Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-03-04
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

NEW PUBLICATIONS
SOCRATES: A translation of the Apology, Critic, |
and parts of the Phaedo of Plato, New York: /
Scribner's Sons. 1888.
The names of Socrates and his pupil |
Plato, are known to many as names OF au-
tiquity, greatly venerated by the profundi-
ty of their philosophy, who know little else
of them. But this volume of a new
translation, well adapted to popu-
lar reading, lifts the veil, and gives an in
sight into the interior workings of
the minds of antiquity. Socrates was
born 400 years before the Christian era
The exact religious views of Socrates, if
ever reduced to a system, which may well
be doubted, it is impossible to
define, but the fact that through
the deep philosophic workings of his own
mind, aided, not by revelation, but only by
the dim light of nature, he believed in the
existence of one Supreme Being and the
Immortality of the soul, has challenged,
and viii ever continue to challenge, the
admiration of mankind, since life
and Immortality have been brought to
light through the gospel. 1t is amazing
l
to US, who live in the full blaze of Chris
tianity, with divine revelations unknown
| to the ancient Athenians, that Socrates
should have struck out such ideas OF
mans immortal destiny, and of the
existince, though dimly, of the
one great, omnipotent ruler of the uni
verse. For this ne suffered death at the
hands of his ignorant, bigoted countrymen,
and after twenty five years of his hated.
religious and moral teaching, at the age of
seventy years he was condemned to drink
the fatal hemlock, and thus expired the d.
vine thought with him, so far in advance
of his generation. In view of the perse-
cution of which he was made the object,
he declared: 'The envy and malice of the
multitude, is what will condemn me, if
condemned l am."-and condemn
ed he was. The translation
before us, contained Socrates
Apology or vindication before his
judges; ''Crito," the speakers being Socra-
ties and Critic, in the prison of the former
at Athens; and the Phedo of Plato, where
in we have an affecting narrative of the
closing scenes in the life of the great
philosophical martyr. In the eloquent
language of the preface to the translation:
''The last scenes in the prison of Socrates
as recorded in the Phado, forms a fitting
close to life SO long devoted to the task
ofinspiring in others the same high hopes
by which he had himself been animated.
In his dying request is embodied the great
principle of mortality, meet subject
for philosophers last words.
Exultant in the belief that
through death the true life of health and
activity was just opening before him, he
desired to present a sacrifice of praise and
thanksgiving, not only to the God of
Health, but through and beyond him to
the supreme healer and restorer of life''
His last words before his inexorable Judges
were full of moving pathos: "But you, too,
10 judges, it behooves to be of
good hope about death, and to
believe that this is true-there can no evil
befall good man whether he be alive or
dead, nor are his affairs uncared for by
the gods. Neither has this happened to
me by chance, for 1 am persuaded that to
die now and be released from worldly
affairs is best for me, and that this is why
the sign did not turn back. Wherefore 1
bear no malice against my
accusers or against those that
have condemned me, but as
it was not with this idea, but rather with
the intent to do me injury, that they &C
cused and voted against me, it is right
that they should be blamed. = x X But
now it is time for us to go away; to die,you
to live. Which of US is going to the better
fate is unknown to all save God" Here
seems to be the very pre-
fguration of the Christian faith.
The philosopher discerned in his mental
inductions the immortal life vouchsafed in
the divine economy of an omniscient God,
which the Savior of mankind so fully re-
vealed to a sinful world. Contrasting the
life and death of the philosopher and the
Redeemer, have truly in the eloquent,
thrilling words of Rousseau, Socrates
died like philosopher, but Jesus Christ,
like Godr'
This translation is valuable contribu-
ton to our current literature. It is for
sale by the st. Paul Book and Stationery
Co. Price, fifty cents.