of Cause and Effect in Nature 307 .

.

LVII. Explanation of a Difficult Passage

312

LVIII.

The Greek Word

Similar in all

"kidrjg

and the Hebrew

Views of a Future Ages

and

—iSvp jy 3

1

316

LIX. and Similar Fears of Hell

State,

318

LX. "kytog — Exceeding Spirituality of some of Plato’s —Many of his Thoughts capable of being accommodated to p Spiritual Sense higher than the Author himself had ever intended to convey. — Difference Re-

The Word

.

Views.

fairly

in this

spect between his Writings and those of phers, Ancient and Modern

all

other Philoso-

322

LXI. Mythical Sense of the

Word

Quvarog

331

LXII. Omnipresence of the Divine Justice. —Remarkable Resemblance of Plato’s Language to some Passages from the Bible 333 LXIII. Doctrine of a Final Judgment.—Use of the

Word Iwreketa

334

XX

CONTENTS.

Platonic

.....

LXIV. Use of the Word Tvnog

Pag*

338

LXV. Explanation of a Difficult Passage, in which Plato seems to assert that our Evils in the Present State exceed our Good 339

LXVI. M.axv ’AOavarog, or Battle of the Universe, between the PowSin, therefore, no Light Matter, beers of Good and Evil. cause it is Treason against the Cause of Good, for which 342 God is contending with the Evil Soul

—

Plato’s Doctrine of the

....

LXVII. A atiioveg, or Genii

347

LXYIII. Beauty and Accuracy of the Ancient and Platonic Division of Deep Moral Significance of the the Four Cardinal Virtues. Four Greek Words, knokaaia ’A Kpareia, ’Ey/cpdma, and 35 'Zutypoavvri, as indicating the Four Moral Degrees

—

’

,

.

.

LXIX. Peculiar Use of the Indicative Mode in certain Cases. parison of Passages from the New Testament

— Com-

.

.

.

355

LXX. Use of the Word YUeovE^ia.

—

....

Aristotle’s Distinction

Arithmetical and Geometrical Equality

between 356

LXXI. Impiety and Folly of attempting to bribe Heaven

.

.

.

357

LXXII.

—

Different Species of Atheists. Morality of Atheists not founded on Principle. First Species styled A inaiog by Plato, and invested by him with too Good a Character. Second Species, the Magician or Juggler. The Atheist often in Secret the Victim of Superstition. Hobbes. The Ironical Species of Atheist, a Character peculiar to the Ancient World. Elymas the Sorcerer. Apollonius of Tyanea 359

—

—

—

—

—

— ....

—

LXXIII.

The Nightly Conference, or Areopagus The Athenian Areopagus

of Plato’s State.

— 363

LXXIV.

Common Law

against

all

Private Religions.

Plato’s Doctrine in respect to ship and Religion of the State

Changes

—Examination

in the Public

of

Wor364

LXXV. Belief in Apparitions, Ghosts, Spectres, Dreams, &c., the in

all

Ages

same 369

;

STATEMENT OF THE ARGUMENT. As a dramatic work, The Laws is far inferior to the Republic. The speakers are three namely, Clinias, a Cretan, Megillus, a Lacedaemonian, and a stranger, who passes by no other name than the Athenian. The latter is the Socrates of the dialogue. The first :

two are

either

mere

listeners, or only brought in as suggestive helps

After nine books occu-

in the various transitions of the discourse.

pied with varied and extended schemes of legislation, and wffiere

laws are mingled with reasonings and introductory preambles, which need not here be specified, the author comes, in the tenth book, to

which it would be a state indeed, and not a mere herding together of men and women in a political congregation, having no other bond of union than the temporary consent of individual wills. Previously, however, to the enactment of laws for the punishment of sacrilege and other offences

treat of offences against the public worship is

and

supposed, of course, the State must possess,

religion,

if it

against religion, the chief speaker proposes that there should be laid

down, by way of foundation, a preamble or hortatory statement, which preamble, although con-

containing the reasons of the laws

;

expanded into an argument which occupies nearly the whole book, the few last pages only being taken up with the laws and the penalties annexed. cisely expressed at first (page 3), is subsequently

The argument

is

divided into three parts

;

1.

Against those

who

Against those who, while they admitted the existence of a God, denied a providence and, 3. Against those who, while they admitted both a God and a providence, maindenied the Divine existence

;

2.

;

tained that the Deity sin severely. as, that

it

appeals at

The

was

first

easily propitiated, or

would not punish

part is introduced by a declaration of Clini-

must be easy to prove the existence of the Deity. He once to the most obvious phenomena of nature, the sun,

the earth, and stars, &c., as conclusive evidence, especially

if taken connexion with the universal sentiments of mankind. This gives occasion to the chief speaker to suggest that the subject is involved

in

had imagined from the perverseness

in greater difficulties than the other, in his simplicity, difficulties,

of those

however, not

intrinsic, but arising

who imposed upon themselves

by the words chance nature ,

,

art , &c., referring to the old Atheists of the Ionic or Materializing

school (page 4 to page 15).

After a short digression, in which

it

is

STATEMENT OF THE ARGUMENT.

XXII

debated whether

it is

best at once to apply the law to such

without argument (15 to

work of

19),

men,

the Athenian devotes himself to the

and commences a most subtle disquisition

refutation,

specting the nature of soul as implying self-motion involved in

very essence.

Hence he proves

reits

that matter cannot possess this

power, and, therefore, soul being more ancient than body, the properties of soul

must

also be older than the properties of body.

From

and not the mother of Art, will, and design and thought must have been before hard and soft and heavy and light and all the adaptations of the natural world. The Atheists had held that religion, and the belief in the existence of Gods, being the production of human law, which was a production of art, and this

it

is inferred that nature is the child,

as the Atheists said, and that, therefore, law and ,

,

,

,

,

,

,

art itself being the offspring of Nature, therefore religion

ideas of the just and right

all

were conventional among men, and had

This argument

no other foundation.

and

is

refuted by the Athenian

by showing the superior antiquity of soul, and, therefore, of these ideas as essential parts of its constitution (25).

In proving the self-

energy of soul, he goes into a very minute examination of the different kinds of motion, summing them all up, however, under two general heads

thing else

namely, motion by impulse and that which moves someby commencing motion in itself. This latter he identifies ,

;

with psyche, or soul by a species of logical necessity, or an argument drawn from the force of terms and the innate ideas involved ,

in them.

The next

step

is to

determine whether

it is

one or more

which are engaged in the affairs of the universe the result of which inquiry is, that there are two, the one good and the other bad the one constant, uniform, and ever exhibiting the highest reason in all its motions, which he compares to those of a sphere, the other irregular, disorderly, without reason, and full of madness After this, there are stated three methods by which soul may (36). guide the motions of the heavenly bodies namely, by an indwellsouls

;

;

;

ing

spirit,

or

by a soul with an aethereal body, or entirely destitute

of body, and external to the object of

its

guidance

(42).

This brings the Athenian to the second grand division of the subAfject, namely, the arguments of those who deny a Providence. by seeing the appaopinion led to this are men that ter premising

shows that it is any right views of the Divine Nature. For if possessed of every virtue, indolence and indif-

rent impunity and prosperity of the wicked (45), he utterly derogatory to

we

admit that God

is

ference can form no part of his character. there

is in

him any want of power.

Neither can

Therefore

we

it

be

tliat

cannot suppose

STATEMENT OF THE ARGUMENT.

XX11I

Next

that he will neglect anything, either great or small.

is

shown

the importance of small things as parts of a whole absolutely essential to its totality, and that, without small things, the great could ,

Hence the

not exist.

doctrine of a minute special providence, un-

wisdom to human artshown to be by the sovereignty of God (but not by any inhe-

less the Deity is to be regarded as inferior in ists (56).

The method of this

such arrangements

in

special providence is

rent necessity of things), that every agent finds its fitting place

namely, virtue rises and wickedness descends, until the one reaches

The Most Holy

Place, and the other sinks

retributions of

Hades

(61).

down

God’s government, no one can escape, and, unless t

will be impossible to

or miserable

most painful

to the

This Eternal Justice, or fixed law of kept in view,

it is

form any right opinion respecting a blessed

life (64).

argument respects those who and who confide in the general mercy of God as capable of being easily moved by prayers and sacrifices. He contrasts their views of the Deity with such as are entertained of the lowest class of human guardians, as though God could be bribed by the wages of iniquity, when dogs could not be prevailed upon by similar motives to admit the wolf into the flock. Arguments against those views which would regard sin as a small matter, and God as easily appeased, are drawn from the [idxrj dddvarog the battle of the universe, or everlasting conflict between good and evil, in which

The

view

third grand division of the

sin as a trifle,

,

God and

good influences are contending

all

for the victory,

and

where, of consequence, the least taking part with the enemy, or the least neutrality is treason against the cause of

good throughout the

universe (69, 74).

There are then enumerated six classes of offenders to in

namely, two each of the three divisions of Atheists or semi- Atheists, differing their degrees of guilt, and therefore requiring different gradations ;

The book closes with a specification of the various and a law against private chapels and private religious rites in the course of which a very striking description is given of that class of Atheists who, while they had no religious belief themof punishment. penalties, ;

selves,

made

mankind N.B.

it

their business to excite the superstitious fears of

for their

own

unnatural pleasure or

profit.

—All references to any of the dialogues of Plato, except the

text of the present work, are

made according

to the pages

and

let-

ters of the alphabet, as given in the standard edition of Stephanus, *

and as they

may

be found in the margin of the Leipsic.

i'LlNO^

PLATO CONTRA ATHEOS. DE LEGIBUS LIBER META tl

rag

tie

(pepeiv pL7]ds ayecv 1.

Hepi

navrdg.

the preceding book fully

irept

fliaiojv

vdfJLCfjiov

2

av %pri idat prjdevl rcov rov (

—ayuv.

(ix.),

namely,

employed

wrongs committed

vdpeig, or

wil-

degree of violence, of which ahcia treated of ,

one species, and sacrilege another.

A collective phrase. “To take and carry away by 7 E pepov yap uMjlovg. A yeiv V

Compare Thucydides,

kciI (bepeiv is

ite-

In reference to the whole subject discussed in

and with some

2. <bepecv

roiovde

elprjoOo)

aXhorpLUv pijdsva prjdev

tgjv

•

prjd’

-

at the close of the ninth book, is

violence.”

1

navrdg ev

altitag , irepl

X.

i.,

y

:

a phrase derived from the earliest times, and

is

always

Hence, because personal

in reference to acts of violence.

courage was anciently regarded as the chief part of human virtue,

some have supposed and from

(ftepeiv ,

its

that from ayeiv, in this sense,

came

comparative and superlative, (peprepog

,

ayadog,

(piprarog,

Such a view encounters etymological difficulties in Besides, it can only be maintained on the termination of ayaOdg. the false theory that the savage life was the original state of men, and that moral terms partake of the ideas most prevalent in such a or (pepiGTog

.

condition.

We

general, he

is

much

prefer the derivation of Plato, although, in

entitled to but little deference as a philologist.

cording to him, to ayadov rable,”

from ayapai ayaopai “ ,

to

wonder

See the Cratylus,

great delight.”

better felt by comparing

Ac-

to aycurrov, “ the wonderful, the admi-

is

p.

“to admire with

at,” also

The

412.

force of this will be

what the philosopher says

in

the sixth book

of the Republic, of the wondrous idea of the ayadov or The Good as ,

surpassing

all

human comprehension.

No

be at a loss as to what led him to this etymology, whatever think of

its philological

that, in

reading the Cratylus,

parts the writer

is

correctness.

sincere, or

it

is

how

it,

will

we may

must be remarked, however, difficult to determine in what It

far

he

may

be indulging in the

severest satire against certain false systems of philosophy.

A

,

one, on reading

,

2

CONTRA ATHEOS.

Xag, eav prj TTeCorf rov nenrrjpevov. en yap di) rov roiov « tov navra i]prr\peva rd re elprjpeva Hand yeyove nod 'eon ,

nal ear at. peyiora de ,4r

olai re nal vbpeig

rCov XoarCdv at rcvv veojv anoXa*

drj

elg

peyiora

orav

de,

elg iepd ytyvcjv.

rat,

nal diatyepovnvg av peydXa, orav eig dr\pooia nal

dyia

rj

nard

peprj noivd tyvXerCdv

nenoivivvrjnonvv

rj

aXXuv

rivcov

elg iepd de idea nal racjjovg

*

10

devrepcog

6

elprjpevcvv

yoveag

elg de

.

7

orav v6ptfy

,

orav atypovnorcbv r ivi

9

ng

8

6

rpira

,

x^P^

,

T(*)V

epTcpooOev

reraprov de yevog vdpecog

rig.

rcbv

,

roiovrcdv

devrepa nal

apxovnvv

dyxi

XP1 T ai

rj (f>epxi rj

rdjv eneivcov prj ireioag avrovg. rrepn rov de, rd no,

Xinnov av

enaorov rtiv TtoXir&v vbpioOev,

eirj

naXovpevov.

doreov

olg d?)

elg

dinrjv

em-

noivov vopov enaoroig.

iepoovXCa pev yap eiprjrai £vXXrjddrjv (dialog re nal XaOpa eav yiyvr\rai, ri xprj rraoxsiv. oaa de Xoycp nal ooa epyep ,

uepi tieovg vdpi^ei

ng

Xeycjv

rj

Trparrojv ,

u to napapvdiov

vnoOepevcp 12 prjreov a del naox^iv. eoro)

rode

•

deovg

’E av prj neioy, “unless he get the consent.”

3. 4.

dij

"Y Speig, “violent wrongs committed wilfully and with malice

prepense,

whether by act or speech.” The writer now proceeds to which offences of this kind might

specify five different grades into

be divided

:

1st,

things private

;

against sacred things public

3d, against parents

;

;

2d, against sacred

4th, against magistrates

;

5th,

against private political rights of individual citizens.

A evrepog has

5.

respect to diaQepovrug above, referring not, like

devrepa, to numerical rank, but to the grade of enormity.

See Note

App.

6.

Eif de yoveag.

7.

Xoplg tuv epnpooOev elpypevuv, namely, those mentioned

I.,

in the

ninth book. 8.

"Orav u$povtlotC)v

Tig,

“

when any one who

is

reckless of the

authority or respect due to magistrates.” 9.

The case of tlvI

determined here grammatically by the

is

verb, xp^rcu, although in sense 10.

law,”

it is

the

common

0 Xg drj doreov, “ for all which cases or “a law in common containing

T

there

12

i)

nparrov,

See Note

II.,

“by speech

App.

them

iast all.

must be a common

provisions applicable to

each respectively.” 11. Tieyov

object of

or action.”

e

,

CONTRA ATHEOS.

3

rjyovpevog elvai nard vopovg ovdelg ncbnore ovre epyov

aoedeg elpyacaro encbv ovre Xbyov af)r\nev avopov. ev

13

6rj

aXXa

naox^v, rj rovro onep elrcov ov% to devrepov ovrag ov (ppovri^eiv dvGpcottcjv

ri rd)v rpicov

ijyovpevog,

rj

,

,

,

rpirov eimapapvGrjrovg elvai 'Gvoiaig re nal evxalg na-

rj

,

,

oayopevovg.

KA. Tl ovv A0.

T

’

£2

veiv rjptiv

KA.

drj

dplppev av

rj

nal Xeyoipev rrpog avrovg

yaOe enanovocopev avrebv ,

1

*

a

Trpcbrov

;

rep naraeppo-

npoanal^ovrag avrovg Xeyeiv pavrevopai.

TLola

drj

;

A0. Tavra rdpf

civ

T

epeox^Xovvreg ehroiev.

’A Gr\-

£2 i-ev

vale nal Aanedaipovie nal K.vdj oie, dXrjGrj Xeyere. rjpcbv

yap

ol

pev ronapdnav Geovg ovdapcog vopi^ovoiv

prjdev rjpojv (ppovri^eiv

*

vpeig Xeyere

drj,

a^iovpev

.

•

ol de

evxalg napayeaGai, oiovg

ol de,

naQdnep vpeig

rj^icbnare nepl

vopojv, rrplv aneiXelv rjpiv onXrjpdjg, rjpdg nporepov eni-

X^ipelv

nal didaoneiv

7relOeiv

on

yovreg inavd, nal rivijjv dbopcov

(bg elol deol,

QeXriovg

j

15

renprjpia Xe-

rrapd ro dinaiov

rj

iraparpeireoGai nrjXovpevoi.

vno

vvv pev yap rav-

ra dnovovreg re nal roiavG erepa rcbv Xeyopevcov apioruv ’

elvai 7TOi7]rcbv re nal prjropcov nal pavreejv nal lepecov , nal 13.

akla

he has done

ev. it

Supply as follows: “but

—ev

drj

tl

t&v rpibv ndex^v

when he has done

—being

in

thus,

one or the other

of these three states.” 14.

rb eara^poveiv ypbv, “in their contempt for us.”

npocrTrai-

fyvrag is best rendered adverbially, “ sportively .” 15.

bg

elol &eoi.

This example furnishes an excellent

illustration

of the general difference between the particles bg and on.

Both and are frequently regarded and rendered as though they were nearly, if not quite, synonymous. The difference, however, in this and similar cases, is obvious. "On would simply refer to the fact ; bg, to the manner or reason of it. As, follow nearly the

same

class of verbs,

example, didaoneiv on, “ to teach us that Gods didaoneiv bg, “to teach us how

for

for

what necessary

reasons, there are

Gods.”

the fact , is,

And

ing sentence nal on (SeXrlovg rj, n. t. h., are better than,” &c., or “ that they are too good.” :

that

there are

“ in what manner, and

so in the follow-

“ and also the fact that they

)

;

4

CONTRa atheos.

aXXcov TroXXatetg pvpicjv,

ovte

enl to

rzopeQa ol TiXelorot, dpdoavreg

napa di

a^iovpev SeXrto)

7roA/L<h

dAA’ ovv

av

2

\

tt

irecpdopeda.

aXXd

pi) aypicov, irpdg

r/pdg, el pi)

rrepl fteCdv (hg eloiv ,

pog afr/Oeiav.

teal

rd%a

ireiQoipeO

a A A’ emxeLpelre, eln perpiov Xeyopev,

lacjg vplv.

irelv

twv dfXcov Xeyovrag

p eXtlg) ye

ddttea rps-

e^ateelodai

npdjrov xpr/oOac

ttelOoi

1

dpav rd

vopoOerCov (^aoteovrcjjv eivai

dr/

r/pspcov,

6’

pi)

’

el-

d rtpoteaXovpeda.

KA. Xeyeiv

,

Ovreovv

%eve, doteel padiov eivai dXr/devovrag 3

d>

,

d eoi

d)£ elol

;

A0. ITw^

KA.

rd rcov

teal

re

pev

IT pedrov

yi) teal r/Xiog,

aorpa re rd gypnavra,

djpcdv diateeteoopr/peva teaXddg oyrcog, eveavroeg

dieiXr/ppeva

teal pr/ol

f

*

ore ndvreg 'E XXr/veg re

teal

tea

Pdpdapoi vopi^ovoiv eivai deovg.

A0. Qodbvpai drj 7Tore

c(j)olv

.

ye,

f

elnoip av

d)

rovg poxOr/povg, ( ov yap

patedpie,

&oye aldovpai)

pr/Te^g yptiv tearaeppovrj-

vpelg pev yap ovte lore avrebv

irepi ri/v rr/g diacpOo-

4

pdg alriav a/IA’ r/yeloOe dtepareia povov i/dovedv re

teal

,

1

.

ovk

km

to

[ir/

dp$v

adLKa.

tcl

This

away from

“ Instead of being turned

may be

freely rendered thus

the commission of sin, the

of us are wholly occupied in attempts to avert

its

:

most

consequences .”

