have played a conspicuous part.1 But notwithstanding all these fortunate circumstances, notwithstanding all the internal and the external inducements, he kept himself wholly aloof from all public occupations and services. He never once went into an assembly of the people either to impart counsel or to propose measures. For the reason of this remarkable fact, we have Plato's own confession. He was too considerate; he weighed everything in cool blood, and did not allow himself to be seduced into any rash resolutions. Accordingly he determined in the first place to observe what rules those men who had the helm of State in their hands followed; and he soon found evidence enough to satisfy himself, that they could not harmonize with his principles in the least degree. It is probable, that through his intercourse with Socrates, his moral sense was so developed and educated, that the cruel deeds, the acts of violence and the despotic principles of the Thirty filled his soul with horror, and produced the first disinclination to a life of business. For he would not adopt their maxims, and he could not follow his own, without plunging himself into the most evident hazard of life, and he did not see that the common good would receive any advantage from such a course. When afterwards the power of the Thirty was annihilated, and a new reformation of the political system followed, his inclination for political life was again somewhat excited. But many new scenes which occurred, particularly the iniquitous execution of Socrates, gave to his original resolution, namely, to have nothing to do with the administration of the State, firmness and permanence ; they imparted to his mind a particular direction towards the investigation of the fundamental errors and radical deficiencies, not only in the Attic Commonwealth, but in other States, and led him to reflect on the causes of this evil, and the means of thoroughly removing it.4

Perhaps another cause had an influence. So strong an inclina

1 Cic. Officior. 1. 1.

2 Epist. V. 88. We are not entirely certain, whether he performed military service more than on a single occasion. The information of Diogenes III. 8, from Aristoxenus and Ælian VII. 14, that he fought at Tanagra, Delos and Corinth, cannot be true, for Plato was at that time only a child.

3 Epist. 5. 89, ἐπεὶ πάντων ἂν ἥδιστα, καθάπερ πατρὶ, συνεβούλευεν αὐτῷ, εἰ μὴ μάτην μὲν κινδυνεύσειν ᾤετο, πλέεν δ ̓ οὐδὲν ποιήσειν.

Epist. 7. 93, 96.

tion for a political course of life might have led him to attain it, but this was not the only thing which filled his soul. From the zeal with which he had struggled to educate his mind and to collect knowledge, we may safely conclude, as it appears to me, that he had enjoyed, in a high degree, the pleasures which mental pursuits awaken. Hence there must have originated a special interest in certain objects, and a particular direction must have been given to his entire pursuits, although at first he had determined to educate himself merely for a statesman. Thus he did not want other objects and motives for labor, and sources of satisfaction, when he had been disappointed in his original purpose, and the means by which he would have effected his object took the place of the object itself.

These reasons appear to me to be sufficient to account for the phenomenon. Brucker thinks that he took no part in the administration of the affairs of the State, because he was not pleased with the laws of Draco and Solon; but Brucker has confounded, as it seems to me, the effects and operation of the laws, with the reasons for them. Of the laws of Draco nothing in particular can be said, since they were abolished by Solon. Neither the character of the laws, nor the constitution of the State could have impeded Plato's struggle for political life, for he could not have once thought of these things; it was the men-their maxims and rules, which first drew his attention, and which first awakened in him discontent and indignation. Now he desired even, that the Athenians should copy the morals and dispositions of their ancestors, and that the laws of Solon should have their full influence. It was subsequently only, when a necessary survey and observation of the moral and political relations of men had turned his mind to these objects, that he believed that the grounds of the manifold existing evils were to be found in the constitution of the State, in legislation and education.2

This circumstance, besides, exerted great influence on the cultivation of his mind, and in directing him towards philosophy, travelling, and many other things. Had Plato been fortunate in the attainment of his objects, or rather had not such sinister maxims and motives met him in his path, we should have had, it may be, no Plato the philosopher; his writings, instinct with genius, would not perhaps have seen the light. His observant mind would have been turned especially towards men in their social relations, their actions, Epist. 7. 94. 96.

Hist. Crit. Philos, I. 643.

2

motives and maxims. His judgment would, in that case, have sought opportunity to distinguish between what appeared to be customary, and what ought to be. But here we must not forget that the education, which his mind received through the intercourse, the instruction and the leading of Socrates had the greatest share in all these effects, and that the circumstance above referred to must have been regarded only in its aspects as an occasion, or a subsidiary reason. It is time, however, that we should resume the narration, where we just now suspended it.

Plato had already gone through the course of knowledge which young people then customarily pursued, had attended the philosophical lectures of Cratylus, and probably of several others, and perhaps had read the works of the older philosophers, as Xenophanes and Parmenides. He had already, as we have seen, made attempts in various kinds of poetry, and was even about to bring four dramatic compositions on the stage, when he became acquainted with the excellent Socrates, by which means the cultivation of his mind was hastened. According to the testimony of most writers, Ariston himself led his son, now in his twentieth year, to Socrates, because he thought that intercourse with him would be useful to his son.1 This occurrence is interwoven with some wonderful circumstances, perhaps mere additions, but which still may have some authority. The night before, Socrates had the following dream.-A young swan flew away from the altar which was consecrated to Love in the academy, and alighted on the lap of Socrates, and, finally, rose into the air with an enrapturing song. As Socrates was relating this dream to his pupils the next morning, Ariston came with his son. The sight of the youth, whose external appearance bespoke so much superiority, delighted Socrates. He turned to his pupils and said, "There is the swan of the academy." The writers referred to relate this only as a report which was deficient in the proper historical grounds. In the mean time, any one who considers the lively imagination of Socrates and his conviction of the full meaning of dreams,

