“I am your gadfly. My sting pricks3 your conscience and arouses you when you are caught napping. Sleep not, sleep not, people of Athens; awake and seek the truth!”
The people arose in their exasperation4 and cruelly demanded to be rid of their gadfly.
“Perchance both of his accusers, Meletus and Anytus, are wrong,” said the citizens, on leaving the court after sentence had been pronounced.
“But after all whither do his doctrines5 tend? What would he do? He has wrought6 confusion, he overthrows7 beliefs that have existed since the beginning, he speaks of new virtues9 which must be recognised and sought for, he speaks of a Divinity hitherto unknown to us. The blasphemer, he deems himself wiser than the gods! No, ‘twere better we remain true to the old gods whom we know. They may not always be just, sometimes they may flare10 up in unjust wrath11, and they may also be seized with a wanton lust12 for the wives of mortals; but did not our ancestors live with them in the peace of their souls, did not our forefathers13 accomplish their heroic deeds with the help of these very gods? And now the faces of the Olympians have paled and the old virtue8 is out of joint14. What does it all lead to? Should not an end be put to this impious wisdom once for all?”
Thus the citizens of Athens spoke15 to one another as they left the place, and the blue twilight16 was falling. They had determined17 to kill the restless gadfly in the hope that the countenances18 of the gods would shine again. And yet—before their souls arose the mild figure of the singular philosopher. There were some citizens who recalled how courageously19 he had shared their troubles and dangers at Potidæa; how he alone had prevented them from committing the sin of unjustly executing the generals after the victory over the Arginusæe; how he alone had dared to raise his voice against the tyrants20 who had had fifteen hundred people put to death, speaking to the people on the market-place concerning shepherds and their sheep.
“Is not he a good shepherd,” he asked, “who guards his flock and watches over its increase? Or is it the work of the good shepherd to reduce the number of his sheep and disperse21 them, and of the good ruler to do the same with his people? Men of Athens, let us investigate this question!”
And at this question of the solitary22, undefended philosopher, the faces of the tyrants paled, while the eyes of the youths kindled23 with the fire of just wrath and indignation.
Thus, when on dispersing24 after the sentence the Athenians recalled all these things of Socrates, their hearts were oppressed with heavy doubt.
“Have we not done a cruel wrong to the son of Sophroniscus?”
But then the good Athenians looked upon the harbour and the sea, and in the red glow of the dying day they saw the purple sails of the sharp-keeled ship, sent to the Delian festival, shimmering25 in the distance on the blue Pontus. The ship would not return until the expiration26 of a month, and the Athenians recollected27 that during this time no blood might be shed in Athens, whether the blood of the innocent or the guilty. A month, moreover, has many days and still more hours. Supposing the son of Sophroniscus had been unjustly condemned29, who would hinder his escaping from the prison, especially since he had numerous friends to help him? Was it so difficult for the rich Plato, for Æschines and others to bribe30 the guards? Then the restless gadfly would flee from Athens to the barbarians31 in Thessaly, or to the Peloponnesus, or, still farther, to Egypt; Athens would no longer hear his blasphemous32 speeches; his death would not weigh upon the conscience of the worthy33 citizens, and so everything would end for the best of all.
Thus said many to themselves that evening, while aloud they praised the wisdom of the demos and the heliasts. In secret, however, they cherished the hope that the restless philosopher would leave Athens, fly from the hemlock34 to the barbarians, and so free the Athenians of his troublesome presence and of the pangs35 of consciences that smote36 them for inflicting37 death upon an innocent man.
Two and thirty times since that evening had the sun risen from the ocean and dipped down into it again. The ship had returned from Delos and lay in the harbour with sadly drooping38 sails, as if ashamed of its native city. The moon did not shine in the heavens, the sea heaved under a heavy fog, and on the hills lights peered through the obscurity like the eyes of men gripped by a sense of guilt28.
The stubborn Socrates did not spare the conscience of the good Athenians.
“We part! You go home and I go to death,” he said to the judges after the sentence had been pronounced. “I know not, my friends, which of us chooses the better lot!”
As the time had approached for the return of the ship, many of the citizens had begun to feel uneasy. Must that obstinate39 fellow really die? And they began to appeal to the consciences of Æschines, Phædo, and other pupils of Socrates, trying to urge them on to further efforts for their master.
“Will you permit your teacher to die?” they asked reproachfully in biting tones. “Or do you grudge40 the few coins it would take to bribe the guard?”
In vain Crito besought41 Socrates to take to flight, and complained that the public, was upbraiding42 his disciples43 with lack of friendship and with avarice44. The self-willed philosopher refused to gratify his pupils or the good people of Athens.
“Let us investigate.” he said. “If it turns out that I must flee, I will flee; but if I must die, I will die. Let us remember what we once said—the wise man need not fear death, he need fear nothing but falsehood. Is it right to abide45 by the laws we ourselves have made so long as they are agreeable to us, and refuse to obey those which are disagreeable? If my memory does not deceive me I believe we once spoke of these things, did we not?”
“Yes, we did,” answered his pupil.
“And I think all were agreed as to the answer?”
“Yes.”
“But perhaps what is true for others is not true for us?”
“No, truth is alike for all, including ourselves.”
“But perhaps when we must die and not some one else, truth becomes untruth?”
After his pupil had thus agreed to each premise47 of Socrates in turn, he smiled and drew his conclusion.