In

most concisely, yet most forcibly expressed, the essential difference between two things that are often mistaken the one for the other, namely, between true religion consisting in right views of the Divine Nature, or that true “ fear of the Lord which is to depart from evil ” (Tpeneadai km to pr/ 6pq,v Ta adma), and superstition which is wholly occupied, not in the avoidance of sin, but in vain attempts to cure the evils and terrors which it brings upon the soul, this there is

,

,

(dpaoavTeq

6’

kZaneZodai ireip&peOa).

This superstition, or

false reli-

gion, as Plato elsewhere shows, is nearly allied to Atheism.

Note 2.

LXXX.

The

TcoTihti peTiTiu.

and peTiTLo ye “ ,

antithesis here is

between

noMu

(3e?LTitj

better, indeed, in respect to truth, if not far better.”

3.

dTir/devovrag.

4.

diacpdopag.

ing, diatyopuq.

See

and LXXXI., App.

See Note

We have It is

III.,

App.

adopted this instead of the

common

read-

supported by the authority of Cornarius and

Stephanus, although Ficinus seems to have read diaQopag, and

is in

—

:,

CONTRA ATHEOS, imOvpitbv

sm

rov dosbr]

f3tov

5

oppaoOat 5 rag

av -

'ijjvxag

ru)V.

KA. To

6s Tt npog rovrotg alrtov av

,

gj

gsvs,

sir]

;

A0. 'Zxsdov 6 navraTraoLV vpslg s%G) ^tivrsg ovk av stdsirjrs, dXXa vpag d,v XavOavot. KA. T i 6i) tovto (ppd^stg ravvv A0. ’Ajitadta rig 6 paXa x a ^ 87T^ 6otcovoa slvat psytorrj ;

(ppovrjotg.

KA. lUbg

E lolv

A0. vplv

Xsyetg rjptv 9

ovk, slot

usv, sv

I

nspt

6t

;

sv ypappaot Xoyot Kstpsvot

apsrijv noXtrstag

not psrpotg

7

psv TraXatorarot

fistiv, ol

ovpavov, row rs dXXcjv

ysyovsv

,

ttpotovrsg

•

,

9

far better

a rolg anovovotv

accordance with

all

si

the

(bg

repdg aXXrjXovg

psv slg aXXo rt

reaXebg

class of persons characterized by the Psalmist ,

In the

soul.

“

:

The foot

no God;" nS’ S# ,

and abominable in

,

pi)

morum cor same way are the

same

corrupt are they

r]

words of the context

ruptio

there is

ol

•

irpcbr r\ cpvotg

rj

atque depravalio— rottenness of

hath said in his heart

reap*

6s rijg apx^]g ov ttoXv

bbsoyovtav bts^spxovrat, ysvopsvot rs (bptXrjoav.

ol

,

sytb pavOavco

nai dvsv psrpcov, Xsyovrsg

ol 6s,

,

wg

their deeds.

Psalm

xiv.,

l

1

.

:)p;9 7

v

vr;(

corrupti , perditis moribus sunt. 5.

They are

altogether become futhy.

oppaoOai, “ to rush impetuously or violently.”

scriptive of the headlong course of those to

6 ’ApaOla .

A more

tlq.

whom

Admirably de

it is

here appiieo

perfect description of this disease of

Athe

ism (SiafOopag) could not be given. It sets forth the malady with it cause, and is equally applicable to ancient and to modern times “ an invincible ignorance fancying itself the highest vnsdom .” ’A paOia ,

here has no reference to speculative or scientific knowledge, but used in the usual Platonic sense for “ ignorance of one’s self.” ol

liyovreg

.

9.

See remarks on ug and on, page 3, 15. 6g TTpolovreg dr, “ Advancing, or going on from the discussion of

the origin

was

See Note IV., App.

pev hv perpoig.

7.

8

is

.

.

.

{rrjg upxrjg)

.

of the

first

nature

( 17)g

ttpurrjg

(jivaeog),

which

the subject of the most ancient (or Orphic) writings (rtiv nahae-

otutuv), they treated next of the theogony, that births

and generations of the Gods, with

intercourse,” as set forth by

Homer and

A 2

is,

the individual

their actions

Hesiod.

and mutual

E

6

CONTRA ATHEOS.

naXCog e^oi ov padiov kiunpav naXatolg ovoiv. 10 elg pevroi ,

yovicov re dspanelag nal

npag11 ovn av

vd)v ehrotpi, ovte (hg <b(j)£?upa Elpryrai

12

ra usv ovv

,

yaipETM, nal

ovre

Tcov veo)v rjplv nal ooeptiv

ronapanav

tig

tt

1

*

alriaOrjrcov

13 *

ra 6e

nantiv alna.

otttj

TUV TOLOVTCOV E^Epya^OVrai

dpdcog

pt pedetoO(x) nal

(ptXov XsyEoOo) ravrxj

'dsoloc

oirrj

,

rCov ap^alcov

di)

j

eyo)ye ttote enai-

yap nal gov orav rEnprjpca XiycdpEV (bg eIoI $£ 01 ravra avia 77poG(j)£povT£g, 7}Xiov te nal GEXrjvrjv nal aorpa nal yrjv, (bg ftEovg nal $ da ovra vtto rejv oocbcbv tovtcjv dvaTTETTEiouevol av XlzyoLEV (bg yrjv te nal Xcdovg ovra avrd nal ov6 ev rcbv av0p(O7TELG)v upayparcov (ppovr l^elv dvvdpEva X 615 yoLGt 6 e ravra ev rroog sig ro mOavov TTEpilTETTEppEva t66e OVV

Ol

XoyOL. EpLOV

,

,

,

,

,

,

10.

tv aXaiotg

ovoiv

See Note V., App.

.

11. yovecdv 'd-epaTvetac nal ripac;.

He

alludes here to the poetical

fables respecting the treatment of Saturn by his son Jupiter.

to Plato,

was the most

he often alludes

to

it,

offensive part of the Grecian mythology, and

as a sort of standing example, whenever he

See the Republic,

attacks the poets in other portions of his works. ii.,

377,

P

ra 6s

:

Tt interfered

rov

6rj

This,

K povov

epya nal

tvuOtj vtvu

tov vliog,

k. t.

X

with his high views respecting those duties which grow

out of the domestic relations, especially the duty of

filial

obedience.

furnishes his constant example, whenever he would con-

Hence it demn the demoralizing and

irreligious

tendency of some of the an-

cient poetry. 12.

ovte

tie

TOTvapaTvav opdfig eiprjTcu.

These and

similar portions

of the mythology he would altogether expunge, as being utterly in-

capable of any improved allegorical meaning, however gently he

See Note V., App. what we have said respecting these

might deal with the system as a whole. 13. nal ovv t]

deoLCL fthov “ ,

May

ancient and venerable matters be thus said as

may

be agreeable to

Heaven,” as it may be paraphrased. We see, from this expression, with what a gentle, pious, and cautious hand he touches the ancient mythology how he seems to implore forgiveness for venturing to cast away anything that might have claims to reverence for its antiquity, and which, under all its deformity, might yet, perhaps, contain the ;

corrupted and disguised remains of some primitive or anciently-revealed truth.

See Note VI., App.

14.

veov

15

TTEfn-FTTEptiEva

GO(j)tiv.

—

tc

spLTVETT s iv

Tliis

is

a term of cookery, and

—

d

CONTRA ATHEOS.

KA. Xahenov ye Xoyov w

^eve, elpr\ntbg

,

ye elg

<Jjv

ptovov

A0.

<5tj

rvyx&veu

de ore ndunoXXot rvyxdvovatv, eri

•

Xahencorepov dv

7

elrj.

Xeyupev

;

XPI $pdv

;

rjpdg

;

irorepov

anoXoyr]od)pLEOa olov KarrjyopfjoavTog rtvog tv aosdecuv avOpGJTzoig fjpojv (jxevyovot, signifies to crust

non

over —

1

,

Compare Seneca, De

crustare.

cst ista sincera felicitas

vopodeatag Xeyovaiv

rrepl rrjg

—crusta

Provid.,

6,

Also Aristophanes, Plutus,

est.

159:

A laxvvopevoi yap apyvpiov alrelv love, ’Ovopari nepnriTTOVGi

rrjv poxdrjplav.

“ With a name they crust over their depravity .”

The metaphor here

suggests the thought of vile doctrines, like pernicious and unhealthydishes, crusted over with some specious disguise to allure the eye and tempt the appetite. Socrates was ever fond of drawing com parisons from the body to the soul, from the health of the one to the

moral soundness of the other, and from the sciences and arts that pertain to the one, to that higher philosophy

the wants and relations of the other.

which

The use

is

concerned with

of this word here

corresponds well with his ordinary similes, and especially those

made use holds the

of in the Gorgias, in which false philosophy {go^lgtlkj])

same

relation to the soul that the unhealthy confectionary

art (oipoTToiucy) bears to the body.

Leip.

:

See the Gorgias, pages

28, 29,

art y Kopporucy npoq yvpvaGTtnyv, tovto go^lgtlkt] npoq vopo-

derucyv, kul otl y biponouKy npog larpLKyv tovto

pyTopmy

•

irpog diKaio-

cvvyv. 1.

(pevyovGL.

This

is

Ast, qui nos aversantur.

of law, signifies

to be

rendered by some aver sari non tolerare. So ,

It also,

as a term of the Athenian courts

defendant in a suit or prosecution as diuuov sig,

nifies the plaintiff, pursuer, or prosecutor

;

both terms being derived

from the ancient custom of the pursuit of the homicide by the avenger of blood, and from thence transferred to other legal contests both

of a

civil

renders

and criminal kind.

Ficinus, in accordance with this idea,

in judicium pertractos.

To warrant this, however,

the read-

ing should be tyevyovreg or tyevyovTag, with a change in the construc-

The first version seems so far fetched, that we would prefer combining the two ideas by translating tyevyovot, “whe tion of the Greek.

put us on our defence .”

with the whole context.

This agrees well with cnroXoyyotopeda, and

The speaker

Bhip of being compelled to

assume the

is

complaining of the hard-

attitude of apologist or de-

,

,

CONTRA ATHEOS.

s

3

&>g

deiva epya^dfxeda vopoderovyreg

XacpELV eaoavTEg teal

,

ovtcov $ecov

dog

rovg vopovg rpEntipEda ndXiv,

ettl

r/

urj

2 to npooiptov rjplv panpOTEpov yiyvr]Tat rcov vopa>v;

ov yap fipaxvg o Xoyog kuraOElg av ytyvotro ETiiOvpOVOtV aOEdELV, T&

Xoyotg

,

xpaipsv

ravra

LEV dlTodElljaipEV, 6

ra

rd

6s, Elg cj)66ov t ps-

6s, dvoftEpaLVELV nocrjoavrEg,

vopodsTolpsv

rj6r]

XiyEiv

•

oaa

irpETtsi^

psra

.

TzoXXdtag psv coays 5

’AA/l’, d) tjsvs,

toZoiv

eI

,

pETptCOg TOlg

f.

cbv E(j)patjov 6eIv TTEpi *

KA. T’G)

;

bXiy cp %po-

£t>

rovr’ a^TO siprjfcapsv, d)g ovdsv ev rep rrapovre 6sl

TtpoTipav ppaxvXoytav

pdXXov

ff

prjteog.

to Xsyopsvov, ETcstycov didwEL. ysXolov TTpo tg)v I3eXtlgto)v

rjpdg,

dr} teal

(jyavXov to

Ta Ppa^vTSpa alpovpsvovg

(patVEoOat.

6 ov epuepov apejaysneog mOavoTrjTa Tiva Tovg

6iacj)EpEi

Xoyovg

yap

ovdslg

’

rjpCbv exslv, cog

9

foot t slot

dyadot,

teal

Tip de-

d'uirjv

fendant in such a cause, and of being required to give reasons for the belief in the existence of the Deity, especially before profane and

ungodly men.

See Note

2.

Trpooipiov.

3.

rd pev drzobei^aipev

by arguments their fears

&c.

— rd

—rd

,

App.

II.,

k. t.

7i.,

“ Should in some things demonstrate

6e, elg epobov rpeipaipev,

be, five x eP 0iveiv i k. t, A.,

dislike , or appealing to

Ac.

their prejudices ,”

more generally

should in others excite

and in others making them

Or

it

may

be para-

If we should address ourselves to their reason, their fears, or their tastes namely, their moral sentiments, of

phrased

still

:

which they cannot wholly divest themselves, or

their

wholesome

prejudices. 4. It is

oaa

In most editions there

npetret.

is

a

comma

after npenei.

clear, however, that these words are connected with vopoOerol-

pev which follows, and that the

comma

should be after

5.

haye ev oliyu, “ for so short a time as

6.

apocryenug.

A

force of each part.

;

7vug

there is one such

analyze, so as to show the be rendered “ in some one way or other, at

difficult particle to It

may

(indefiniteness), whatever that

way

at least, if

no more,

way may

ye always,

or in composition, implies that the writer chooses to ing of a word, although intimating that he could say

ed him.

Troiijoavreg.

been together.”

some way, expressing the certainty that there

least;” apug, in

such a way

we have

be

;

is

ye, that

whether alone limit the mean-

more

if it pleas*

7

CONTRA ATHEOS.

y

reg dta^ epovrcog avOpcorrov. c%edbv yap tovto

andvTG)v tgjv vopo)v tcdXXcoTov te

dv

elrj.

vd

7Tore

teal

fjp.lv

vrrep

apiorov irpoolptov

prjdev ovv dvox^pdvavTeg prjde eTTeixOcvreg, rjvrt-

exopev dvvaptv elg

ttelOco tgjv

tolovtgjv Xoycjv,

urjdev arcoOepevot dte^eXOG)pev elg to dvvarbv hcav&g. ,

AO. E vxfj v pot, doted napatcaXelv* 6 Xeyopevog vtto gov vvv Xoyog ETtEidfj npodvpG)g ovvTEiveig peXXetv de ovketl eyx^pd Xeyetv. (f)epe dfj, 7rcbg dv Tig pfj 'dvpcp Xeyoc nepl $eCdV dog eioev dvdyurj yap dfj x^XenGog rjoepetv teal ptoelv *

,

;

,

etceivovg ol tovtgov fjplv alrioi tgov Xoytov yeyevrjvTai teal

ytyvovrat vvv dv rteidopevot 9 rolg pvdoig, ovg ,

oxeSov yap tovto.

YiVxv v TrapaKaheiv, “ to invite the wish,” that

wishes

—

,

thus

:

ylyvovrac.

that

nus

it is

felt

?

is,

to

second one’s

to invite one to do what he already desires to do.

yiyvovTai vvv ov

9.

is,

See Note VII., App

7.

8.

vegjv nal-

etc

rrstdojuevoi.

Nvv ovv

impossible to

In the

TceiOopevoi

make any

:

common

text this stands

the great objection to which

suitable sense out of

it.

Fici-

made a paraphrase rather than was made by Stephanus, partim (as

the difficulty, and therefore

The

a translation.

he says)

correction

veteris exemplar is ope ,

partim conjectura mea.

In fact, the

which we have given, although not altogether free from objections. It is followed by editors generally in their notes and translations, although the other reading is retained in their text. The words ov neidopevoi exigenlia loci absolutely requires the reading of Stephanus,

may

therefore be regarded, not as a

ing, but as the conclusion of the

commencement of

the follow-

preceding sentence, which runs on,

without coming to a close, until distance below.

indignant feeling

it terminates in ovk hoi iSteol, some The whole passage being the language of justlyagainst those who would ruthlessly destroy all the

religious reminiscences of youth, and

renthetical.

all

the hallowed associations

on this account, rather involved and paThe thoughts and emotions outrun the expressions,

of domestic instruction,

is,

much to be supplied to bring out the meaning in all its fulwe attempt in the following free paraphrastic transla“ For we must feel indignant, and dislike those who have ever tion been and are now the causes of such discussions who believe not the myths, which, when yet children, they heard of nurses and

leaving ness.

This

:

;

mothers

in

soothing strains of sportive or serious song, as they

lis-

tened to the prayers and gazed upon those attending spectacles (of

; -

CONTRA ATHEOS.

10

yaXa^t rpecpopevot, rpocpcov re

do)v art ev pcjv

olov ev empdalg pera re rtaididg nal pera onovdrp

,

Xeyopevovg re

y

rjfcovov nai prjre-

teat

,

teat oipetg

opa re

pera

'dvotebv,

ev ev^atg avrovg ateovovreg

optivreg enopevag avrotg ag Tjdtora o ye veog ,

rrparropevag bhjovrGJV ev onovdjj r rq peyiGTTj rcbv avrebv yovecjv vnep avrtbv re teat eteetv g)v eo teat ateovet

,

,

rcovdateorcov cbg ,

yopevcov

teat

on paXtora

iteeretatg

ovot tieolg evffiug npoodtaXe-

avareXXovrog re

*

rjXtov teal oeXrj-

nai irpog dvopdg iovrcov, repotevXtoetg apa

vrjg

teat rrpootev-

vrjpetg ateovovreg re teal optivreg 'EXXrjvcov re teal j3apda-

pG)v

10

ndvrcov ev ovpcpopatg iravrotatg e^opevcov

repaytatg oi>x ,

&g

ovruv, aXX

ovte

’

o)g

on paXtora

teal

ovdaprj vno'iptav evdidovrcov djg ovte elol

rcov

dfj

rravruv boot tearaeppovrjoavreg ovde

Xoyov wc ,

(patev

av boot nai optKpov vov

avayted^ovotv rjpag Xeyetv

a,

teal

ei;

ev evovrcjv,

'Seat,

rov -

evog Iteavov

teeterrjvrat ,

vvv

Xeyopev nebg rovrovg av rtg ,

ev rrpaeot Xoyotg dvvatro vovdercov apa dtdaoteetv nepl 'detiv TTpojrov d>g eiot

pavrjvat ,

n rovg pev

y

;

roXprjreov de. ov yap apa ye del

vtto

Xaipapytag

rjdovrjg, rjptiv,

rovg

d’

which the young soul hears and sees so joyfully solemn earnestness for themselves and their families, and by their vows and supplications conversing with the Gods as the most real of existences who too, at the risings and settings of the sun and moon, have often seen and heard the prostrations and adorations both of Greeks and Barbarians, in

religious worship)

—

their parents sacrificing with

—

every diversified situation of prosperity and adversity appealing to the Gods, not as unreal fancies, but as existing in the highest sense,

and without any suspicion to the contrary.” It is a strain of eloquence fervid and indignant, yet not unkind or harsh, against those

who, trampling under foot the most sacred associations, demand proof for that which never should have been doubted, and which seldom again finds a secure resting-place in that soul in which false reasoning, the result of licentious passions, has taken the place of

wholesome

religious authority.

10. '’EiXXrjvidv re nai j3ap6dpuv. 11.

Ov yap apa ye

See Note VIII., App.

Sec pavf/vai rove ,

pev

.

.

.

rjpuv, rove de,

&c. Ste-

phanus, Cornarius, Ast, and most of the commentators, would here any manuscripts.

reieet qpfiv, although without the authority of

We

;

CONTRA ATHEOS. vito

rov 'dviiovoQai Tolg roiovroig

tide

ng

XeyupEV

npdcjg,

odeaavreg rov ftvpov, T

VOL T(OV TOLOVTG)V,

TToXXd d)V

TTOLTjGEL

TlOegOcU

yiyvEoOai

tg)v

TTdl,

£2

OVV

TTEpl Toi)g tiEOvg opOtdg

TOV ds

VOVTCLL d£ GEL T£g. Tods

13

TT^ELOVg

£OLfl dV TO prjdEVd do^dv TTEpl 'decdv <dg ,

vvv ovdkv ,

$v 7

r]

tcaXtig

OV OV povog ovds

•

7]

y rj

ov to, ,

prj.

