Smyrna times., 1873-07-02
MiSceIIU ID e D II s.
Xantippe, Socrates Wife.
BY " Girls. I"

Who can tell at this late day what annoy
ances, irritationS and insutferable vexations re-
suited in rendering Aantippe the scold she
waSf She might have been, and undoubtedly
was, an amlable young woman when Socrates
courted her. As good humor implies sort of
easy Indifference to the cares of life, she must
indeed have possessed good-natured attributes,
or she would have inquired and found out bow
poorly calculated philosophy is to support a
family on. She probably knew very little of
Socrates except through reputation, when he
asked Tor and obtained her hand. She saw his
name mentioned very frequently in the papers
as the great philosopher. She had often heard
him quoted as authority in philosophical mat
ters; had known half of Athens to flock
together for the purpose of hearing him CAB,
and had perhaps gaped through one or two of
his lectures herself.
Her vanity was naturally gratifed at becom-
ing the wife OF THE Greatest Philosopher in
the World u as the lecture associations were
accustomed to bill him. Perhaps in her girlish
Ignorance and romance she thought he pos
sessed the philosophers stone she had read
about, which transmutes everything it touches
into gold or she might have pictured him as
some time filling the presidential chair-other
we'll known Philosophers having aspired to that
| exalted station. t. !.
| What waking up it must have been when
! living philosopher really was, and what an un-
profitable business he pursued As a classic
though eminenty practical Greek who shoveled
on the canal remarked, it was "all talk and no
cider, bedad!" 1t might have been most ex-
cellent philosophy that he gave the people
winning much applause, but it rarely won
| bread.
| If, overcoming his native repugnance to any
action that would appear mercenary, he
| has, h i 4 Il
OF his philosophical bursts in the market. o lace
some one invariably ran off with the stamps,
beside stealing his hat. He lectured Young
Mems Christian. Associations for nothing,
hndlng himself, (hungry and out of pocket, J
and travelled around the country on foot and at
his own expense, organizing schools in phios.
ophy, thereby seriously impairing his entire
philosophical apparatus.
Aantippe found that philosophers were gen.
orally out OF money when rent was due, and
were only prepared to respond to demands
from butchers and bakers with sage and phlo
sophical disquisitions. Clean cloths they were
subllmely indifferent to, and they were never
regular to their meals. No use to get up a
good dinner for Socrates, as no one could tel
when he would be home to eati He washed
very rarely and let his hair grow long, greatly
to the disgust of Xantippe, who was the soul O.
neatnesss herself. Wrapped up in philosophy
.. he never half-dressed himself, and appeared OF
the streets so often in his stocking feet that thu
boys dubbed him "Old SOc."
{ He would come home at late hour of tn,
night, bringing lot of brother philosopher
/ with him, aud want Xantippe to get up an,
n cook hot supper for them. Being a spirited
:; woman, she would tell him to feed them SOM
of his philosophy, and let them digest that
What wonder that Xantippe became cross an
peevish Such things would sour the sweetes
|. disposition in the world. Had she lived in ou
day she might have found an outlet for her i'll
humor-as numerous testy and petulan
females now doom the rustrum; but women
rights were unknown in Xantippes time, 8
she vented all her spleen upon her husband
She would have applied for divorce, but, ala
tor her the Delaware Legislature was not i
!, session. She began to make it very warm fo
4 him whenever he came home, and scolded
fretted and fumed both day and night. Sh
4 declared it sbe was to marry again, and wa
d 1obliged to choose between a natural philosC
pher and a natural fool, she would 90 for til
st fool, sure lc4a}l e...l r;tts3 ~. .......
1t is not recorded, we belive, who made tn
). hemlock tea which Socrates was Obliged I
drink, as punishment for setting a shifte.
II example before the Athenian youth they ha
rather hear Socrates talk than saw woody: b,
we suspect it was Xantippe herself. and ca
- imagine the cheerful alacrity with which 81
: did it. The sublime philosophy which su
=, tanned him as he took his dose was doubtle
a egualed by the resignation with whic
Aantlppe saw him depart. JI27