1 Apul. 366. Diog. III. 5. Olymp. Elian narrates in a different manner touching the commencement of the acquaintance of the two men, but we will not vouch for the truth of his account. Plato was compelled through poverty to betake himself to a soldier's life, but when he was in the act of buying his accoutrements, accident conducted Socrates to him, who, by his first conversation, brought him to another resolution.

may well enough suppose that some such thing might have happened. Of the eight years which Plato passed in intercourse with Socrates we know little or nothing, interesting as the detail of all the minute circumstances and incidents would be for us, inasmuch as it would show us two great men of antiquity, perhaps in an entirely new aspect. How many wonderful things might we learn, particularly in respect to the course of the development and education of Plato's mind, could the history of this period of his life contain some. thing else than a dry collection of a few fragments.

Socrates must have greatly rejoiced when a slight acquaintance confirmed the judgment which he had formed on the first glance at his countenance, and which satisfied his expectation. He discovered in him all the fine qualities, the expression of which has imparted such an interest to his writings; a lively imagination susceptible of everything beautiful, wit and acuteness. He however noticed that the spring which set in motion all his powers of mind was nothing but ambition. Hence Socrates did not deem it necessary to stir up these powers by any excitements; he gave to them merely a determinate direction by virtue of that sense of honor, of which he, as a good educator, knew how to make a very judicious use. He ennobled this propensity, while he led Plato off from things on which he sought to display his brilliancy, and conducted him to those objects. which elevate us in our own consciousness. As a consequence, Plato burned all his dramatic poems, and ever after renounced poetry. Light as must have been the task of education in respect to the mind, since Plato was quite teachable, and as, it appears to me, in addition to his good talents, possessed of great susceptibility for moral studies, still, on the other hand, would it be very difficult for Socrates to satisfy the aspiring and the inquisitive spirit of his pupil. In all his conversations, he started questions, raised doubts, and always demanded new reasons, without allowing himself to be satisfied with those already given, and thus caused his teacher not a little trouble.2 This liveliness and activity of mind could not displease Socrates with

1 Apul. p. 366. Jamque carminum confidentia elatus, certatorem se profiteri cupiebat, nisi Socrates humilitatem cupidinis ex ejus mentibus expulisset, et verae laudis gloriam in ejus animum inserere curasset.

2 The anonymous writer of his life in the Bibliothek der alten Litteratur, 13, μετὰ δὲ τό τῶν ἠθικὴν ὠφεληθῆναι, καὶ πράγματα παρασχεῖν αὐτῷ τῷ Σωκράτει ἐν ταῖς πρὸς αὐτόν ἐντευξέσι.

his manner of thinking; so little was this the case, indeed, that Plato already, in the lifetime of Socrates, wrote dialogues, in which he introduced his teacher as the principal person, and carried on discussions in a method which was not entirely his own. There are, indeed, many writers who believe that they have discovered, that Socrates was by no means satisfied with the course of Plato in falsely imputing to him so many things which he had never said. But they can adduce no satisfactory grounds, or competent testimony, for their conclusion. The single thing to which they appeal can prove nothing for them, because it is ambiguous. When Plato brought forward his Lysis in the presence of Socrates, the latter exclaimed, as they say, " By Hercules! how many things does the young man falsely report of me !" Now it cannot be determined, that Socrates uttered this sentiment with these words and with this manner, but it is rather probable, that the report was related in a different way. But, allowing that the fact is correctly stated, still we cannot infer from it in any manner, a reproof, accusation or even disapprobation on the part of Socrates. It were certainly inconsid erateness in Plato to have recited his writings to Socrates, which were of such a nature as to have aroused his indignation. The 'words, however, will well bear the meaning, that Socrates, wishing to commend the richness and fruitfulness of the young man's mind, employed the Attic elegance which very well agreed with that sort of irony of which the words of the anonymous biographer contain an example. Athenaeus, further, relates an anecdote, which perhaps would indicate more dissatisfaction on the part of Socrates than the preceding story, if it were not destitute of all historical probability: “ Socrates is reported to have once said, in the presence of Plato and of other pupils, I dreamed that thou art become a crow, and hast picked my bald head. I predict that thou wilt prate many falsehoods about me among the people.'"3 Were Athenaeus, indeed, in many of his anecdotes about the philosophers deserving of particular credit, still, that this would be wholly unfounded, we can show by testimony which

1 Diog. 111. 35, φασί δὲ καὶ Σωκράτην ἀκουσάντα τὸν λύσιν ἀναγινώσκοντος Πλατωνος, Ἡρακλεῖς, εἰπεῖν, ὡς πολλά μου κατεψεύδεδ' ὁ νεανίσκος.

* The anonymous biographer so relates the fact, 13. to yàp hvoir diáko– γον συγγέγραφος, ᾧ ἐνετίχε καὶ ὁ Σωκράτης, ἔφη τοῖς ἑταῖροις αὐτοῦ . ο τός ὁ νεανίας ἄγει με ὃπη θέλει, καὶ ἐφ' ὅσον θέλει, καὶ πρὸς οἱ ς θέλει.

3 Athenaeus Dipnos. edit. Casaub. L. XI. 507.