Trpdj-

T7]V

(f)d-

ol Gol (j)iXoi

JLJ-

*

VOGOV e%ov~

gvt&v TToXXolg (j)pdXddoVTd EH VEOV TGVT7JV TT\V

all

ovtc eIg'l ,

means “

dLdTsXsodL Trpog yrjpdg

retain

It

it,

as essential to the

l4:

frantic through the ravenings of licentiousness,

tender charity in the loss of

yptiv.

pEL-

sense

full

must not be that some of us

(yp&v)

and others

The passage would

(of us) through indignation at such persons.” all its

>

$ E(OV EG^ETE

TTEpl

kX&TTOVg TGVTTjV

TT(x)TTOTE

intended to be conveyed.

lose

XP° V0( TdVdVTLd

gol TTdpdyEyovog

tolvvv

would, however, by

,

ETTL

fCpLTljg TTEpl TG)V pLEytG-

diavor^EVTa

TO TOLOvds

*

become

de, o

Kal TTpCOTOV TGVT7JV d6%dV

TTpd)TOL

TTpolCdV ds GE 6

*

EV TL pLEya GOl p7]VVG)V OVfC dV TTOTE

TTEpl CLVTLdV

VEL7]V XpEvdpg,

EL

TOTE

Elg

piyiGTOv

.

VEOg

tcdi

•

dcaXeyope-

cog evl

VVV do^d^ELg pLETdddXoVTd

TTEpipELVOV

.

ltg) d?j TTpopprjGLg tol -

,

tt)v diavoiav dLELpOdppsvoLg

advpog rolg ovto) 12

11

binds together. the

It

two classes here described, by representing the fault of either extreme as arising out of that deep-seated depravity which is the common inheritance of the race. It may be thus paraphrased “ All :

ultraism, into

whether

which

of us are so apt to run, must be avoided

all

be the ultraism of sensuality, or of harsh and denuncia-

it

tory religious zeal.” firm believer in the

No man can be truly charitable who is common depravity of the race. Every

appearance of charity

not a

other

only a spurious liberality or a hollow indif-

is

ference. 12. Kal

heyopev

ttpaog.

Nothing can be more

in

accordance with

the very spirit of charity than this most gentle and exquisitely ten-

der address feeling, as

:

“ But

though

‘My child, you many a change

let

us say unto them, meekly quenching

we were now

are young, and time, as

it

rolls on, will

some of the tender expostulations of the Bible

my

law.

Hear

,

0

13. yiyvovTat de

angry

:

produce

Compare with

once formed,” &c.

in opinions

all

conversing with one of this class,

“

My

it

son, forget not

ye children the instruction of a father .” ,

del.

See Note IX., App.

14. diarehecrai Trpog yrjpag.

The sentiment

is

that speculative athe-

CONTRA ATHEOS.

12

vavra ev

&£ovg fielvat tisovg elvat

,

/cal

dtavorjOEt.

ra dvo pevTot

iraBij

rrepi

rcoXXolat psv ov, peivat de ovv not to tov g ,

psv cppovTt^etv de ovdev tov avOporttvov ,

rd pera tovto

dvpaot

ry

ravrorj

,

/cat

,

og (ppovTt^ovot pev, EvnapapvOrjTot ds to

ev%alg.

elot

cacpeg liv yevopevov col nepl

dfj

avTOV /card dvvaptv doypa, dv kpol

TretOrj ,

n ep/pevelg avao-

ovTog eite dXXog £%££, rcwdavopevog napd re tov dXXov, /cal dfj /cal pdXtOTa /cal 15 napa tov vopoOeTov.

icottov Eire

ev ds

dfj

tovto

Tip

aoedfjoat. TtEipaTEOv

XP° V(P FV ^oXpfja^g nepl fteovg prjdev yap to Tovg vopovg oot tlOevtl vvv,

avOtg dtdao/CEtv nepl avTov tovtov og ex £i

/cal elg

KA. K aXXtoO’ fjplv, o £eve, pexpt ye tov vvv A0. HavT&TcaoL pev ovv 2 o M eytXXe te /cal

1

,

6’ fjpdg

XeXrjOapev

avTovg

elg

-

EtprjTat.

K?i£tvta

•

fiavpaoTov Xoyov epnenro-

KOTEg.

KA. Tov rtolov dfj Xeyetg A0. Tov rrapd noXXotg do%a%op£vov anavTOv Xoyov. KA. <J>pa£’ ETt oacpEOTEpov. ;

ism does not often continue lative ly,

theism

may

take

elvat oocpOTaTOV

in old age, but that,

its place,

although a specu-

the other accompaniments, name-

unbelief in a special Providence, or an indifferent trust in the

Divine placability,

may continue

to the latest period.

We

think that

remark of Plato would be abundantly confirmed by an actual observation of life. It is seldom that we find an old man a specuIt is, lative Atheist, whatever he may have been in his youth. however, much more common to meet with those whose insensithis

bility in

respect to the reality of the Divine anger against sin

is in

which they have experienced the special care and sparing mercy of Heaven. direct proportion to the years in

15. /cal

61}

worthy of

nai paktara

notice.

K at

vious assertion, and

is

ical.

drj

The combination

commonly used a

is

and in the highest degree.”

The second

with pak/cra, and the third with vopoOerov. 1.

pexpi ye tov vvv “ so far at least.”

2.

navTaTccKn pev ovv.

“learning from from the lawgiver

fortiori ,

others, and, therefore, If from others {a- fortiori), also,

of particles here

generally denotes an application of a pre-

,

See Note XI., App.

kcll

is to

be taken

See Note X., App.

CONTRA ATHEOS. A0.

13

3

A eyovot

nov rev eg

cjg

ndvra earl rd 7jpdypara yiyrd pev, (pvoet, rd

vopeva, nal yevopeva nal yevrjoopeva, ,

re%vy, rd de did rvxd v

fie,

KA. Ovnovv naXcdg A0. E Inog ye rot nov

-

;

oocpovg avdpag opQtig

Xeyetv.

avrolg oneipcjpeda rovg enelOev f ri nore nal Tvy%avovoL diavoovpevoi.

enopevoi ye

urjv>

,

KA. Udvrcjg. A0. "E ouce, pact rd pev peytora avrcdv teal naXXcora anepyd&oOai (pvoev nal rvxd v rd de aptnpdrepa, rexvrjv rjv dfj napd (pvaecjg Xapdavovaav rr\v rtiv ueyaXcov teal npd)ro)v yeveenv epycov nXarretv nal renratveoOai ndvra c

,

•

i

j

,

rd opinporepa, a

KA. IIw^ T

A0. 5

depa

,

drj

Xeyeig

rexvtnd navreg npooayopevopev

;

eri oaepearepov epoj .

£2d’

nvp

vdo)p nal yrjv nal

real

ndvra elvac teal rvxd nal rd perd ravra av ocapara

(pvoet

rovreov.

6

.

Text'd de ovdev

*

yrjg re nal rjXlov

,

nal oeXrjvrjg aorpejv re nepi did rovrtov yeyovevai nav,

,

reX&g ovrcov aipvxMV. Tvxd de (pepopeva rjj rr]g dvvdpecjg enaqra enaorcov, rj £vpnenreonev appdrrovra olneicog ncog ,

3.

“

’Eikoc ye rot nov.

may be

It

E Uog nov its

ye,

is

“

This

likely, at least,

the usual Socratic or Platonic irony.

is

that these wise people talk correctly.”

likely, plausible, probable, at least, if not certain .”

a combination of particles deserving special notice.

usual limiting sense as given above

;

rot, like $7,

strengthens the limitation, while nov seems

in

Te

rot

Te has

confirms and

the usual

manner

to

diminish the positiveness of the expression by way of appeal to the party addressed. “ Surely (rot) may we say, may we not (nov), that these wise 4.

quod ex

illo

that Ast

may

men

talk plausibly at least (ye), to use

rovg eKeldev.

Haud

consequitur.

wrong.

is

no stronger term.”

dubie (says Ast) scribendnm est, to eKeldev,

We

The

have but

old

little doubt, on the other hand, and established reading, rove, eKeldev,

be rendered “ those from, or of that school,” namely, their

lowers, those

who expand and

explain the doctrine

the next answer. 5.

nvp

6.

(j>v<jei

Kcii .

vdcjp Kal yrjv. .

.

rexvy.

See Note XII., App.

See Note XIII., App.

more

fully,

fol-

as in

,

CONTRA ATHEOS.

14

paXaKa repog OKXrjpd^ real 7ravra birooa rq rdrv evavriorv Kpaoei Kara rvx'ijv £% avdyn7]g ovvenepaodr], ravrq nai Kara ravra ovra> yeyevdeppa \pvxpoig,

npog vypd

%r]pa

rj

,

teal

vrjKEvai rov re ovpavov oXov nai iravra breboa

vov

oa av

teal

•

nar ovpa ’

(pvrd %vpiT avra, dptiv iraotiv

teat

rojv yevopevcov , ov did vovv, (paoiv

,

rov -

Etc

ovde did rtva

tieov

7

ovde did vrjv ds

aXXd, o Xeyopev,

rex'V'rjVi

vorepov

Etc

•

T ^Xm

rovrcov vorepav yevopev'qv avrrjv

fivT]-

,

vorepa yeyevvrjKevai iraididg nvag

rr\v he '&V7]rdjv,

Oeiag ov oepodpa perexovoag eavrdrv, oV

rbxvai

slot ovvepiQoi

rdv

oi

yevva

ypacpiterj

fj

dvvapiv

yvpvaoriKij.

aZ

•

rag

KA.

II tig

de

E/coivcooav

teal yeorpyiKij

drj

rd

teaXa, (pvoei

dtteata

to ttoXv. ovrar ds

•

pev dXXa

d)

o,

,

teal

teal

•

ap(pto6rjrovv-

nvi napa

drj

teal iroirjrddv , (paoteovrcov

cpvoEi .

•

Tadr'

vioig avOpd)-

Eivai rd dueaio-

rl rig dv vitea (dia^opEVog. oOev aoibEial re av-

0pd)TTOig epniiTrovoi veoig, d)g ovtc ovrcov $ed)V oiovg o

pog npoorarrei diavoeioOai delv eXteovrG)v

rd

orav, rors tevpia Eteaora Eivai, yiy -

are avra dvdpcbv oocpcbv

re

d/L/l’

teal

•

peraridepevovg del ravra

rotg vopoig , a/M/ ov

teat

cp'iXoi

Txoig, idt(x)rd)v

rarov

eivai, vopep ds erepa

5

dv psraOcovrai

EorLv,

teat

aXip

rjg ovtc

*

rovrovg aXXovg aXXoig,

teal

ovd Eivai ronapanav (pvoei

vbpEva rEXvy

teal

noXiriKrjv opiKpov ri pbpog eh

Etcaoroi eavroioi ovvcrpoXbyrjoav vopoOsrovpevoi

teal

<3’

ryj (pvoEi

;

rag diareXeiv aXXrjXoig

a

oreovdalov apa yevvdj-

paKapie, Etvai irpdrrov (paoiv ovroi rexvrj,

0)

,

,

drj

boat ravraig

,

ov (pvoEi dXXd, not vopoig otttj

teal

ov (pvoei rexv^j de

,

dXrj-

,

drra £vyyEvrj

'deoeig.

Xeyeig

A0. Oeovg

/ecu

(pvoei, rex^Xl

vopodeoiav irdoav

Oelg Eivai

povoiK?),

teal

em

Eldar)1’

olov av larpiKrj

•

teal drj teal rrjv

vat (paoi tcoivcovovv rrjv

(5’

,

dXXd

ravrag onboai

rExvcbv, eivai

rrjv avrdrv

cpvoei teal rvxxi

s

repog

*

voftodeolav naoav.

8.

kTiKovTov.

The

-

oraoeig re did ravra,

rov Kara (pvoiv opdov

7.

vo

(3iov,

og

eon ry

See Note NIV., App.

article rtiv

would seem

to

be required here

be-

CONTRA ATHEOS.

15

dXrjdEta

uparovvrd £rjv r&v aX/io)v, nal

eTEpoiOi

Kara

KA. 0 iov

vopcov

disXrjXvOag,

gj

%eve

Xoyov

,

avOpdoncov veo)v drjpoGta ttoXegl te

A0

'AXrjOrj piivTOL Xsystg,

.

SovXevovra

pbrj

.

o)

60772; Xibbrjv

,

teal idioig olnoig.

K Xsivla.

tl ovv oIel XPV~

vac dpav rov vopoOsrrjv ovtg) tovtg)v tt&Xcu napEGnsvaG

-

,

p,ev G)v

piovov dixsiXslv

rj

;

av0pd)7TOLg

Govrai TTEpi

(bg, el per/

,

ordvra ev

(frrjGovoLV

9

do^d^ovrsg roiovrovg olovg

,

naXCbv

,

6

cfirjGlv

vopiog

/cat

;

nal nspl andvrcov rtiv psyLGTGJv

teal ducaitev,

6 avrog Xoyog oaa re

gvpinaGi rolg

t'q t:6Xei

stvai tisovg acil diavorjOrj-

7rpd$*

,

dpsrrjv telvel nal nantav ,

ravra ovtg) nparrsiv, dtavoovpsvovg burjirsp dv 6 vopo<5’ av ptfj rrapEx^rai savrov 0sT7]g v(p7]y'rjGrjrac ypd(j)cov

deZ

•

nva

rolg vopoig evttelO?7 rov psv dslv rsOvavcu, rov 6s ,

nXrjyalg nai bsGpolg rov 6e , dripiicug, dXXovg 6s 'nsviaig ,

noXa^EGOcu

real

(bvyalg

ttelOg)

*

no authority of manuscripts

fore eA/cwrcjv, although there is It

seems

6e rolg dvQpbbnoig, 10

to refer to (pacKovruv above.

“

Hence

mode

ion),

of life which

which consists, and to be

others,

is

right by nature (that

in reality, in so living as to

is,

it,

young)

in their opin-

have power over

subjection to none by virtue of law.”

in

for

factions or quarrels

arise by reason of these things, while they violently drag (the to that

apa

In this

metaphorical expression, ehwvruv, Plato seems to have had an eye to

some of those

violent contests

which Homer so vividly describes

as taking place over a dead body, in which both sides are pulling

with

all

their might, the

one to carry

off,

the other to rescue

;

as in

the battle over the body of Patroclus, in the sixteenth book of the Iliad. It is

He

rises,

however,

infinitely

above

Homer

not the dead body of the slain hero which

is

in his subject.

here the object of

young man that the atheistic crew are seeking to drag down to their own kingdom of darkness or, to accommodate the language of the Grecian poet to a sense far beyond his highest conceptions, we may say, with a slight change contention, but the living soul of the

;

of the verse,

Iliad, xxii., 161

’A/UA 9.

10.

7repi

:

X VXVC pdpvavrai dSavaroio.

See Note NV., App. tteiOcj

de rolg uvftpi'oTcoig.

about ten lines back

;

Connect

this

and then, by leaving out

with all

rj

piovov dnei7^eh\

that

is

explanatory

16

CONTRA ATHEOS.

riQevru avrolg rovg vopovg, prjdeplav ex^iv TOi C hoyoig irpooamovra eig dvvapiv ?fpepovv ;

KA.

Mrjdapcbg,

nal opinpd

oj

%eve

dAA’ einsp rvyxdvei ye ovoa

•

ra roiavra del

rig rrepl

ttslOg)

,

prjdaprj napveiv

rov ye d^iov nal opinpov vopoOerrjv, dAAa naoav to Ae,

yopevov,

ievra

(jrcjvrjv

veodai Aoyo),

11

nal boa vvv

nal vopep avrep fiorjOrjoai nal rexv^l

d?)

ovx

(pvoecog

enucovpov yiy-

rep rcaXaicp vopep

,

d)£ eiol deot,

y ov opOov ov ov re Xeyeiv poi

eorov

'

,

(ftvoei

eon yevvr\para nard

vov ye

rjrrov, ehrep

ov nal

dirjXOeg

dr)

rj

Ao-

,

morevet

(paivy nal eycb ooi

ravvv.

A0.

T

£2 7

jpoQvporare KXeivla, ri d

%vvanoXovQelv A byoig eig nenrrjrai duoXvyia

them

attaching

ov ^aAerrd re

A eyopeva,

TrXrjOr)

prjnrj

may be

exhibited thus

eon

re av

12

“ Or ought he

:

only, that unless they shall say, &c.

to his

it

;

;

Dr parenthetical, the contrast

to threaten

9

;

but not, by

arguments, exercise persuasion towards

the same time that he lays

down

men

at

the laws, so that (by such persua-

may

render them as mild, or as well-disposed towards the laws as possible.” As here may be rendered “ and,” sive arguments) he

sometimes a disjunctive Or may be better brought out, and the con-

which, in a similar connexion particle

:

the disjunctive force of 6e

nexion with the

first

by rendering

ed,

in English, is

“ Shall he threaten, &c., and shall he not persuade!”

it

part of the sentence at the

“ instead of,” thus

instead of using persuasion!” &c.

well as aTZELlelv, will depend on

olei

11. Tzuaav (povTjv levra, “ letting

nothing which

may

:

“

same time

preserv-

Ought he only to threaten

In this construction, exeiv, as xpyvat, about twelve lines back.

out

all

his voice,” that

is,

omitting

A proverbial

tend to produce conviction.

ex-

seems somewhich the Greek poets of nautical metaphor, what to resemble a were very fond, and of which we have a striking example, Eurip., Medea, 280 pression, for

which see Erasmus, Adag.,

p.

788.

It

:

’Ex^poc yap k^lacn izdvra “

For

under 12.

my

enemies

full sail, firjKrj

let

out

all

6rj

k&Xov.

their rope,” that

is,

“ are attacking

me

and straining every nerve.”

re av.

There

sudden change from the

is

a harshness here in consequence of the

participle to the indicative

mode

KEicrTjrai.

•

CONTRA

KA. T l

6s, co t-eve

;

ATIIEOS.

nspl psOrjg

13

17

psv nal povoncfjg ovrco 14

imnpd Xeyovrag rjpdg avrovg irsptspLStvdpLSv nepl tisoov 6s nal pfjv real vopoOs feat rcbv rotovrov ovx VTcopLSVoiyisv ,

-

;

old ys sort irov r q psrd (ppovrjosog ptsyLorr} porjOstd, 6 lotl rd nspl vopovg npooraypara sv ypdppdoc rsOsvra cog 6co,

aovra ovt

1

xpovou sXeyxov

slg iravra

si

xa ^ £1T d

tear

7

rtdvrcog fjpspsl

,

dpxdg dnovstv sort

1

15

coots

a y so ’

(jyobrjTsov ,

Tdi Kdi TCO 6vOpddsl TroXXdfCLg STTdVLOVTL si pd/cpd, cocbsXipd 6s,

*

OfCOTTSLV

*

OVTS

6id Tdvrd Xoyov ov6dpr] sx £ ^ ov6e

ooiov spotys slvdt cpdivsTdi to

ov

prj

(3or)0slv

rovroig rdig

Xoyotg ndvTd dv6pd tedTd 6vvdptv.

MEr. vkpiOTd,

co

A0. Kdl udXd

ye,

j

This, however, indeed, this 13.

is

co

MsytXXs

ttoltjtsov re d)g Xsyei.

must be rendered as though

were KEKTypeva,

it

This refers to discussions

in the first and third which had been continued at great length. linger around a subject to wait one’s own lei-

—

vnopevG), “ to endure, to wait with patience.”

vovpev supply TZEpipevEiv, thus

not endure to wait]”

patiently]”

if,

treatise,

14. Trepipevo, “ to

sure.”

we

*

not the true reading.

peOyg.