“If that is so, my friend, mustn’t I die? Or has my head already become so weak that I am no longer in a condition to draw a logical conclusion? Then correct me, my friend and show my erring48 brain the right way.”
“Yes,” he said, “now I see you must die.”
And on that evening when the sea tossed hither and thither50 and roared dully under the load of fog, and the whimsical wind in mournful astonishment51 gently stirred the sails of the ships; when the citizens meeting on the streets asked one another: “Is he dead?” and their voices timidly betrayed the hope that he was not dead; when the first breath of awakened52 conscience, touched the hearts of the Athenians like the first messenger of the storm; and when, it seemed the very faces of the gods were darkened with shame—on that evening at the sinking of the sun the self-willed man drank the cup of death!
The wind increased in violence and shrouded53 the city more closely in the veil of mist, angrily tugging54 at the sails of the vessels55 delayed in the harbour. And the Erinyes sang their gloomy songs to the hearts of the citizens and whipped up in their breasts that tempest which was later, to overwhelm the denouncers of Socrates.
But in that hour the first stirrings of regret were still uncertain and confused. The citizens found more fault with Socrates than ever because he had not given them the satisfaction of fleeing to Thessaly; they were annoyed with his pupils because in the last days they had walked about in sombre mourning attire56, a living reproach to the Athenians; they were vexed57 with the judges because they had not had the sense and the courage to resist the blind rage of the excited people; they bore even the gods resentment58.
“To you, ye gods, have we brought this sacrifice,” spoke many. “Rejoice, ye unsatiable!”
“I know not which of us chooses the better lot!”
Those words of Socrates came back to their memory, those his last words to the judges and to the people gathered in the court. Now he lay in the prison quiet and motionless under his cloak, while over the city hovered59 mourning, horror, and shame.
Again he became the tormentor61 of the city, he who was himself no longer accessible to torment60. The gadfly had been killed, but it stung the people more sharply than ever—sleep not, sleep not this night, O men of Athens! Sleep not! You have committed an injustice62, a cruel injustice, which can never be erased63!
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1
acclaim
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| v.向…欢呼，公认；n.欢呼，喝彩，称赞 | |
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dozing
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| v.打瞌睡,假寐 n.瞌睡 | |
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pricks
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| 刺痛( prick的名词复数 )； 刺孔； 刺痕； 植物的刺 | |
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exasperation
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| n.愤慨 | |
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doctrines
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| n.教条( doctrine的名词复数 )；教义；学说；（政府政策的）正式声明 | |
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6
wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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overthrows
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| n.推翻，终止，结束( overthrow的名词复数 )v.打倒，推翻( overthrow的第三人称单数 )；使终止 | |
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8
virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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10
flare
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| v.闪耀，闪烁；n.潮红；突发 | |
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wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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lust
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| n.性(淫)欲；渴(欲)望；vi.对…有强烈的欲望 | |
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13
forefathers
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| n.祖先，先人；祖先，祖宗( forefather的名词复数 )；列祖列宗；前人 | |
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14
joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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15
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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countenances
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| n.面容( countenance的名词复数 )；表情；镇静；道义支持 | |
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courageously
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| ad.勇敢地，无畏地 | |
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tyrants
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| 专制统治者( tyrant的名词复数 )； 暴君似的人； （古希腊的）僭主； 严酷的事物 | |
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21
disperse
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| vi.使分散；使消失；vt.分散；驱散 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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23
kindled
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| （使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光 | |
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24
dispersing
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| adj. 分散的 动词disperse的现在分词形式 | |
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25
shimmering
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| v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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expiration
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| n.终结，期满，呼气，呼出物 | |
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recollected
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| adj.冷静的；镇定的；被回忆起的；沉思默想的v.记起，想起( recollect的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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29
condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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30
bribe
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| n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通 | |
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barbarians
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| n.野蛮人( barbarian的名词复数 )；外国人；粗野的人；无教养的人 | |
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blasphemous
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| adj.亵渎神明的，不敬神的 | |
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33
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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hemlock
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| n.毒胡萝卜，铁杉 | |
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35
pangs
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| 突然的剧痛( pang的名词复数 )； 悲痛 | |
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36
smote
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| v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去式 ) | |
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37
inflicting
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的现在分词 ) | |
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38
drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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39
obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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40
grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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41
besought
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| v.恳求，乞求（某事物）( beseech的过去式和过去分词 )；(beseech的过去式与过去分词) | |
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42
upbraiding
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| adj.& n.谴责（的）v.责备，申斥，谴责( upbraid的现在分词 ) | |
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43
disciples
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| n.信徒( disciple的名词复数 )；门徒；耶稣的信徒；（尤指）耶稣十二门徒之一 | |
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44
avarice
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| n.贪婪；贪心 | |
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45
abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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46
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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47
premise
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| n.前提；v.提论，预述 | |
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48
erring
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| 做错事的，错误的 | |
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49
mantle
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| n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红 | |
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50
thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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51
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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52
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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53
shrouded
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| v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 )；保密 | |
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54
tugging
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| n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 ) | |
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55
vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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56
attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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57
vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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58
resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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59
hovered
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| 鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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60
torment
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| n.折磨；令人痛苦的东西(人)；vt.折磨；纠缠 | |
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61
tormentor
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| n. 使苦痛之人, 使苦恼之物, 侧幕 =tormenter | |
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62
injustice
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| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
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63
erased
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| v.擦掉( erase的过去式和过去分词 )；抹去；清除 | |
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