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Section 63

When Socrates heard this, he seemed to me to be pleased by Cebes's earnestness. He looked at us and said, "Cebes is always tracking down some argument, and is not easily persuaded at once by whatever anyone says." Simmias added, "But this time, Socrates, it seems to me too that Cebes has a point. Why would truly wise men wish to run away from masters better than themselves and gladly rid themselves of them? And I think Cebes is aiming his argument at you, because you endure leaving us so easily, as well as leaving the gods, whom you yourself agree are good rulers." "You speak justly," said Socrates. "I think you mean that I must defend myself against this charge as if in a law court." "Exactly," said Simmias. "Come then," said Socrates, "let me try to defend myself more persuasively before you than I did before the judges. For if I did not expect, Simmias and Cebes, first of all to go to other gods who are both wise and good, and secondly, to men who have died and are better than the men here, I would be wrong not to be aggrieved at dying. But as it is, know well that I expect to join the company of good men—though this I would not affirm with absolute certainty—but that I shall go to gods who are absolutely good masters, know well that I would affirm this as surely as any such thing. So because of this, I am not as aggrieved, but I have good hope that there is something in store for those who die, and, as was said long ago, something much better for the good than for the bad." "Well then, Socrates," said Simmias, "do you intend to keep this thought to yourself as you depart, or will you share it with us? For it seems to me that this is a good common to us all. And at the same time, it will be your defense if you persuade us of what you say." "I will try," he said. "But first let us look at Crito here, who seems to have been wanting to say something for a while. What is it, Crito?" "What else, Socrates," said Crito, "except that the man who is to give you the poison has been telling me for some time to advise you to converse as little as possible. He says that people get heated by talking too much, and one must not bring anything like that to the poison. Otherwise, those who do such things sometimes have to drink it two or even three times." Socrates replied, "Let him be. Let him just prepare his own business and be ready to give it twice, or even three times if necessary." "I knew it," said Crito, "but he has been bothering me for a while." "Let him be," Socrates said. "Now I wish to render an account to you, my judges, to show why it seems reasonable to me that a man who has genuinely spent his life in philosophy should be confident when about to die, and hopeful that he will win the greatest goods there after he has died. How this could be so, Simmias and Cebes, I will try to explain.