7TF.pl

books of this

K Xsiviag.

gsvs, 6onsl Xsystv

There

is

ov% vnopEvovpev

:

After vnope-

TZEpipevEiv,

we

taken adverbially, “ shall

or,

“ shall

not wait

evidently a case of paronomasia, or play upon

words here. “ Are altogether silent .” Compare God Theuth in th.e Phaedrus, 275, commended, as better than that of

this

with the myth

respecting the

D.,

where

struction

books, and doubts

ypepel.

15.

is

are suggested, whether, after service to

mankind

:

tKeivyg EarrjKEv uev ug 6e nai

7]

all,

the art of writing has been of real

ug dhyOtig bpocov (ypaQy) faypatyia gCivra,

edv

oral in-

6’

dvepy

tl,

aepvcjg

navv

•

Kai yap ra

ciyp. ravrov

ypa<py. edv tl spy (3ovX6pevog paOelv , Iv tl cypaiveL

pbvov rau-

ovk entararaL XeyeLV olg del ye nai py T:\yppi\ovpEvog de Kai ovk tv bitcy TioLdopyQeig rov naTpog dei Seltol fioydov. avrog yap

rbv

del. Kai

•

ovt upvvaoOaL ovte [loyOyaaL dwaToq avT(p.

In the Gorgias, 525, B.,

’

this

term ypepel

this, to

is applied, in a

somewhat

different

the victorious party or argument that holds

quietness after the rest ,

have been

silenced

:

manner from its

gronnd in

dW ev roaovToig "koyoig

rtiv dTJiov kTieyxopevav ovTog ypepel 6 Tibyog. 1.

ETzavLovTi.

Like a gerund, “ Scepius animo agitando .”

B 2

18

CONTRA

Kal yap

ATIIEOS.

KareonappevoL fjoav

el pfj

roiovrot XoyoL ev

ol

enog elnelv avOpunoig, ovdev dv

rolig TiaoLV (bg

euapvvovvrcdv Xoycvv

(hg slot

deot

ovv diatyOeipopevoLg rolg peylorotg vuo rlva nal paXXov npoafjKet

KA. 0 VK 5

A0.

j3orj0elv

e det tCjv

vvv 6s dvaynr}. vopoig

•

fj

natctiv dvOpcbncov

vopoOerrjv

;

ZGTIV.

AXkd

Xeye pot tt&Xlv

dfj

KA eivla,

Kal ov. kolvgj-

vov yap del oe zivai r<bv Xoyuv. Kivdvvevei 2 yap 6 Xeyo)v ravra nvp Kal vdup Kal yfjv ical aepa npcbra fjyeloQai ,

i

,

7ravTG)v zivai

t(x)v

Kal rfjv (pvocv ovopa^eiv ravra avrd

,

pvxfjv de zk rovrcjv vorepov. zolkz de ov Kivdvveveiv

dvr cog or\paiveLV ravra

KA.

II

aw

,

aXka

fjplv rep Xoycp.

pev ovv.

y

A0. Ap’ ovv

,

A cog

7rpog

olov

irrjyfjv

nva

avorjrov

doi-rjg

dvzvprjKapzv dvOpcbncov ottoool reebnore rcbv nzpl cpvoecog ecbfjxpavro £rjrrjparcov

yap

dfj

okottzl irdvra

;

,

opuepov ye ro deaepepov,

eipTjpaprrjpevcog

3

e^era^cov. ov

Xoycov anrope -

el (pavelev

vol aoedcov, aXXoig re e^apxovreg,

dAA’

Xoyov

prjde ev rolg koyoig,

xp&pevoi. doKel rotvvv poc ravra ov-

rcog exeev.

KA. E v A0. 2.

Xeyetg

’'FiOLKe

1

dAA

5

orrrj , rreLpco

cppa^eLV.

roivvv arjOeorepcov anreov 4 zivai Xoycov.

The primary sense

Kivdvvevei.

of this

word

“ to be in dan- « “ to seem.” The

is

the secondary and quite as frequent sense is connexion between them is not obvious. In its secondary meaning it is not synonymous with doKei, and the primary may be preserved with tolerable distinctness in many of those places in which it is ren-

ger

dered “ to seem.”

As, for example, in this passage,

—“ ventures

to

regard,” or “ is in danger of regarding.” It implies that the sentiment is a bold one, and one which, probably, he would not adopt, if he could trace all the consequences of this dogma, viz., “ that fire,

and water, and

earth,

firmation of this view,

:

opiKpov ye to diadepov,

yap “ for

In conair, were the first of all things.” compare what follows a few lines below ov

and

it

el

<j>avelev

would make no small difference

This sense of Ki.vdvvevo e^dpxovreQ

is

4.

dr)6earepa)v.

anropevoi daeOoVf

they should appear,”

quite a favourite with Plato.

— auspicantes —qui

3.

if

Tioycov

aliis

See Note XVI., App.

auctores sunt.

&c

CONTRA ATHEOS.

KA. Ovn EKTog eI

6kv7]teov

(b

,

19

%eve. pavdavo)

yap

vopoOsctag

(bg

patvstv, sav rcbv tolovtcjv dnrcbpEda Xoycov.

oh'jorj

5

7 rolg vvv Kara vopov ds egtl prjdapr) STEporg GvpcfroJvrjGat

XsyopsvoLg dsolg

•davpacts, teat ravrrj

A syotp?

A0.

exovglv

(bg opOtig

i)

dv, (bg sotnev ,

rjdrj

vat ysyovog oi tt)v rtbv aosdcbv 6

vorspov TTpoTspov.

o ds

cb

cx^ddv ova slorOoTa Xo(pOopag alrtov

teal

'ijrvx'rjv

sl-

dnEpyaodpsvot Ao-

oOsv rjpaprrjtcaGt

,

irspl

dstbv

ovotag.

TTjg bvTG)g

KA.

a eicteov,

rovro ov uptirov aXXa vorspov anE(f>r)vavTO

dr:dvro)v,

*

,

.

yov Ttvd rovds. o TTpcbrov ysvEGEorg

yot

ravrrj

Ovtcg) pavdavo).

A0. 'kvx'rjv, cb sratps, rjyvorjnsvat ntvdvvEvovot psv oXtyov i-vpnavTEg olov te ov rvyxdvst /cat dvvaptv fjv sxet *

r(bv te aXXorv avrrjg irspi, nat dr) real ysvEGsarg, (bg sv nptb9 roig egtl Gorparcov EpnpooOev irdvrorv yEvopsvrj nat psra ,

apxm rtavTog apa ovtc eg avdyurjg rd ysyovoTa T(bv GtbpaTt

doXrjg te avTtbv nat p£Tanocpr)GEG)g aTTdcrjg

paXXov

si

.

ds egtl

,

5.

dr)

9

sir)

*

nat

dr)

ovptyMvrjoat.

kizqidEiv, kneidy,

ol rrjv

all

Similar terms in similar con-

the dialogues, such as gwclSelv,

&c.

rtiv dosbivv Tpvxyv uTVEpyaadpEvot hoyoi, “

pression, UTTEpyaGapEvot o de vorspov

irpaif-

was very fond of metaphorical expressions

Plato

the soul of the impious

7.

;

nat Ta psyaXa nat irpcbTa spy a nat

nexions are found throughout

6.

G(bpaTog

paXanebv nat ftapEorv nat noveporv npoTE-

derived from the science of music.

ovvudy,

rj

EntpsXEta nat vovg nat texvt) nat vo-

teal

G/tXrjpcbv nat

pa dv

sir)

’A vaynr).

A0. A 6%a pog

oviorg,

ovG7]g TavTrjg rcpEGdvTEpag

7ipog7]k6vtg)v,

KA.

TavTa

TrpOTEpa dv

GvyyEvrj

what

rrjv rrjg

it

is.”

which render

Equivalent to this other ex-

avrCrv Tpvxvc uGE&stav.

( arr Efo'jvavro ) 7rporspov.

They

are guilty of the

which logicians style hysteron proteron that is, putting the effect for the cause, and the cause for the effect which they did, in making rexvrj posterior to dvotg and rvx rj. See Note XVII., App. 8. 9. Guudrtov epTrpooOEv.

fault

,

;

%

;

,

20

CONTRA ATHEOS. ^v ytyvoLTo, ovra ev

eig , 7 sx vrJ^

nal *

real

•

ra de

opQtig eirovopa^ovaiv avrb'

cj)vcng (jjv ovtc

rspa

Trpcoroig

apxopeva av

etc

0

cf)vasi

tovto) vg-

Texvrjg eh] nal vov,

KA. ITwf A0. Ov/c opOtig (f>voiv povXovraL Xeyeiv yevsoiv rfjv rrepl rd npdjra. el 6s (fravrjoerai 'ipvx'rj nptirov, ov ttv p ovde drjp, 'ipvx'rj

<

ev npuroig yeyevrjpevrj

5’

oxedov

,

11

opdorara

Xeyoir’ av elvai dLacpepovTCog, ore (pvoei 12 ravr eoO ovTCog ’

exovra, av

reg

'ijjvx'fjv

emdei^

’

irpeodvrepav ovoav o bbpa-

rog , aXXcog de ovdap&g. *

KA.

’A XrjOeoTara Xeyeig.

A0. Ovtcovv rd perd ravra ueOa

f

en'

avro

6rj

tovto otsXXo)*

;

KA. T t

prjv

;

A0. QvXaTTCjpev

drj

navTanaoLV dnaTr]Xbv Xbyov

,

prj

10. avro tovto, “ which they incorrectly call this very thing,” namely, “ this first thing, which we call iftvxTr, they call $vgls” vg-

Tepa nal, &c., “Nature and

by

11.

its

works would be posterior

to and ruled

and reason, or mind.”

art

ox^bbv, here, does not qualify opdorara but \eyoiTo , ,

almost be said with the highest degree of correctness.”

—“

it

It, in fact,

renders the whole declaration stronger instead of weakening

seems to be often used as a sort of apology and thus, instead of diminishing or impairing mon rendering ( almost ) would imply, it has

might

it.

It

for a bold expression, its force,

as the com-

directly the contrary

effect. 12. pvGEi.

“

It

might then be said with the highest degree of cor-

rectness, that these things are thus by nature that soul

how

to

is

,

if

any one should show

older than body, but otherwise not.”

Plato seems some-

have changed the sense of the word upon the

evidently here

ever that

may

makes

the

same with

it

may

this be said to

in a contest with those

it

If

any

certainly should be

whose whole strength

consists in the dexterous use of such words as tvxv, ,

He

,

be the order of nature.

as a mere play upon words,

deemed pardonable nature &c.

atheist.

the truth of things what-

be, and, therefore, if soul is o.der than body, then in

the highest sense

should regard

tyvGig

<f>voi(;,

chance

CONTRA ATHEOS. itt]

npeadvrag rjpag ovrag veonpenrjg

a(j)vycbv

naTaysXaOTOvg

baXkdpevoi™ Kadanep ovra

ei

1

*

icar^

on

,

eon

£%££, teal (j)avevTog

TtpeobvTEpoig ovot

,

Kivdvvov yeyovivai

13. fail

6

aoeptiXel, OKS'ipao-

vplv

real

,

rj

irtig

pev ravr y, ttaXelv vpag tots aal ovv-

dtabtba^Etv epnEipia el be abarog

vvv

em-

irplorov epe xprjvat ixeipaQi]-

epavrov KaraXcnovra vpag ev

Ocu el diabarog

real

dd^cjpev, pet^ova

vetbrarog 6’ eyob rvy^avoov vptbv aai ttoXXcov ,

vac

teal

/

irorapov rjpag edec rpelg ovrag biabaivEiv ps-

o(j)6<5pa ,

epiretpog pevpdro)v elnov 15

*

cov uapa7T£LO q y /cal di-

cpuip&v anorvxeZv. uicon sire ovv ,

rtiv

/cat

Trotrjo'd

21

•

peXXw eon

Xoyog

fjv (bg

vplv ev epoi rov ,

av eddfcovv Xeyeiv. nai

perplcjg

ccfrodpoTEpog, nai

oxedov loug

“Lest, aiming at things too great,

emSaXXopevoi.

Srj

we

should

even of the small.”

14.

Kadanep

The common reading

el.

is el

Kadanep.

We

have

ventured to make the change from the exigency of the place, and on the authority of Stephanus ly-flowing river.”

;

“ as

if

we

three had to cross a violent-

— See Note XVIII., App.

15. neipadijvai.

Whenever a verb

is

used only

voice to the entire exclusion of the active, or

predominant form

— or

when

when

in the

middle

the middle

is

the

the active has a causal signification,

thus giving rise to what in the middle

is seemingly an independent such cases, the passive aorists and passive perfect do not denote the receiving of an action, or, in other words, are not the

sense

—

in all

passive of the active, even when it is in use, but are strictly middle Thus, neipdu “ to tempt another ;” neipdopai “ to tempt

tenses.

,

,

one’s self, or to attempt, to try ;” neipadrjvai not to be tempted but “ to attempt, or try ;” same as the middle. So, also, 7rAa£b, “ to ;” cause to wander nhdfypai, “to wander;” nXayxdrjvai, not “ to be ,

made

to

,

wander,” but to wander same as the middle. Such cases Nothing seems to us to be gained by ;

are very frequent in Greek.

them deponent, a term which would seem to belong peculiarly where there is no middle form, except as it is supplied by the passive. In Greek no good reason can be assigned why such calling

to the Latin

verbs should be regarded as essentially different from others of the middle voice. This peculiarity does certainly exist in cases where there

is

an actual middle beyond

all

shown in the use both same sense.

doubt, as

of the middle and passive aorists with the

3

22

CONTRA ATHEOS.

a6arog l vplv

ocp&v p(bpq

(bg 737

•

pi] 6i)

onorodivlav iXiyyov* rs

napacpepopevog re nai epcjrdjv arjOecg ovrag

epiroirjorj,

airoKpLoeuv elr' dox'rjpoovvrjv airperxeidv re evreay] ,

arjdr],

avepurav pot xp^l vai 17 oielv ovro)al ravvv epe TTpGjrov epavrov cuiovovTGdv vpibv ev docpaXel, ical pera done!

6rj

*

ravra dirouptvaodai TrdXtv epe teal rov Xoyov duavra ovto) diegeXOelv, axpcnep dv 'ipvxijs ^cept dianepavij-cu, nal •

deify

71

porepov ov V

KA. A pior\

(b

'ijwxijv

O(bparog.

fyve, frorcelg rjplv elprjicevat

•

ixolet

re

(bg

Xeyetg.

A0. "Aye fy* dedv elnore uapanXrjreov tovto ovtg) yevopevov 1

.

(jxedov

ujug

a6arog.

*

enl ye anodeii-tv

See page 20

,

11

.

Here

rjplv,

vvv eo~G)

(bg elol rijv

av-

also, Gxebov, instead

of impairing, increases the force of the expression, and may be regarded as an apology for not using a stronger term. “ might

We

almost say aSarog” &c. 2

.

oxoTobcvlav ITuyyov re vplv spnoLr/Gri.

These are favourite terms

with Plato to express that state of intellectual dizziness with which the soul approaches the contemplation of those great truths, which

may

he regarded as the apxal or foundations of

all

Compare

others.

the language used in the beginning of the seventh book of the Republic,

as applied to those

who

are supposed suddenly to emerge from the

dark cave of error and phenomena into the upper world of

Compare, also, the Gorgias, 527, A.

truth.

That

this

language was

common

;

light

and

Theaetetus, 155, D.

with Socrates himself, and that

Plato in this, as well as in almost everything else, truly represents his peculiarities, not only of reasoning, but of style,

from the manner

may

be inferred

which Aristophanes joins together these two terms in evident allusion to Socrates, whose philosophy and favourite modes of speech he omits no opportunity to ridicule, not only in the Clouds, but also in many places of his other comedies. Vide the in

Acharnenses, 1218. ITuyyuo Kapa Xldtp 7rEn?i7jyphogy Kal GKOTodiviib. 3.

'KctpatyepopEvog.

stream

4.

still

sustained, although, in a critical point of view,

awkwardly dropped in tporuv. See Note XVIII., App. See Note XIX., App.

rather both.

is

In this word the metaphor of the rushing

T^oyog is to

it

is

be supplied for

c

CONTRA ATHEOS. rwr, onovd'Q iraorf napaKeuXrjoOuv

23

6 exoperoi de

.

nvog

tig

aGcfraXovg netGparog, Emdacvoopev elg rov vvv Xoyov.

poi eX eyxopbvcp

,

8

(paXeorara dnonpivEoda

rav

dpa

rtg,

(pr\

icaZ

nepl rd rocavra epojrrjOEGL roialode da-

1

EorrjKE

Kara

(paLverai.

pev navra

ds,

d) Z-eve ,

ono -

KiveZrai de ovdev

9 ,

;

rj

rd pev avrtiv tuveZrat rd de pevEL Ta pev ntveZrai nov 10 (prjGU), rd ds psvei. Mwv Tm to re eortira egttjue /ecu to Kivovpeva otw 11 edpa nov av ye ev tuveZrat IIw^ ydp ov Ka£ to rovrcp

7T

av rovvavrtov

;

?]

,

,

;

,

;

j

5. 6.

See Note XIX., App. kxopevoL 6e &g tivoq do^akovg neerparog.

some sure

There

cable.”

is still

“ Holding fast as by

preserved here the metaphor of

the dangerous flood, and there can be no doubt, that by this sure cable is

meant

just prayed. 7.

that Divine strength and guidance See Notes XVIII. and XIX., App.

This word

ElEyxopeva).

“convicted of error.” in

an argument.”

It

is

which he had

generally rendered “ refuted,” or

here, however,

It

for

means simply “engaged

thus frequently used in the Gorgias and

is

elsewhere. 8.

dnoKpLVEGdcLL, “ to take the part of respondent” as well as that

of interrogator. 9.

egttjke

10. nov.

Kara

ds

— See Note XX., App.

See Note XX., App.

psv navra.

This

.

particle, of so frequent

use

in the Platonic dia-

logues, in its primary sense implies doubt or hesitation, fore, generally said to

tion, in a

manner

employed,

take

away from

directly the opposite of

when nothing

of this kind

and

is,

there-

the positiveness of a declaraIt is,

drj.

is really

however, often

intended, but only an

appearance of it, in those familiarities of the colloquial

style, to

which

a term of courtesy, by

this particle is so

admirably adapted.

which the speaker,

to avoid being thought dogmatic or positive, ap-

It is

peals to the other party for his assent, without, however, intending

any doubt of the proposition advanced. <f)rjco) ,

it

KivELTcu,

If connected here with

should be rendered, “I will say, shall it

comes nearly

to the

same

thing, “

I

not?’

some

Or

if

with

things move, do

they not 1”

Perhaps a better exGreek to illustrate the essential difference between the present and the perfect. From its very nature .he idea of rest is finished and complete, and is therefore denoted 11.

EGTcjra egtijke

.

..

.

ample could not be found

KLvovpEva kiveItcu. in

)

24

CONTRA ATHEOS.

rovro

dpcbrj,

ra de ev ,

Td

TcXetoot.

