Phaedo.
And Socrates said: Crito,
those whom you mention are right in doing as they do, for they think they gain
by it; and I shall be right in not doing as they do;
for I think I should gain
nothing by taking the poison a little later. I should only make myself
ridiculous in my own eyes if I clung to life and spared it, when there is no
more profit in it. Come,
he said, do as I ask and do not
refuse.
Thereupon Crito nodded to the
boy who was standing near. The boy went out and stayed a long time, then came
back with the man who was to administer the poison, which he brought with him in
a cup ready for use. And when Socrates saw him, he said: Well, my good
man, you know about these things; what must I do?
Nothing,
he replied, except drink the poison and walk about
till your legs feel heavy; then lie down, and the poison
will take effect of itself.
At the same
time he held out the cup to Socrates. He took it, and very gently, Echecrates,
without trembling or changing color or expression, but looking up at the man
with wide open eyes, as was his custom, said: What do you say about
pouring a libation to some deity from this cup? May I, or not?
Socrates,
said he, we prepare only as much as we think is
enough.
I understand,
said Socrates;
but I may and must pray to the gods that my departure
hence be a fortunate one; so I offer this prayer, and may it be granted.
With these words he raised the cup to his lips and very cheerfully and quietly
drained it. Up to that time most of us had been able to restrain our tears
fairly well, but when we watched him drinking and saw that he had drunk the
poison, we could do so no longer, but in spite of myself my tears rolled down in
floods, so that I wrapped my face in my cloak and wept for myself; for it was
not for him that I wept,
but for my own
misfortune in being deprived of such a friend. Crito had got up and gone away
even before I did, because he could not restrain his tears. But Apollodorus, who
had been weeping all the time before, then wailed aloud in his grief and made us
all break down, except Socrates himself. But he said, What conduct is
this, you strange men! I sent the women away chiefly for this very reason, that
they might not behave in this absurd way; for I have heard that
it is best to die in silence. Keep quiet and be
brave.
Then we were ashamed and controlled our tears. He walked about
and, when he said his legs were heavy, lay down on his back, for such was the
advice of the attendant. The man who had administered the poison laid his hands
on him and after a while examined his feet and legs, then pinched his foot hard
and asked if he felt it. He said No
;