Xap6avovra dvvaptv Aeyeig,

peocp

Ocu , KaOdnep izeptcpopa

r\

pa rov peytorov

yovoa

7]

polg re

teal

de ye d)g ev ravrpj

nepupo-

rfj

rov optKporarov kvkXov apa

roiavTTj KtvrjOig.

ava Xoyov

13

irepid-

eavrrjv diavepei opiK-

pei^ooiv, eXarrcov re ovoa Kai nXelcov Kara

/cal

Xoyov. did

(brjoopev, ev evl Kivelo-

rtiv eoravai Xeyopev cov kvkXoov orpecperai

N at. MavOavopev

;

eorurcjv 1 * ev

tt)v rtiv

drj

r&v fiavpaortiv 14

airavrcov

yeyovev,

irrjyri

dpa peyaXoig Kai optKpolg KVKXocg (dpadvriqrdg re nai raxp opoXoyovpeva 15 n opevovoa, advvarov (bg av rig eXntoeie yiyveoOai naOog. ’A XrjOeorara Xeyetg. ra de ye Ktvovpeva ev rroXXolg

vovra

1

(palvp\

pot Xeyeiv , boa (popa Kivelrat peradat-

elg erepov del rorrov

evog KeKrrjpeva

•

Kai rore pev ,

nvog Kevrpov rore ,

KvXivdeloOai. npoorvyxdvovra by the

2

Such verbs, however, as

present.

express positive

rest

,

is

ore fiaoiv

de nXecova,

rw nepu

eKaorore eKaoroig rolg ,

Motion, on the other hand,

latter tense.

continued or incomplete action, and

much

d’

eonv

necessarily

is

therefore expressed hy the

tt avo,

navopai

Arjyv,

,

do not so

as a ceasing of previous action, which,

being a continuous idea, admits of a present form. “ You mean, then, we will reply (to out 12. Td tt]v rtiv karurov.

imaginary interlocutor) that those which receive the faculty or prop erty

(

dvvaptv of things at rest in the centre (another

mode

of say

mg, the properly of being at rest, &c.) move in one, just like theAnother, and revolutions of those wheels that are said to stand.” perhaps a better

way would

be to take piatp with hapSdvovra, in

stead of kardruv, after this order, ra kv peotp ’kapbdvovra

kardrov dvvaptv.

Ficinus renders

13.

See Note XXI., App.

14.

See Note XXII., App. opu^oyovpeva, to be taken

15.

Advvarov

.

.

.

nddog,

“a

—

rrjv

rfiv

quee in medio stare possunt

adverbially

for

opoTioyovphtjq.

state of things (nuOoq) which, as

one would

expect, could not possibly take place.” 1.

kv itoXXolc, the opposite of kv hi.

tion.”

Or

“

On many

rolling on a plane, instead of revolving

such as Sextus Empiricus styles romayv perdSaatv. Pyrrh. Hypot., iii., 8 and 64. 2.

7t

poorvyxdvovra.

“As

centres of

mo-

on a fixed point, Sext, Emp.,

they meet continually *Vith individual

.

CONTRA ATHEOS.

25

3

korCxu pev diaofti&Tai, Tolg

TUCK nal (pepopevoig

s^ovra

(hg

dXXrjXocg e£ evavrtag

anav -

yiyvopeva peoa re nal pera^v

elg ev

ovyupivercu. Xeyo) yap ovv ravra ovrcog

tolovtcvv

t£)v

d’

ov Xeyscg

nal ovynpivopEva pev av$;d-

real prjv

.

1

verac

,

dianpivopeva 6s (pdtvei

kndoTCJV E^tg diapev^

anoXXvTai. ylyvETaf drjXov d>g

pr)

•

dr)

tote OTav

9

pevovGijg de avTrjg di dpcpOTepa ,

navT(ov yevEGig

onoTav ap%r) Xadovoa

tjvlk

,

av

tl

n a-

5

av^rjv, elg ttjv dev-

$ TEpav eXOrj peTadaoiv, nal and TavTrjg ;

naOeoTTjnvla

7]

,

elg ttjv nXrjoiov,

nal pEXpt Tpitiv eXOovoa aloOrjfUv oxzi r olg aioOavopEVotg. ,

pETadaXXov pev ovv ovtoj nal peTamvovpevov ytyvETac nav. eotl 6e ovTug ov, s onoTav pevrj peTabaXbv de elg •

dXXrjv egiv, diecpOapTai navTeXtig. dp ovv nivrjGEig naoag ’

elprjnapEV (bg ev e16egi Xadelv uet’ aptOpov, nXrjv ye,

cb (pt-

j

Xol dvolv ,

KA.

;

II oiaiv drj

A0. X^edov, rlv

t]

Gne'iptg

KA. Aeye A0.

; 9

cb

yaOe eneivatv ,

,

evena naoa

cov

rjpZv eg-

Tavvv, GacpeOTEpov

vxTjg fjv evena

nov

;

KA. Jlavv uev ovv A0. "E (7T6) TOtVVV 7] UEV ETEpa dwapEVrf EavT7)v de adwaTOvoa alel pea Tig d’ .

j

j

•

Am

niVElv niV7]Gl

eavTrjv r’ aZet

9

erepa dvvapevr] naTa te GvynpiGEtg ev re dianptGEGcv

,

av^acg te nal Tcb evavTicp, nal yeveoeot nal cpOopatg a X Xr\ ,

ata Ttg av tg5v nao&v ntvrjGEtiv .

KA.

’Kcrrct)

yap ovv.

opposing objects, by those that stand they are divided, while with others that meet

them (being borne from opposite directions) they and intervening parts come together into

unite, so that the centres

one.”

6.

See Note XXIII., App. See Note XXIV., App.

7.

dieQOaprac.

3, 4, 5.

“

It is

utterly destroyed,” that

before was, no longer is”

the words 8. 9.

“ the thing which

is,

See Notes XXIII. and XXIV., App., on

tyOioLg, avt-rjOLQ, (fiQopa , eipi,

See Note XXV., App.

O

and yiyvopai

.

.

26

CONTRA ATHEOS.

A0. Ovkovv

pev erepov dec mvovoav

rrjv

10

9

Xopevrjv v(p erepov 'drjoopev evarrjv av ,

mvovoav

erepa

teal

,

evapporrovoav

,

,

teal

peradaX-

rrjv re eavrrjv

pev

Trace

rrocrjpaoc,

rraoc de iraOrjpaoc , tcaXovpevrjv de ovrcog rcov ovrcov

rcov peradoXrjv teal mvrjocv, ravrrjv de

n av.

o%eddv

detcarrjv

epovpev.

KA. UavraTraoi pev A0. Tcov vaepev

11

dena pdXcora

dr)

rjplv mvrjoecov

opOorara rraccdv eppcopeveordrrjv

Trpatcrcicrjv

deaepepovreog

M vpccp

KA.

ovv.

13

12

reva rrpoKpcre elvac nat

;

avdyterj

irov

avrrjv

(jravac dcacjrepecv rrjv

dvvapevrjv mvelv rag de aXXag 7rdoag, vorepag. ,

A0. Ev

Xeyecg. dp’ ovv rjplv rcov

rcov peraOereov 14 ev

fj

teal

KA. Hoc a cpxig A0. To rrjg detearrjg KA. Urj;

dvo

vvv ova

dpQcdg prjdev-

;

;

prjQev oftedov ova dpOcdg elprjrac

A0. Upcdrov 15 yeveoec re eon

teal pcdpyp

teard

Xoyov

to de pera rovro e%opev rovrov devrepov apre prjQev aro,

rrcog

evarov.

KA.

Xeyecg

nc5$*

;

T

A0, £2de. orav erepov aXXo rjplv peraddXyj nal rovro aXXo erepov dec rcov rocovrcov apa eorac rrore rc irpcdrov peradaXXov teal rrcdg, orav vn’ aXXov mvrjrac rovr eoTat ,

,

’

;

,

See Note XXV., App. This is the common reading. dent, however, that dv should be supplied. 10.

11. riva TTpoKpivaifiEV.

12.

It is evi-

See Note XXVI., App.

13. pvpiG).

Hyperbolical measure of excess.

“

By

ten thousand

times.” 14. /LcsTaderiov.

ticulars

V

“ Must

we change

the order in one or

two

par-

}

The meaning

what was last or tenth in the order of the previous investigation, becomes first in the order of nature and in the degree of importance and that which we be fore wrongly called the ninth, becomes now the second. See Notes XXV. and XXVI., App. 15.

npcorov.

of this

is,

that

;

;

27

CONTRA ATHEOS. irore rtiv aXXoiovvTO)v rrpCdTov

;

advvarov yap, dAA’ orav

apa avro avrd tuvrjcrav erepov dXXoitior], to d erepov aX’

Xo nat ovtg)

dfj

,

pvpioig ytyvrjrai rd /avrjOevra ,

x^ ia

ear at

ucbv apx'f] rcg avrtiv

rrjg

mvrjoeojg dndorjg aXXr],

I

7tXt)v

Ti]g avTrjg avTrjv mvr\odG7\g peTadoXrj

i]

K aXXiOTa

KA. A0.

,7

E tl

elnsg

;

Gvyx^p'ijrea te TOVTOig.

•

Tode ehrcjpev, nai dnofcptvcjpeOa irdXiv

dr) real

rd rravTa opov yevopeva nanXeloTOt t&v tolovtgjv toXpd)Gi Xeyeiv tlv’ apa

rjplv avToloiv. el GTairj ncjg

Oanep

oi

,

ev avTOtg avay/crj

KA. T rjv 7tots

,

7rpd)Trjv Ktvrjoiv

avT7]v

dr] rrov

yevsoOai tcov eiprjpsvG)v

mvovaav in’ aXXov yap ov .

$

prj~

spnpoaOev psTanso'y prjdepidg ye ev avTOtg ovorjg ,

epirpoaOev psTanTuaecog.

A0.

’A pxv v apa 1 Kivrjosojv naotiv

tgjgl yevopevrjv teal ev tuvovpevoig

Gav ,

teal Trpd)T7]v

ovGav

ev ts eg-

tt)v avTrjv

mvov~

tyrjGopev dvaynaiatg elvai TTpeGdvTaTrjv ical KpaTiGTTjv

peTaboXfjV naGtiv

tt)v de dXXoiovpevrjv veff ETepov , klvov-

•

GaiPds eTspa devTepav. ,

KA. A0.

’A Xr}OeGTaTa Xeyetg. 2 Ottote d 7} TOivvv evTavda EGpev tov Xoyov , Tode

'

dnorcpivtipeOa.

KA. To A0.

5

evvdpG),

rj

7Tolov

E av

(frrjGopev

rj

;

ldo)pev

Trvpoeidei,

nexupiopevcp

ev tgj tolovtg)

KA. Mtiv apa pe

3 TavTTjv yevopevrjv ev tgj yrjivcp ,

7tov

tt

aOog elvai

epo)Tag el

£?/ v

4

teal

rj

^vppiyel tl ttotg ,

;

avro npoGepovpev OTav

avTO avTO mvf\ 1.

all

apxvv apa

motions, the

ving

among

klvt/ceov. first

“ Seeing, then, that

among

it is

the principle of

things that stand, and being self-mo-

things that move,

we

will say that

it is

*he oldest and

strongest,” &c. 2.

hravda Xoyov.

“In

such expressions as 7tov we

yr/c

this part of our

argument.”

—

anoplag

7r oi

—ek

yijc

rod’

—

Compare

Iv* el

—

naKov

opyrjg 3. TttVTIJV. 4.

Supply

KLVTJOLV.

Cyv npooEpovfjiEV orav avro avro tavrj

;

“ Shall

we

call

it life

(of

—

v

;

CONTRA ATHEOS.

N at,

A0.

tfjv.

KA. Hug yap

ov

;

A0. T L de onorav 'i/jvxrjv ev tloiv ravrov TOVTCp $q opoAoyrjreov

optipev, ptiv

;

aXko f

t

;

KA. 0 vtc aXXo. A0. "E%e dr\ 5 irpog ktog

ap

*

’

oi>/£

av eOeXoig nepl enao-

tov rpia voelv

KA. Hug AO.

Xeyetg

;

*'Ev pev, rrjv

ev de, ovopa.

ovolav

cal dr) Kal

7

t

6

ev de rrjg ovoiag rov Xoyov

*

•

,

epcorrjoetg eivai nepl

to ov anav

dvo.

KA. IIw^ dvo

;

A0. Tore pev 8 rjpojv enaorov rovvopa nporecvopevov avro rov Aoyov airairelv tots de rov Xoyov Tcporeivope•

,

apa ye to rotovde av fiovXopeda

vov, epcorav av rovvopa.

vvv Xeyeiv

KA. To to Live)

;

7toIov

when

;

a thing itself moves

£««, to live ,

itself'?”

and

to

up are unquestionably of the same radical Effervescence or fermentation from the action of heat, taking idea. place in matter otherwise apparently motionless, would be the pheboil , to bubble , to bubble

,

nomenon which of all others would most readily suggest to the mind the idea of self-motion and would thus be taken as a

primitive

,

symbol of life. v

5.

E^£

drj ttpoc

A Log. “ Hold

there by Jove.”

Let us secure

of the subject.

Compare Gorgias, 490, A. dum does not seem to us

this phrase, age

it,

An

important posi-

and then advance to another view

tion is gained.

,

The usual

rendering ot

to give its peculiar sig-

nificance. 6.

ev pev

,

ttjv

ovolav,

k.

t. X.

“

One

thing the essence, one the

Xoyog or reason of the essence, and one the name.”

See Note

XXVII., App. This phrase generally denotes an application of a “And accordingly, respecting every such essence, there must be always two questions.” 7.

Kal dq Kall

preceding proposition.

8.

ed,

tote pev

we demand

Tibyog or

tote

de.

“

At one time, the name being present

the loyoq, reason or definition

reason being given,

we

;

ask the name.”

at

•

another time, the

29

CONTRA ATHEOS. V

A0.

E otl

9 dix a dtaipovpevov ev aXkotg re nai

7tov

apedpep, Tovrcp drj rep nar dptdpov ovopa pev, apnov yo^ de, aptOpog dtatpovpevog elg loa dvo peprj. ’

•

,

h

Ad

N al.

KA.

A0. To tolovtov (ppa^G). pdrv ovv ov ravrov enarepodg 10 av re tov Xoyov epo)T(x)pevot, Tovvopa Trpooayopevopev, anodtdcbpev, av re Tovvopa, tov Xoyov apTiov dvopaTij *

nai

TavTov ov

A0. 9.

'ipvxv

may be

This

diaipovpevov.

Ylxcl

.

Tovvopa, Ttg tovtov A oyog

11

ttt dr)

c

it

;

KA. HavTairaoL pev ovv T

poo ay opevovT eg,

dtxa dtatpovpevov dpiOpov

\oy<p,

exopev

;

“

taken impersonally.

divided into two,” or generally, “ there

or there

is

may be this

It is

divis-

ion into two, both in other things and also in respect to number.”

tovtu

“

drj.

To

“ namely, that

apnov

this thing, that

this division”

is,

which has respect

—r&

number, the

to

but the ’koyog (notion, reason, or definition)

;

And

two equal parts.”

visible into

in the eighth

/car’

NAME

apidpov,

( ovopa )

a number

is

is

di-

this is the koyog or notion given

book of Euclid’s Elements of Geometry,

in these very

words. 10. pfiv ovv ov

ravrov knaripwg

may be thus freely rendered

sage

stantially predicate the

we

name

give the

asked

if,

name,

—

predicating of the

Do we not

“

which

we give name

After

The two that

whose notion

apnov.

2d.

To

even!

there seems no

all,

may

questions is

What

this the

,

part

:

The

:

,

1st. 1

answer

is

,

name

and of the

What is the name To this the answer

the notion of that whose

name

is

apnov

of is

or

apiOpog elg lea Svo peprj bLaipovpevog—

,

and Ast.

the notion), and being

confusion in the sentence.

little

a number divided &c.

is

pas-

&c., being substantially the

,

be thus stated

a number divided or divisible &c.

ovopan although

it is

the notion (to which the

as subject, apnov

notion as subject, a number divided

same.”

The whole

in both respects sub-

being asked in respect to the notion,

(of the thing of

in respect to the

belongs)

same,

ttpoeayopevopev.

:

We

have placed a

differing in this respect

comma

after

from the editions of Bekkei

following seems to us to be the order of the lattei

Tzpoaayapevovreg ovopan, apnov , kuc

dixa biaipovpevov dpiOpov ravrov ov ,

( kv

See Note XXVIII., App. 11. See Note XXVIII., App.

C

2

(

npoeayopevovreg )

Aoy<p,

dp^orepoig TTpoeayopevopevov).

;

30

CONTRA

dXXov nX'qv tov vvv avrrjv klveIv fdvrjoiv

KA. To eavrd A0.

§r\pi ye.

OovpEv 13

prjOevra , rrjv dvvapEvrjv avT7)V

dr)

;

klvelv

av rjvnep Tovvopa o

ATIIEOS.

^g Xoyov

navTEg

dfj

eI 6’

12

npoGayopEvopev

;

egti tovto ovrcog exov, apa etc no -

inavdjg dEdslxOai

prj

e%piv tt)v avrr\v ovgl-

'ipvx'rjv

'ijwx'rjv

ravrov ov nal t rjv

npcjrrjv yEVEOiv nal nivrjGtv rtiv te ovtcov nal yEyovorcov

EOopsvG)v

real

ye

6rj

teal

,

dv£(j)dvri

anaav KA. Ovn

navrcov av t&v evavTiuv TOVTOig

;

Ensi-

peTaboXrjg re nal /avrjoEG)g dndorjg alrla

;

dXXd

•

ltcavd)rara didEtnTai

'ipvx^J

tov nav-

tcjv npEobvrdrrjj yEvopEvrj te apx'Zj mvrjGECog. r

A0. vrjGig,

Ap’ ovv ovx

di

f]

9

ETEpov

14,

ev dXXco ytyvopEvrj nt -

avrd 6e ev avrd) prjdEnoTE napEXOvoa mveloOcu prj(3 ovXolto av Tig apiQ -

6 ev, dEvrepa te nal onoccov dpiOptiv PEIV aVT7]V noXXoGTTJV

TOGOVTO)V GGOpaTOg OVGa OVTCVg ,

peTaboXf)

d'lpvxov

KA.

’0 pOojg.

A0.

’Opdcbg

Ta

15 ,

elprjnoTeg

apa nal nvp'uog aXrjOEGTaTa te nal TEXEUTa-

av elpEv 1

'ipvx'rjv

12.

See Note XXVIII., App.

13.

apa

sensum non

salis

p&v npoTEpav yEyovivai

Itl 'jtoOov/j.ev prj Uavtiq dedelxOat.

num

habet, est enim:

demonstratum esse

,

SfC.

G(o~

JloOovpev praegnantem

quid adhuc desideramus {existiwantes)

—Ast.

We see no necessity for this

explanation of Ast, but would prefer directly connecting 'Kodovpev

with dedetxdai struction.

,

without resorting to any

“Do w e T

ellipsis or

yet feel the want of

its

praegnant con-

being sufficiently

shown,” &c.

here occurs in the usual manner, and with the

usual force which

it

has after verbs containing in themselves the

sense of a negative either expressed or implied, such as those of /orand in such cases it is not to be bidding preventing, want &c. ,

,

rendered by

itself,

;

but regarded as strengthening the quasi denial of

the governing word.

Uodov/zev

may

although a verb of want or desire, 14. See Note XXIX., App. 15. 1.

7ToTikoarrjv.

el/iev.

For remarks on

The common reading

be ranked

in this class,

and,

al-

invariably takes an accusative.

this

word, see Note XXIX., App.

is r/pev,

but as the optative

is clear-

CONTRA ATHEOS. l

iarog rjplv

31

ctipa be, devrepov re nal varepov '^vx'dg dp*

•

XOVG7]g y apxopevov nara

(jjvaiv.

KA. ’AXrjOeorara pev ovv. A0. M epvrjpeOd ye prjv opoXoyrjGavreg 6ev

ipvxi tyavecrj npeadvrepa ocbparoq ovoa

(bg el

,

ev rolg epnpoo -

3

~°v oebparog eaoiro irpeodvrepa

ipvX^q

KA. Haw pev ovv A0. Tponoc dr) real

real

,

rd

.

.

nal povXrjaeLg nal Xoyiopol nal

i]0r]

2

bo%ai aXrjOelg, empeXeiat re nal pvrjpac, reporepa prjnovg GG)pdro)v nal nXarovg nal fiadovg nal pcbprjg av, e’inep nal

KA.

elrj

yeyovora

ouparog.

'ipvx'rj

’A v ay nip

A0. yAp’ ovv to per a rovro opoXoyetv dvaynalov re ayadebv airiav eivai

'ipvx'tjv

tCjv

,

nal rcov naXbbv nal nancov

nal alcxp&v, dinaioyv re nal adinuv, nal redvrayv tgjv evavtig)v

;

elnep rcbv navroiv ye avrrjv

# rjoopev

airiav

;

KA. Udjg yap

ov

A0.

bioinovoav nal evoinovoav* ev airaoc rolg

•kvx'tiv dr)

;

navrrj ncvovpevoig ptiv ov nal rov ovpavov dvdynrj dcoc nelv <\>avai

KA. T l ly required, elrjpev,

plural.

the

;

prjv

;

we have rj

in

K vpicog

this is

with Ast substituted

a stronger

word than

thority^as an established truth

now

elpev,

which

form being often dropped

—or as

bpQtig.

is

used

in the dual It

means “ by

something which

for

and au-

we may

assert with confidence.’’

2.

See Note XXX., App.

3.

tu)v re

dyaQ&v airiav

cause of the good, and

eivai ipvxyv Kai rtiv nahuv.

fair,

and right.”

It is not,

“ Soul

is

the

however, simply

the efficient cause regarded objectively, but the very subjective their existence, without which they could have no being, whether there was a universe of matter or not. Where soul is not, there can be no harmony, no beauty, no right, no good. And so,

ground of

not only makes

also,

it

own

hell.

4.

ing.”

Without

diouiovcav

it

its

own

there

— evoinovoav

paradise, but

its

own

earth,

is

no discord, no deformity, no

,

“pervading

and

its

evil.

— inhabiting — indwell-

— CONTRA ATHEOS.

32

7

5

A0. Miav.rj nXecovg Avolv

Kptvovpcu.

t£ evepyendog

KA.

,

6

ye

ilev

vtrep o (f) 0)lv arro -

eXarrov prjdev rtOtipev,

irov

rrjg

/cat

X<p66pa dpdcXg etprjKag.

$ aXarrav

real yrjv teal

eari, fiovXeoQai ,

do%a£eiv

opOtig,

dappovGav, <ra/£

£yfi)

•

ravavria Svvapevrjg ei-epya^eodcu.

A0. Efev. ay££ pev

9

HXetovg

;

,

ovpavov

rat$* avrrjg klvtjoegiv, alg

ovopara

'ipvxr)

e'lpevGpevcjg •

x

•

oaat tovtcjv %vyyevelg

rj

I3ovXeveg0cu,

,

al P ovaav

picovoav

The general sense

r'd

empeXeloOcu

otconeToOcu,

(j^odovpevrjv

5. 7ivle/ovf.

navra

/car'

dfj

Xvnovpevrjv

GrepyovGav

,

•

7rd-

/cat

•

7rpG)rovpyol lavrjGEig, rag

of the passage

is

best preserved by

rendering this word, not many, but more than one. 6.

See Note XXNI., App., on the Platonic doctrine of the

<5vo/v.

evil principle. 7.

ipvxv Travra.

aye/,

antithesis of matter, for

‘fvxv is here used collectively as the

souls, including the spirits of

all

men and

angels (or daipoveg), as well as the Divine soul, which he regards as

The

the principium or fountain of the whole genus.

doctrine, that

even the human soul was older than body, was taught by Plato, yet not in the sense in which

it is

commonly understood.

It

has,

how-

no necessary connexion with his present argument against the

ever,

atheists. 8.

x aL P 0V(jav The sudden change here from the infinitive to the seems made on purpose for variety. Xalpovoav, however, ‘

participle if

any should choose so

to regard

it,

ovopara, egti (to) ipvxyv

may be The

accusative before these infinitives. '

x a LP 0VGav

taken with ipvxyv as the

order would be thus

XvTrovpevyv

,

k.

t.

X.

:

alg

povXeadai

GKOTTELodai, K. T. X. 9.

connect with klvjigeoiv alg above. working motions,” viz., those of soul

Tcuccug,

“first

c Kon tied a/, &c.

A evrepovpyovg

av,

IIpiorovpyol KivrjGEig ,

—such

as povXecdat

“second working motions,”

cor-

responding to order second of motion described some ways back “ second causes,” or “ motions of matter produced by impulse” (ef

dXXov

Fig

dXXo peraSoXy).

made page

27, line 16,

The author has

and also 30,

in

view the

classification

we

believe to be

This

line 15.

the true sense of the passage, but a glance at the position of the participles

and

infinitives

although

may

not have been intended,

true.

it

It will

above suggests another is

be seen that these participles

division, which,

yet most important and

all

express feelings of the

,

CONTRA ATHEOS. devrepovpyovg av

rrapaXapdavovaat

ayovoi iravra elg av^rjatv nai ovyupiocv

rovrotg eiropevag

teal

•

pvrrjrag Kovcporrjrag

'ipvx'rj

ovoa

avorrjpov

•

,

6/o0d

^epporrjrag,

yXvKv

,

/cat

Tuttpov

•

,

exec

teal *

j

8a-

Xevnov nal

•

/cat Tract iv olg

alel 'deov,

10

deog

avota 6e

•

ravra av ravavrta rovrotg arrepya^erat.

ravra ovrcog ex eiV

rtOcbpev

'ipvi-eig

i

evdatpova iratdaytvyel iravra

/cat 7

dtanpioLv

teal

XP Mpevrj, vovv pev irpooXapbavovoa

%vyyevopevrj

7TG)g

/sat

,

coopdrojv,

KLvr\ceiq

aicXrjpbv Kal paXattov

•

,

peXav

tyQioiv,

33

\

V ETl btora^opev

el

erepejg

;

KA. 0 vdapeog. A0. ndrepoi/

1

moral nature, while the part of the soul,

tial

may,

infinitives

Now the

of the intellect.

yevog eynpareg ovpavol)

oi’V dz) 'ipvx'ijg

denote the motions or exercises

passions or feelings being the most essen-

and that which excites the

intellect to action,

in respect to the latter, be styled npuTovpyol

( first

working ),

just as the exercises of soul generally are npurovpyol, or first work -

ing

when compared with ,

the secondary motions of matter. IT apaX“ taking along with themselves (as co-operatives or

auxiliaries)

the devrepovpyovg KtvrjGELg copdrov,” namely, second

,

apSavovacu

causes or the laws of nature. ,

10

.

nal

7r

dav

olg.

7

0 ig,

although neuter, refers to the above re-

cited devrepovpyovg Kivijoeig of matter.

K al>

if

judged according to

the English idiom, would be redundant as a connective.

however, retain is to

place as an intensive particle.

its

be rendered as

omnibus

si

may,

It

Ka/' tcugiv olg

—

So Cornarius regards it quibus Or it may be taken in

olg Kal tzclglv.

anima, quee Dea est utitur &c. ,

,

the order of the words, only regarding Kal as intensive instead of is not additional, but only a collective term mentioned before “ And all which,” or “ even all (those second working motions) which the soul using itself being Divine, and taking along with it that Divine thing vovg rightly and happily guides all things but when conversant with folly, it ever

connective, so that rraGcv

—

for all the things

— —

;

doeth the contrary,” &c.

Qeog here, according to a

common

Pla-

tonic usage, is equivalent to tielog. 11.

rrorepov ovv dq Tpvxrjg yevog

mentioned), do

one wise and qualities'!”

we

full

,

“which of the two

souls (lately

say, has the control of the heavens, &c.

—the

of virtue, or the one that hath neither of these

CONTRA ATHEOS.

34

cal yrjg nai irdarjg rrjg

i

vcpov

apsrrjg nXrjpEg

teal

,

nepiodov yeyovsvcu (pdpEV ?j

;

IIg5$*

to 0po*

to prjdETEpd Kenrrjpsvov

QovXegOe ovv npog ravra (1j6e GTTOfcpivGjpedG

KA.

;

;

;

;

A0. E l pkv, gj ftavpaoLe, (pcbpEv, rj £vpndoa ovpavov odog dpa nal (popd nal tgjv ev dvreb ovtgjv anavruv, vov fuvrjo el nal

T£pL<popa

l

7

Kdi Xoytopolg opotdv (pvotv

*

%vyy£V(bg epxsrai, djjXov

(bg rrjv

apLorrjv

nai

'ipvx'fjv

(pdriov

ETUpE^ELGdaL TOV HOGpOV TTdVTOg Kdt dyELV dVTOV TT\V TOL,

dVT7]V ddbv EKELV7JV.

KA,

’OpOtbg.

A0. E l 6e pdviitcbg te Kdt drdicrGjg spiral, ttjv icainjv. KA. Kdt rdvra opOibg. A0. T evd ovv 6rj vov KLvrjGig (pvotv e^el tovto rjdrj xa ~ ;

XeTTOV,

dco

6rj

GJ

(piXot^ EpGJTrjpa

eItTELV EpcjjpOVGJg.

Kdt kps rrjg dironpiGEGjg vplv dtimtov tgvvv npoG -

XapddvELv

13 .

KA. Ev A0.

dUOKpiVOpEVOV

XsyELg.

Mt) tolvvv e% EVdvriag olov Elg rjXiov

14

dnobXEirov-

TEg vvtcra ev pEG7]p6pta knayopEVot 7TOLr]O(bpE0a rrjv airo,

,

KpLGLV

,

Gjg

VOVV

yvGJoopEVOL inavcbg

novTdg

^Vl^TOLg OppdGLV O'lpOpEVOL TE Kdt

TCOTE •

npog ds shidva rov kpGJTGjpsvov

{3Xe-

&<7(j)dX,£OTepov opdv.

KA. Ucbg hkysig A0. T Hi npooEOME ;

12.

N ov

13.

7rpocrhapSaveLv

klvt](J£l

vovg

/uvrjGEL

Kal nspL^opa

.

15 ,

tgjv ds/ca ehelvgjv kl-

See Note XXXII., App.

here has nearly the sense of !;vXXap6aveiv, “to

take part with, to assist you in the answer.” 14. e% kvavriag olov elg fyliov.

Compare with

in the sixth

book of the Republic, intended to

the ayaOov

also, the

;

this the similitudes

illustrate the idea of

comparison of the dark cave

in the

beginning

of the seventh book, and the representation of the demeanour of those who, after coming out of directly at the sun, without

its

obscurity, are supposed to look

making use of such helps as are

furnish-

ed by the reflections of mirrors and of water. 7 “ Let us take as an image (since 15. H* TcpooeoiKE klvtjgel vovg.

:

CONTRA ATHEOS. elnova Xabatpev

vfjoecov tt)v

rrjv duoKpiocv

kolvxi

zjv

•

35

ovvavapvr]oQetg vplv iyu),

Tcoi'rjoopai.

KA. KdXXiOTa av Xeyoig. A0. Me livrjfieOa tolvvv* Toys r oaovrov /

tcov dnavTOJv

tu pev tuveladat rd ,

tie

j

rtiv tots etc, oti

ueveiv eQepev

.

2

KA. NaL A0. Ttiv 6’ av tuvovpsvmf Td pev ev Oat Ta 6 ev ttXelogl epepopeva.

evl tottg) tuvelo

y

,

KA. *E art TavTa.

T ovtolv

A0.

1 toZv Ktvrjoeotv tt)v ev evl (pepopevrjv

6rj

del rrepL ye ti peoov avaytcr) tuveloOai tgjv evTopvcjv ov -

oav

pipirjpd Ti KVK,X(i)V, slva'i TE aVTT]V T%j

7ravTG)g (bg

dvvaTdv

KA.

Xeyeig

A0. To

VOX) TtEpi66(xX

oitcELOTaTrjv te teat opotav. ;

TavTa drjnov teal cooavTug teal ev tgj avKept Ta avTa teal npog Ta avTa tcal eva Xoyov teal

to), teal

/card

y

,

ptav

Tat-iv

TOV

tavEloOai XeyovTeg vovv ttjv te ev evl

apcj)(i)

,

(pspopsvrjv KivrjGiv, ocpaipag

we cannot

,

evTopvov aTTEinaopeva 8

(popalg,

look upon vovg directly with our mortal vision) that one

of the ten motions to which

These motions are

mind

or reason bears a resemblance.”

called seven in the similar place of the Timaeus,

page 34, A. The ancient writers, when treating of physics, all varied in the enumeration, and sometimes the same writer varies from himself,

as Plato does in this, and in the passage of the Timaeus re-

ferred to.

tovtolv

1.

The

toZv KLvrjoeoiv.

drj

Attic connects masculine ad-

jectives and pronouns in the dual, with feminine nouns

however, which rolv ev

made

hi

is

not universal.

(pspophotv

:

also,

The common

—a

rule,

reading here has

below, ovo&v instead of ovaav.

We have

the corrections on the authority of Eusebius, Ficinus, Ste

phanus, and the Cod. Voss., besides being alsolutely required by the exigentia 2.

loci.

to belongs to vovv Kiveiodatj several lines below.

3. an eiKacTfieva is neuter, because it refers both to vovv and Kivrjmv. The order of this rather complicated sentence would be as follows 'kiyovTEQ (to) vovv rrjv te ev hi (pepophyv Kivrjatv (d/Kporepa) arret,

Kaopeva teal

h

(popatg

hropvov

tgj avrfi, teal

ccpatpac, kiveIgQcli

n epi, &c.

.

.

.

ovtc

Kara ravra

teal (orravreo^

dv tcote (pavetpev &c. ,

That

a

CONTRA ATHEOS.

36

gvk av nore (pavelpev

tyavkot, drjpcovpyol

Aoym naXCdv

el

KOVCJV.

KA.

’O pdorara Xeyeig.

A0. Ovkovv av fj y£4 prjdsTTors^cooavrcjg, prjde fcard r avrd prjdi av ravrcp prjds rtepl ravrd prjds ttpog ravrd (pepopevrj, it]6 ev Kocrpcp, prjd’ ev ra^ei, prjde ev nvi Aoyo) ,

,

,

’

f.

avotag av dnao7]g

Kcvrjcug,

KA.

E??7

all

is

5 xaXeirbv ovdev etc diapprjdrjv

dr)

eiretdri 'ipvx'rj

which

gvyyavrjg.

yap av dXrideorara.

A0. Nvv

in

elr]

pev eonv

rj

here styled motion in

nepcayovoa one, is not to

It is

it.

term, the opposite of motion in

accompanied by change of

rfjv de

6

it

would not

rather to be taken as a general

many

place.

,

be regarded as the same,

respects, with the motion of a sphere, otherwise

be said to be likened to

elrtelv , cog,

rjplv rcavra

,

Kivyaiq ev no^oiq, or motion

This, then, would be that higher

species of motion, which, without change in the cause, produces

motion to

it

remaining wholly in one, and is theremotion of a sphere, »which of all others presents

in other things, itself

fore likened to the

the best similitude.

It is

the tenth of the above-mentioned

enumeration, or the avroKivyaiq of soul. 4.

ovkovv av

5.

diapfiydyv.

7]

See Note XXXIII., App.

ye.

The way

great question, whether

is

it is

now prepared

for

answering clearly the

the good or the evil soul which governs

the universe. 6.

T7jv

de ovpavov

common

the

7r epi<f)opav.

reading ryv

de.

Ast here would substitute ryv ye for a change the pev preceding with all that follows, made dependant

By such

would be left alone, and tyareov, upon dq. In which case it must be taken as the proposition which the speaker thinks can now be so clearly affirmed all from en etdy to rcavra inclusive, being brought in by way of parenthesis as a preamble to the sentiment. The order in that case would be thus

—

:

vv v

In

enetdy 'ipvxy pev eartv y neptdyovaa yptv ndvra, x a ^en ov ovdev eirelv dq tyareov ryv ye ovpavov nept(f)opdv, &c\, “but now, since drj,

it is

soul that directs

all

culty in asserting, that

things for us, there

we must

is

no longer any

diffi-

say, that soul, &c., either the best

soul or the contrary, conducts the revolutions, at

least,

of the

This proposition, however, besides being a mere unmeaning repetition of the first clause, had been clearly asserted be-

heavens.”

fore.

We

would, therefore, prefer the

common

reading (ryv

de),

by

CONTRA ATHEOS.

37

ovoavov neptcjyopdv e% dvdytcrjg neptayeLv cbareov empeXovpevrjv nai tcoapovoav fyroi tt\v apLorrjv

rtav

—

T

KA.

which <

pareov

and

£2

aXXd

give,

etc

ye tCjv vvv

referred directly to

is

ertetdr]

ovd oatov

elprjpevcov,

this part of the sentence, with its principal or ,

rfjv evav-

'ipvx'rjv, rj

’

governing word

by the connective force of pev

leaving uq without any dependant clause expressed

de,

so that

;

the whole sentence might be regarded as unfinished or designedly

more

abrupt, for the purpose of introducing with

answer This is no uncommon device in the Platonic writings, by which the most important truths are evolved from the person with whom Socrates

of Clinias, in which the proposition designed

or the chief speaker

is

effect the

brought out.

conversing; thus furnishing a fine

is

illustra-

which Socrates so gloried as his The whole passage, in accordance with this view,

tion of that maieutical process in

peculiar method.

may

be thus presented

:

vvv

eneidr/

dr/,

pvxv pev egtiv

i

nepidyovaa

r/

r/plv 7r dvra, tt/v de

ovpavov nept(j)opdv Qclteov kg dvdyKijg ijjvxyv

TTjv doL(jT7]v

kvavTiav eTTLpeXovpevTjv nal Koopovcrav nepidyeiv ,

rj

Xaherrov ovdev

ttjv

en

dcapprjdrjv eirzelv , d)g

now, since soul (as had been shown) and since,

also,

we

is

—KA. that

T

£2

“But

&c.

give,

which guides

tjtul

things,

all

are compelled (from this premise) to say that

therefore soul, either the best soul or the contrary, carefully and orderly conducts the revolution of the heavens, there

any

the apodosis to wf, which had

no longer

is

— he would have been suspended — “that

difficulty in affirming clearly that”

said, as the

it is

soul which doeth this,” and that

we

the best

are shut up to this conclusion

;

but at this point Clinias takes the proposition out of his mouth, and impatiently announces

it

in his

of so long a preamble) (a/lAa), but

impious

to affirm

guides &c. ,

otherwise

:

w

give,

( there

from what has been said ) (

than that the soul which hath

is finally

often, like yap, refers to

no need

would be

all

virtue

for

something supposed

to pass rapidly

through the mind of the speaker, although not expressed case, in the negative

is it

what seemed to him expressed by the word dAAd,

This impatience of Clinias,

the inevitable conclusion,

which

own words

—as

in this

words we have supplied before dXkd, or some-

The great objection to Ast’s substitution of ye makes the whole proposition merely a repetition of

thing equivalent. for de

is,

that

it

what had been clearly affirmed before, and does not prepare the way answer of Clinias.

naturally for the abrupt

D

CONTRA ATHEOS.

88 .

aXXo)g "Xe^eiv

n aoav

rj

dperijv e%ovoav

piav

'ipvx'tjv

nAe>

rj

ovg neptayetv ojvra.

A0. K aXXtora, ch KA eivta, vmpiovoag de npoovnanovoov ert.

KA. To

uolov

A0. "HA lov

rolg Aoyoig

/cal

oeX'fjvrjvf

nal rd

dXXa dorpa

,

prjv

,

elnep

;

;

A0. Uepl evog 8 rjplv

rode

;

ipvXV neptayet navra dp' ov nal ev eKaorov

KA. T t

•

noirjocbpeOa

drj

A oy ovg,

ol nal enl

navra

dorpa dpporrovreg (pavovvrai.

KA. T ivog; f

HAA>v nag avOpunog otipa 9 pev opa, tyvxrp* de ovdeig ovde yap aXXov odoparog ovdevog ovre %£)V10 rog ovre anodvrjofcovrog rcbv £g)G)v dAAd eXnlg 7roAAf/ ronapanav to yevog rjplv rovro avaioOrjrov ndoaig ralg

A0.

•

•

rov cojparog 7.

"H 7uov nal

8.

IIep4

aloOrjoeoi, nepinetyvnevai,

'

vorjrov

d’ elvat.

See Note XXXIV., App.

cE’krjvrjv.

hog.

1

Supply d GTpov, which, in Greek,

is

often used for

the sun and planets, as well as the fixed stars. 9. "H/l lov 7r dg dvOpuTcog cdpa pev opp, &c. Compare the wellknown passage Xen., Memorabilia, iv., c. 3, 14. 10. hlnlg. This word in Greek has a much larger signification than hope in English. It means here, and in many other places,

expectation , or, rather,

verb 11.

ropai.

dvalodrjrov

simply, “

is

—

ground of expectation or ,

TrspiTceQvKEvai.

So, also, the

belief.

This should be rendered not

not by nature an object of perception,” but rather, that

“it is so in consequence of being above the nature of the sense,”

Such is the force of nepl. Ast would amend as usual, and read TzepnretyvKhcu votjtov povov. vti 6%, &c., placing a comma after aioOrjGEOL rejecting elvat and connecting TTEpuz£(j)VKEvaL with votjtov, There is, however, no need of this. UcptnetyvKhai bears more naturally upon dvatGdijTov aiGdrjGEGt,, or, y Eivat, which Ast wholly rerather, upon aiGdrjGEov understood. See Note XXIV., jects, is far better adapted to the word votjtov. App., on the difference between hpl and the other substantive verbs, such as ylyvopai and (j)vco when used with philosophical correctness. Such an expression as TrepLTrecpvKevai votjtov would be at war with being of a higher order of essence.

,

,

,

-

CONTRA ATHEOS. v<p

pcovcp

nal

dr]

diavorjfian

18

39 avrov n£pi to

hadcoptEV

tolovSe.

KA. 170^ A0. "HA cov

;

elnep

ay el

'ipvx'rj,

rptcdv avrrjv ev

Xeyovreq

dpav, cxedov ova dnoTEV^optEOa.

KA. T lvg)v A0. '£lg fj evovoa 13 evroq ;

ocoptaTL,

fjplv

rep nEpupspEL rovrep (paivoptEvep

navTrj SiafcopiL^EL to tolovtov naOdnep fjpag ,

ndvTT] nepKpepei,

'ipvx'fj

*

nap

rj

’

noOev e^coOev Gcopa avTT]

rj

Xoyog egtl tlvoov

,

ovoa

,

ExovGa 6e dvvdptEtg aXkag Tivag vnEpba’khovoag davfiaTi

,

nopicapevr] nvpog

n\

1)6eI fica GcofjiaTL otipia

(

nodrjyEL.

KA.

Tivog aepog •

fj

,

cog

TpLTOV avr?) ,

'ipi/if]

ocoptaTog

1*

Nat'

A0. Tovro pLEV avdyurp tovtcov ev y£ tl dp&oav 'ipvx.fjv navTa StayEiv avTov 6fj aptEcvov 15 TavTrpv ttjv ipvxfl v sIte .

ev appcaoiv

some of the

,

^ovGa

1

fjpriv

tjXlov ayEi (pedg Tolg anaotv, elt

best-established Platonic distinctions, although

perhaps be used by the author in a careless manner.

it

’

might

Uepi gives

word the sense of superiority, in the same way as in n epleifu and irepiyiyvopcu. The whole may be thus freely rendered “ We have great reason for believing that this whole genus, being imperceptible to all the senses of the body, is above (the nature of) the senses, or is by nature above the senses, and is peculiarly an obthis

:

ject of intelligence

( votjtov

dvai).

Let us, therefore, apprehend by

mind alone,” &c. 12.

tion

For a most philosophical and acute discriminabetween vovg and bidvoia, vorjpa and dLavorjpa, vorjeng and dia diavorjpcLTi.

They seem

see the Republic, close of the sixth book.

vorjcig ,

used here

for the

sake of amplification, and with

little

to be

apparent

dif-

ference of meaning between vorjpa and dtavorjpa. 13. dig

rj

kvovaa.

14. nodrjyec.

As

See Note XXXV., App. the second

ing, so this purely spiritual

was represented

as impelling or push-

un embodied influence

is

more properly

described as guiding monstrans viam. ,

15. if,

avrov dp upstvov.

with Stephanus, 1.

Iv

we

appamv ex ov(ja

“

The

better part of it,” namely, this soul ;

read to apetvov, sed queers. '

See Note XXXVI., App.

;

40

CONTRA ATHEOS.

3

egudev, eld

dvSpa

7

.

’

onojg* eld on?], deov rjyelodcu ’

XP £ ^ V navra

;

/

KA. N aC, rov ye nov

enl to eo^a-ov acpiypevov

fir]

dvotag.

A0. "A orpo)v Se

Sr]

nipt ndvroyv nal oeXrjvrjg evtavrCov ,

re nal prjvtiv, nal naocov dpdbv nepi

epovpev

rov avrov tovtov dg

f]

rlva aXkov Xoyov

,

eneiSr] 'ipvx'd

,

jttev rj

'ipvxal

navTGJv tovtgiv alrtat ecjxzvrjoav dyadal Se ndoo.v dperrjv, ,

'deovg

avrag elvac

ovra, noopovoi 2.

oncog,

(jjrjoopev

elre ev

navra ovpavov

quomodo

;

bnrj ,

terpret the term by our

,

own

10.

o&paoLV evovoat

elre onrj re teal oncog

qua parte,

See Remarks, page 33,

delov.

;

iS-eov

We

here

must

is

;

,

%cba eld’*

equivalent to

not, at all events, in-

theology, which attaches to Deity and

Divinity the highest sense of an uncreated intelligence.

In the

Greek usage, as we have seen, the word includes all above man, and Plato even applies it to the daipoveg. Whatever excellences (and they are 3. KA. N ai, rov ye nov prj. certainly of a very high kind) this treatise on laws may possess, it is

undoubtedly, as a dialogue, inferior to

of dramatic

although, perhaps,

it

trast their simplicity

was one

of the others in point

much men

of straw

part of the author’s design to con-

and unreasoning

acuteness of the chief speaker.

faith

with the philosophical

They seem, however,

sent too readily, and sometimes before their

many

Clinias and Megillus are too

skill.

we can

to us, to as-

well suppose from

characters, as here delineated, that they fairly understand

some of the

propositions presented.

While involved in these conall managed by one

tinuous abstract discussions, with the argument person,

we would

contests, of

gladly find relief in one of those vigorous logical

which

we have

so fine a specimen in the Gorgias, as

exhibited in the long-protracted struggle of the unprincipled yet bold Callicles against the

command.

most powerful reasoning that Socrates could

In respect to dramatic excellence, the Gorgias, Phsedon,

and Protagoras are unrivalled by any similar productions of ancient modern times. The common reading is eld bong, 4. eld bong ravra opoloyeZ. which seems to have been introduced from the two preceding examples of that word. We have not hesitated to follow Boeck in “We will say that reading eld\ Ast would substitute ecO bang. they are Gods, whether being in bodies, and being animated, they

or

’

'

1

—

—

)

CONTRA ATHEOS.

41

bong ravra dpoXoyel, vnopevsi pi) fte&v elvcll nXrjprj navra KA. 0 vk, ear tv ovrcog, co give, napacbpovcdv 5 ovdetg. A0. Tgj pev TOivvv pr) vopi^ovn dsovg ev rep npooOev ;

%povcp, 6

MeytXXe re aal KXetvta einovreg opovg 7 anaX-

co

,

XarrcopeOa

.

order the whole Heaven, or in whatever

and then

’), or, in ( eld

things adhere (to the opinion) that

The

Divine powers'?”

from the

way and manner it may be who admits these

the second place, can any one all

things are not

last clause is a

and therefore well introduced by

first,

used when the conclusion

inferential particle,

expressed that any one should think

prise

is

It is

on this account generally, as

Aristophanes, Acharn., 311

ravra epepaveog

sometimes

in

ijdrj

elra,

it

is

an

could be otherwise.

in the present case, ;

brought in

as, for

exam-

roApag Aeyeiv

drj

;

sir’

kyu gov dpEiaopai

the very beginning of the sentence rovrov

which

:

rzpbg rjpdg

sir, el diKata,

of Gods or

so plain, that sur-

is

abruptly and interrogatively without any connective ple,

full

consequence or inference

;

:

y

elttelv

avr kxpyv. Acharn., 561.

It is

easy to see

how much more force and

vividness

is

given to the

way, than by the tame reading which Ast proposes. “ What else can we do, but to say It may be thus paraphrased that they are Gods and then, if this is admitted, who will have any passage

in this

:

;

difficulty

with the necessary conclusion (a fortiori

everywhere!”

'Ynopevec

lish phrase, “will

may be

any one stick

that they are

well rendered by the vulgar Eng-

to it!” that

is,

obstinately persevere

This declaration, that “ all things are full of Gods,” was a saying of Thales, and is thus referred to by Aristotle, De Anima, lib. i., 8 Kal kv rep ofap de nvtg 'ijjvxqv pepixOat tyaoCv, oOev in the denial!

:

loog Kal Qa’Afjg rtdvra

rzAripr] '&ecjv

elvai

cpridrj.

Compare,

De Mundo, ascribed by some to Aristotle, and published among his works, ch. vi. KaOoAov de, onsp kv treatise

:

dppan

vr/rrjg,

kv

yyspcjv

— rovro

5.

de rjvioxog, kv ttoAel de

NOMOS,

also, the

generally vrjl

Kvdep -

kv orparoTredep d2

i9ebg kv Koapep.

7r apatypovtiv.

“ Beside one’s self,”

deranged.

This does not refer to time absolutely, XP° VCJ but to the state of the argument. 6.

kv rep rpoedev

7.

EiTzovreg opovg.

‘

“Imposing terms,”

D

2

viz.,

those that follow.

CONTRA ATHEOS.

42

KA. T ivag V

A0.

H

;

diddonsLV rjpdg

dog ov/c opOCog

*pvXV v ydveoiv anavTCOv elvat tovtoov igWEnopeva elnopev yeiv

rov

rj

,

Xeyopev, Tidepevoi

ToXka orcooa dvvapevov peXnov Xe-

TTpdoTrjv , /cal prj

rjpdov, rjp.lv ttelOeoOcu , /cat

deovg rjyovpevov

%xjv

ovv elte hcavoog

ettlXoltcov filov. opdopev

Elg

rolg ovx

rjdrj

bjyovpevocg tieovg slprj/capev dog elol deol, elte emdeCog.

KA.

f/

H /clota ye

gsvs, ndvrcov 8 emdeCog.

do

,

A0. Tovroig pev roivvv

rjplv

to Xoycov* riXog ex^tgo

rov 6e rjyovpEVOv pkv dsovg elveu

rovg dvOpcojTLveov irpayparcov (pdopEv , otl

drj,

to

rrpdg

i;

pev

vp<pVTOv

ayel Tipav

avOpboTTGOV /cal adi/cGov tvxcll

connect with

7T(1vtg)v,

9.

to Xoyov reTiog exero.

prj (jopovrl^Eiv

13

/cal

and to t&v

£2

vopt^Etv Eivai

Se av-

apiore

tj'kigtu, ye.

‘dr/ptov, for

A

12

ti-T/pia,

10.

See Note XXXVII., App.

11.

7r apapvOrjTeov.

“We

/ca/cdov

6e

pev

very strong negative.

Equivalent to

rd

•

,

oi

c

;

T

Idea /cal drjpoota dXrjOeia

Compare to loycov with rd tuv hanovuv, for oi 497

11

•

$£ovg, ovyyevEid rig tocog oe deia

rjyyj

8.

,

,

tt apapvOrjreov.

10

Xoyoi reTiog exeroaav.

didnovoi, Soph., Philoct.,

Plat., Republic, viii., 563, c.

must give him

also a

word of exhorta-

tion.” 12.

T

upiGTe

£2

—

istence of Gods,” that

extent

is

feeling

(

(

$ eovg. “That you believe in the ex“ as far as the fact of your belief to that

oti pev riyy

concerned,

Gvyyeveid

is,

we may

Tig),

&eia ), leads you,” &c.

say, that a certain kindred or innate

imparted by or derived from the Divinity

the human

—a Divine

may mean what

Or, cvyyeveia deia

losopher elsewhere styles the Divine part affinity or

jof

kinsmanship

in

— as we style conscience

the immediate representative of the Divine nature in the soul.

the phi-

man, or the Divine

human

and vopi^eiv, “ a supposed to be suffi-

gvptyvTov should be connected with Tipav

natural honouring,” &c., which, however,

is

ciently rendered by acknowledging their existence, like Epicurus

and his followers, who pretended greatly to magnify and honour the Gods, when they assigned them a life of perfect repose, extra mundum, Semoti ah rebus nostris longeque sejuncti. 13. lic

Tvxai.

and private

471, A.

“

The

life.”

fortunes of wicked and unjust men, both in pub-

Compare the speech

of Polus in the Gorgias,

CONTRA ATHEOS. EvdaipovEg, dogcug

ovtt

1

*

43

dXX

de Evdaipovi^d\iEvai ocpodpa

ovu EppiEXtig ayovoi oe rtpog aoebsiav ev te [lovoaig

ovic

,

dpdcog vpvovpsvai

reXog

7rpog

15

afia nai

ev iravroioig Xoyotg.

nai

i)

dvooiovg avOpcjirovg optiv kXQovrag 1

locvg

yrj-

pacovg, naidag naidcov naraXcnovrag ev ripiaig ralg psyla-

Taig raparry ravvv ev anaoi rovroig idG)v* ,

aloOopLEVog ,

dt

iroXXtiv doE6rjjJidTG)v nai dsiv&v yEVOfxsvcjv not, 14

.

1

anor]g

navrairaGiv avrog avrdTtrr\g TrpoorvxGov

teal

r\

rj

avrd

di

For the common reading dogai, we read, with almost all the doijaig, which is not only necessary to the sense, but

commentators,

required as the antithesis of alyOela.

v

’EppeXug, “ considerately or,

derly, methodically, with a proportionate regard to all the circum-

stances of the case.” 15

.

This was one of the charges made against the

vpvovpsvai.

poets in the third book of the Republic noLoi nanug Tieyovoi rzepi

evdalpoveg de reoXko'i

charge

we

is

call the

chi,

iii.,

made by

ug apa nai noir/ral nai XoyouvOpdrov rd peyicra, on eiaiv ddinoi pev :

Repub., 392, A.

The same

the prophet against the Israelites.

“And now

*

dlnaioi 61 aOXioi.

proud happy, yea, those who do iniquity are exalted .”

15

.

On

Mala-

the words evdalpoveg evdaipovi&pevai, see Note

XXXVIII., App. 1

.

2.

7rpog

rehog dvooiovg.

See Note XXXIX., App.

rapdrry ravvv ev dnaoi rovroig iddv.

places a

comma

In this state,

it

The common reading

and connects idiov with what follows. has given a good deal of trouble to some of the comafter rovroig,

The difficulty, however, may be removed, as we think, by the reading adopted, although the location of the word would be rather unusual. Tapdrry Idcov is equivalent to mentators, especially to Ast.

rapdrry %cjv,

idelv,

“you

“happening

freely rendered

:

are troubled at the sight.”

“ Or

Xoronryg npoorv-

The whole may be thus when beholding men growing old, who con-

to be

an eyewitness.”

—

tinue unholy even to the end of life, leaving children and children’s children in the highest honours, you are troubled at the sight

when hearing by

;

or,

the ear, or happening to be an eyewitness of the

impious and dreadful deeds which have occurred

in

the lives of cer-

you yet behold them, by reason of these very crimes, advancing from a low condition to the highest power, then it is evident that you blame,” &c. Some editions omit opdg altogether as tain persons,

redundant; but by the disposition only admissible, but necessary.

we have made

of

Ldcov, it is #

not

3

CONTRA ATHEOS.

44

5

ravra dpdg

etc

dcptnopsvovg

•

ofUKp&v

Tvpavvldag re nal ra psytOTA

slg

tots 6ia navTa toiclvtcl 6rjXog

el

uipcfrsoOaL j

7

usv

tieovg, cog

ah Zovg

ovk av* sOsXcov

•

ovTag tgjv toiovtcov did %vyykvstav ,

dyopsvog 6s vito Tivog akoyiag apa, nal

ov dvvapsvog dvoxepaZvetv tieovg, slg tovto vvv to nddog 9

sXrjXvdag, coot slvat psv donelv avTOvg tcov 6s avOpconi,

vcov naTacppovslv nal apsXsZv npaypaTCOv. tva ovv prj ent 6

psZ^ov sXO'O ooi iraOog rrpbg aosbsiav to vvv rrapov 66ypa,

aXX sav 9

olov dnodionopnrjoaoOaL* Xoyoig avTO npoo-

Ticog

ibv yevcbpeOa dvvaTOt 3.

A

drjhog It

say

peptybpevog.

dfj’hog el

did Zvyyiveiav

when

as to verbs,

9

tov

s^rjg

peculiar Graecism, equivalent to drjlov eotl oe

would be good Greek, and perhaps

fie/MpEodcu.

4.

TreipcbpeOa, ovvd'ipavTeg

,

ovk.

dv eOeXov.

dv

is

still

more

Attic, to

joined to participles as well

the participle can be resolved into a subordinate

“When

you would not be willing, if you followed that See Remarks on £vyyevsia ( 12 ), page 42. 5. dvoxepaivELv. A most significant term, although not easily transferred to the English. It means, literally, to disrelish that is (in this connexion), “to get rid of the innate moral sense or taste spoken of above, under the term ^vyyEveiaV Or it may refer to the wholesome prejudices mentioned in note on 8 3. 6 'izdQog. Some would reject this word as having crept in as a clause.

natural feeling.”

,

,

.

repetition of the nddog above.

It

may, however, be taken as

in ap-

position with to vvv napov doy/ua. 7.

dlK

kdv.

This place

may be

freed

from

its difficulties

if

we

read olov te regard y understood as subjunctive to kav, and refer ysvdpeda to Iva, instead of kdv , as is generally done. Ordo, Iva ovv ,

py kldy oaodai

possible)

8

.

this 9.

.

.

.

.

.

.

akXJ ( kav nog olov 7r

eipdpEOa,

we may

&c

be able, &c.

dTvodtoTro/iTTjGadai.

On

yevdpeQa dvvarol dnodcono/inr]-

y) Iva

r’

“ That .

.

it

let

may

not increase, but that

(if

us try.”

the peculiar force and significance of

remarkable word, see Note XL., App. owd^avreg. “ Having connected our next argument with that

which we so thoroughly (did) concluded (diETrEpavdpeda) against the man, who did not hold that there were Gods.” c5 is to be referred to die7rEpavd/j.£da, although in the dative by the attraction of ovv in ovvdtyfLVTEg.

Connect 7TELpdpsOa with Tpoaxpr/oaodai.

deavour to use as an additional argument.”

“ Let us en-

45

CONTRA ATHEOS.

rov ronapanav ovx rjyovpevov tieovg e% dp diSTTEpavdpeda, rovrcp ravvv npoaxp^ciodai. av d’, w

\dyov, \r]g

irpog

Gi

K Xelvlcl

re

MeycXXe, vnep rov veov naOdirep ev rolg

teal

epirpoadev dnoftpevopevot, ScaSex^aOe

Siadcdd)

ejanep vvv

rolg Xoyoig, eyd) acpcpv

ep,'7TiiTT'Q

av Se

*

n

SvanoXov

Srj

Set-dpevog

10 rov norap^ov.

Xey eig nal av ovro) ravra Spa notrjaopev re rjpelg elg to Svvarov d Xeyeig. MEr. ’A/l/l’ ovSev ratf av lacog 11 elr\ x^^tcov evdell-aa-

KA.

’OpOtig

*

•

Oai rovro ye (bg erupeXelg apinptiv elal deot ovx V TT0V V tgjv peyedei Sia<pep6vrG)v. tjicovov yap ttov real Tcaprjv rolg ,

There

10. 6ia6i6C) rov norapov.

flood mentioned, 21 (14) dcadaLveiv.

In that place

:

KaOdnep it

was

is el

yet an allusion to the strong tt

orapov r/pdg tdec rpelg ovrag

and profound the depths of which

figurative of the dark

argument respecting self-motion ( avTOKivr/Gig ), had to be so carefully sounded by the Athenian before the others could venture to follow’ him. Here there is an allusion to a like difficult argument soon to follow, respecting a special Providence.

A lafhSti is Attic future for diadidaGu. 11. akV ovdev ratf uv Iggh;. The common reading gives this to the Athenian. The words r/novov and napr/v below, show beyond doubt, that

it

accommodate some ancient Athenian,

There

belongs to Megillus.

various readings, but they have

rolg vvv

dr/

the argument by which

all

error,

which gave

keyopevoig, “just it

are,

it

is true,

several

evidently arisen from a desire to

was shown

now

that

it

this

passage to the

spoken,” referring to

was

the best soul

(ijjvxv

which moved and guided the heavens and the earth. What said reminds us of the speech of Clinias, 4 (3). Here, as well

dpcGTr/) is

as in that place, surprise

is

expressed that

it

should be thought ne-

cessary to resort to laboured and recondite arguments to prove so plain a thing as the doctrine of a special Providence.

Clinias says, “ and we, as far as

us.”

“ But

And it

Do

this,” tell

then Megillus, the simple-minded Spartan, breaks

in,

could not be any very

possible, will

difficult affair to

the position just proved, namely, that

moved, &c., they, say, leap at

“

do what you

is

it

was

show,” &c.

From

the best soul that

in their simplicity, directly infer, or, as

we might

once to the truth of a special Providence, although the

Athenian or Socrates, having

in

view more stubborn disputants,

wishes to enter more minutely into the argument.

—

46

•

CONTRA ATHEOS.

vvv

drj

Xeyopevotg,

(bg

dyadot ye ovreg rcdaav aper^v i rjv

navrcov empeXetav olKetorarrjv avrcbv ovoav

tC)V

nett-

rrjvrat.

KA. Kcu ocpodpa ye 12 eirrjuovov. A0. To pera tovto tolvvv notv^j

ovve^erd^G)pev,

13

rtva

Xeyovreg aperijv avrtbv, opoXoyovpev avrovg ayaOovg vat.

ra

(f)epe ,

6’

to aocppovelv vovv re ,

evavrta tcantag ,

el-

nertTijoOai, fyapev dperrjg,

;

KA. Qapev. A0.

T t de

;

dperr]g pev avdpetav elvat y detXtav de, natdac

;

KA. II aw pev ovv. A0. K at ra pev aloxpd rovrcdv ra de, naXd Qrjoopev KA. A vdytcrj. A0. Ka£ tgjv pev TTpoorjrcetv rjplv, ehrep onooa cj)Xavpa ,

,

,

9

14r

,

fieolg de

pev

ovre peya ovre opinpov rdjv rotovrcdv perov epov -

.

12

.

nal a (podpa ye.

Megillus

:

Ast thinks that

this also is the

language of

Megilli sunt verba, egregie in Spartanum convenientia.

cannot see

why

We

they do not agree as well with the character of

been the same speaker,

Clinias.

Besides, had

lieve that

he would have used

it

httjkovov

we can

hardly be-

so soon after tjkovov.

The

answer of the Athenian, seems to imply that both the others had uttered their assent to what had been said. Te, when connected with such words as atyoSpa, pdTucrra, axcbov, &c., seems not so much to qualify the sense as the force or vehemence of the expression by which we mean, that it makes a sort of apology for the term, implying that a stronger one might perhaps have been used, but that the speaker means to keep within bounds. Thus, Clinias says c(j>66pa ye, “ earnestly to say no more, In this or to use no stronger expression, did I give heed to it.” w*ay, although a limiting particle, it does, in an indirect manner, increase the force of the term to which it is attached. word

kolv\7 in the following ,

;

:

13. ovvef-eT&gupev.

which neither

The common

reading here

The change

is

cwe^era^ovrov,

it,

nor any of the vari-

made on

the authority of the

suits the vulgar text preceding

ous readings proposed.

is

best commentators, and the Latin versification of Ficinus

commu

niter inves tig emus. 14. Kai tcov

pev

irpootiKeiv rjplv.

Twv and

ijplv

are neither of

them

CONTRA

KA. Ka£ ravQ

TC

A0.

6s,

apsXeiav re

rrjv 'ipvxrjg ^rjc/opev

KA.

K at ntig

A0.

’A/l/l’

nag av.

ovrcog bfioXoyoi

’

/cal

apyiav

nojg ’ksyeig

rj

;

47

ATIIEOS.

ape -

/cal rpv(f)7]v elg

;

15 ;

Tovvavriov.

KA. Nat. governed by npocrjueiv, but by psrbv below, which of the person and a genitive of the thing.

erned by npoarjKeiv but he ,

TEivai

;

and thus taken

neuter plural

clearly wrong,

is

psrbv

for the infinitive, there is

more than the

the Philebus, 22, E.

devrepecuv

ovd’

:

av

rfiv

There should be a comma

to be connected with

with the

orbaa dfkavpa, but thus

ellipsis supplied,

:

is

The

the ellipsis supplied, would be as follows kelv pETElvai

we

as gov-

used

is

no anomaly

for ps-

in the

tuv bizbaa

(J>?iavpa

will say, that to us (if to

Latin.

Compare

j/dovrj lletov aTir/Q&g

after eItzep,

which

—Ecnsp

orbaa

order of the whole, with Kal rjplv.plv kpovpEv

:

av

not

is

to be taken elliptically, or

shrEp ( nvlg eIglv olg petegtl).

be referred to t&v pbv.

(p?iavpa is to

a dative

tCjv

In this use of the participle for the infinitive,

ottogu.

the Greek resembles the English

tcote T^eyoLTo.

may have

Ast regards

(rivsg eIgIv olg petegtl).

ttpoGrj-

“

And

pertains to have a share Gods there is not the least use of sinsp, compare Aristotle’s Politi

any beings)

it

in those things that are bad, but to the

For

participation,” &c. ca,

ii.,

EiTcsp

6

:

— npog tov

blv yap tovto,

tt

this

xpr/Gipov bs ovcr/g ^pacvTi/Tog Trpbgovbsv rtiv eyKVKTiicjv, aKX

apd

no^Epov.

tt/v

a?i/1’ ELTcsp

avTov

—

fi'X.d'KTETai

dro

ETZEif

KA. Kat nug

vavTiov.

;

Nicomach.,

v., 9,

9

ov

:

^ov^tjglv, cjgte ovk aduiElrat, bid y

povov.

Tafijbov

aTCK ovk dno 15.

Aristot., Ethic.

n ugxco

Aristophanes, Nubes, 227

:

Tovg fisovg VTTEpcppovEtg,

Tijg yfjg

“And how

;

Elrsp.

should

we I”

A0.

’A XX slg tov-

’A/Md, like yap frequently refers to something understood, ,

supposed to pass rapidly through the mind of the speaker. It also always implies a negative, if not expressed. This use of these little particles

gives singular beauty as well as force to the Greek

They thus carry along with them variety and fulness of meaning, at the same time without encumbering or weakening the

language.

sentence with too

us from

many

words.

By

silent implication

losing sight of previous propositions.

carries along with

it,

they keep

Thus, bXkd here

or keeps in mind, the whole of the precedi-ng

sentence, being pregnant with a denial of the question.

“ No,

we

cannot assign dpe^Eiav apyiav &c., to the virtue of soul, but (aTM) ,

to the contrary.”

,

48

CONTRA ATHEOS.

T avavrta apa tovtolc; eig rovvavrlov KA. T ovvavTiov. A0. T i ovv 6rj Tpv(ptiv teal apehrjg dpyog te 1

A0.

.

2

(

;

7]T7]g

yiyvoir dv 6 rotovrog rcaoiv ’

1. Tavavna apa must be assigned

2

TpvQtiv

.

tovtolc, that

is,

elg tovvclvtlov

that

.

.

word tyOpoc or

argument, not very

intelligible,

made

plgtjtoc, for

tolovtoc

most

which he deduces an It may, however,

from pLael below.

human

stands, and regarded as an application, to

af-

and by taking away the interrogation which is found in The order would be thus tolovtoc (&eoc) nacnv fjplv

,

editions.

:

yiyvoLT’ dv Tpvtytiv nal dpeTiijc apyoc te , ov 6

“ Such a Deity would be to us

Ac.

elvaL ,

one

in short,

whom

(ov), or just

The only real is somewhat

Ac.

like,” it

is for

better by inserting

of the previous sentiment, by supposing &eoc understood after

fairs,

as

Ast, as usual,

fjp.Lv.

this could be

apyia Ac.

Tpv<prj

dpETyv ipvxvc-

is, etc

naoiv

.

after ylyvoif dv the

it

ixoi^

rjplv.

“ the opposites of

;

apelrjc apyoc te

teal

emendation here, and thinks

be read as

ov 6

KoOoVpOLGL paXiOTCL ELUeXoV E(paOKEV Aval)

KT](j)rjGL

olov,

The

harsh.

words before

passage

relative

corresponding to tolovtoc.

ever, in the order of the

Ac.

;

such a one as the poet said was

difficulty in the

stands,

would be

tcoltjttjc E(f>aGKEV elkeTlov

all Tpvtytiv, dpEhrjc,

From

is in ov,

we

which,

should expect

how-

its position,

its correlative, it

may

be re-

garded as affected, through a species of attraction, .by the words im-

Had it followed tolovtoc, it would probably which case the sentence would have presented no difficulty. The form of words in Greek is frequently affected by distance or contiguity, so as to be different from what would be reSee remarks on the w ord quired by strict grammatical depend ance. view The taken in respect to dv is 7toXXogttjv, Note XXIX., App. confirmed by similar examples which occur a few lines below ov mediately preceding.

have been

olov, in

?

:

pTjTsov tyeLv rjdoc tolovtov 6 ys, instead of tolovtov olov ys.

page 49 ( 5 ), in the words d red to

is

Hesiod

ttoogtjkel ,

Ac.

The

poet here refer

:

76J Se

gdy,

6rj

So, also,

&EOL VEpEGCOGL KCU

K7](j)fjVEGGL

CLVEpEC, OC

KEV CLEpyOC

Kodovpoic elkeIoc bpyrjv.

Works and Days, 278 It

may

be that

we have

dv, instead

the language of the verse quoted

;

terferes with the strict grammatical

of olov, to accommodate

it

a circumstance which often

dependence of a sentence

.

to in-

j

CONTRA ATHEOS. KA. ’0 pOorard ye elntiv. 3 A0. 0 vkovv tov. ye tieov* ov o ye roi avTog pLoel

•

49

prjreov e%etv rjOog tolovtov

n tolovtov (pOeyyeoOat, neipG)-

rep re

pevcp ovfi emTpenTeov.

KA. Ov pev T

A0. £h

6rj

yap av

ntig

6rj.

npoorjneL pev rcpaTTecv nai empefelodaL dca-

tovtov ye vovg tgjv pev peyaXuv em-

(pepovTCjg Ttvog , 6 6e

t&v opwptiv

peXelTaL,

;

5

tov tolovtov Xoyov

6e apeXel tcaTa Tiva eixaivovvTeg ,

ovfc

,

av navTanaoL nXrjppeXolpev

;

Guo-

'S. bpOoTard ye elrrdv. Ast would subjoin these words to e(paonev, and make them a part of what was said by the Athenian. They undoubtedly refer to e^aanev, yet it is perfectly agreeable to the Greek

idiom to regard them as the answer of Clinias. deal of vivacity in such an elliptical reply. tcev,

asserted that one said so and so, the reply

it is

most correctly

and

that only

:

T

£2 l 6rj

as,

;

may

g

e.

be,

.,

and

,

the

r<p TreLpopivtp

irpoorjueL.

most important truth. God hates that The Divine character is the Divine Law. It must never be called in ,

unlike himself.

is

allowance is to be made such a thought.” 5.

it

A

fieon.

which

ground and sanction of question

a great

is

too.

ovkovv tov ye

4.

There

equivalent to tyaa-

Our own language admits of

opdorard ye elndv.

when

It is

T2 l

tolovtov QdiyyeoOat ova entTpenTeov. to

is

him whd would even attempt

the relative of tolovtov

“

No

to utter

some distance

be-

had immediately followed it in the construction of the senThe same tence, it would perhaps have been more properly oil drj. reasons apply here that were given in respect to ov a few lines above. The order of the sentence would be as follows koto, tlvu low.

If

it

:

’koyov ova dv nhyppehoTpev enaLvovvTeg tov tolovtov Kei,

&c.

“

By what reason

(or

<p (olcp) <5y

why) should we not

praising such a being as the one to

whom

Tzpoor}-

act absurdly in

belongs to act and to

it

exercise care in a special manner, and yet the mind of this being

should care only for the great, while

it

neglects the small.”

occurs a number of times in a sentence, there it

is

into anything like tolerable English, without too

cution.

The

first 6e

word

much

circumlo-

between the two main the second, between two subordinate

;

In such cases the subordinate 6e

while in order to avoid the ,

6e

indicates an opposition

members of the sentence clauses.

When

a difficulty in putting

awkward

tion but.

E

is

best rendered by our

repetition of the conj mic-

CONTRA ATHEOS.

50 ntipev de ojde

dp ov Kara dvo ’

•

eldrj

to tolovtov nparrsL 9

5

6 7Tpdrro)v sere ffedg, sir av6po)nog

KA.

II olg) df]

A0.

A eyopev

; •

d de aueXel .

rw

oXcp

teal Tpvcpfj, el

dta-

dtaepepov ovdev olopevog elvat

fj

apeXovpevuv rtiv opuipCdv, (j)epec,

;

7

fj

padvpta

rj

eonv dXXcog

rratg

ytyvopevr] dpeXeta

;

ov yap 770V orav ye advvarov y tg)v drrdvTCxtv empeXelo $ai, rore dpeXeta eorac rcov opcupCdv fj peydXcdv prj hnpe8

Xovpevcp, d)v dv dvvapec ffeog pfj

fj

(pavXog rig

&v

eXXcTrfjg nal

dvvarog empeXeloOai yiyvrjrac.

6.

to tolovtov TtpuTTEL namely, neglects small things.

7.

o de dpeXEt.

,

Stephanus here would read

Else, he says,

ode.

must be regarded as redundant, or otherwise the sentence would According to this view of Stephanus, the following would be the order ode ape^el, fj dca^epov ovdev olopevog de

remain suspended.

:

to

elvcu

&c.,

62, o,

fj

if it

teal

Tpv(jty el diatyepeL.

“

He

neglects,

makes no difference, &c., or through sloth and does make a difference.” We think, however, there

either thinking that

effeminacy,

ftadvpia

it

no need of this supposition, or of regarding the de as redundant. There is a pev implied (if it is not rather lost by a corrupt reading) is

In that case, de has

after or before dta^epeL. sition or contrast,

and should be rendered

ternative intended, and also the antithesis

ordinate

member

pressed thus

“

:

—

el

We

(

pev )

usual force of oppo-

made by the

The

al-

de in the sub-

—

dpe2el would be clearly exnpaTTov npaTTec), the doer doeth makes no difference to the whole,

diatyepei, 6 de

say, then (o

thus, either supposing that

when

its

while, as above.

it

small things are neglected, or else (he doeth thus) through

indolence and effeminacy,

if,

in fact,

it

does

make

a difference, while

yet he neglects them.” 8. prj

empe2,ovpdv(p

d)v dv.

This

is

appended by

tion or epexegesis of the preceding oTav ye dbvvaTov,

n ov oTav

would be thus

:

tov epuepdv

peyakov (to)

dedg

fj

ij

ov yap

(ftavkog Ttg

which may care of

all

dv

&c.

of explana-

The

order

ye advvaTOv, &c., tote dpe2,eia egtol

prj E'KLpe2.ovpEvo

ycyvrjTaL ekkiitfig

be freely rendered thus things, then

way

:

“

(tovtov) ov dv dvvapei

teal prj

When

no one, whether

it

dvvaTog kmpEXEZoOai, it is

impossible to take

be a God or any inferior

being, can be justly charged with neglect of those things, be they

great or small, in respect to which, he

power

for a special

Providence.”

is

wanting

in the requisite

Or, in other words, there can be

CONTRA ATHEOS.

KA. A0. oav oi rovg

IT tig

yap av

Nw

6rj

-dsovg

11

51

;

6v’ ovrsg

9

rptolv rjplv ovoiv anoKpcvdodoj -

psv apcporspot

10

opoXoyovvrsg slvai

6s drspog, 6 6s , apsXslv rtiv opiKptiv.

tisovg dpcporspot (pars yiyvtioKstv Kai

*

rrapairr]-

irptirov

psv,

opav Kal anovsiv

iravra XaOslv 6s avrovg ov6sv 6vvarov slvai rtiv onoocjv

12

,

elalv ai aioOrjosig re Kal sTUorr\pai,

ravra

rj

;

KA.

ntig

ravrq Xsysrs sx^iv

;

Ovrcog.

Tt

A0.

13

6ac

^v^rolg rs

6vvao0ai iravra ottogcov av 6vvapig son

;

adavdroig

teal

;

KA. Ilwf yap ov Gvyx^p^ovrai nal ravra ovrcog sxsiv A0. Keu pijv dyaOovg rs Kal dplorovg tipohoyrjKapsv ;

14:

avrovg slvat nsvre ovrsg.

KA.

2(f)66pa ys. T

A0.

Ap’ ovv ov paOvp'ia psv Kal rpvcpq a6vvarov av -

no neglect where there is no power. In such a case, prj empeTieiaOai is not the same with apehelv. See Note XLVI., App., On the Peculiarities of certain Negative Forms of Verbs, deoc; f) tyavTiog rig dv is

equivalent to rig elrs

may

yaTiav

fi-edg

“whether small or great.” as in the Republic, ttolov

;

Evpo.0r)g

stance). 9.

Gods

fj

What

dv’ ovtec.

10. oi

sirs (j>av?iog dv.

So, also, opiKpdv

fj

pe-

be viewed as equivalent to dre apiKptiv dre psyahov,

vi.,

Or,

486, B.

dvopaOrjg.

it :

may

be regarded as understood,

ov pyv ovds rode TTapaTisiibEig.

circumstance! Whether docile The two supposed objectors.

or dull.”

Who admit, both of them, that the one says that they are easily propitiated, and

dsovg psv uptyorspoc.

exist, while the

to

“ Surely you will not omit this (circum-

“

the other, that they are regardless of small things.” 11.

TTapaiTijTovg.

12.

Tdv onooov

See Note XLI., App. eiaiv ai aiaOrjceu; rs Kai ETnoTrjpaL.

“ All such

things as are capable of being perceived by the sense and by the un-

derstanding.” 13.

tl

dal\