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day；　and　in　all　future　time；　whenever　I　meet　with　any　of　you；　shall

continue　to　remind　and　exhort　you；　O　ye　sons　of　heroes；　that　you　strive　to

be　the　bravest　of　men。　　And　I　think　that　I　ought　now　to　repeat　what　your

fathers　desired　to　have　said　to　you　who　are　their　survivors；　when　they　went

out　to　battle；　in　case　anything　happened　to　them。　　I　will　tell　you　what　I

heard　them　say；　and　what；　if　they　had　only　speech；　they　would　fain　be

saying；　judging　from　what　they　then　said。　　And　you　must　imagine　that　you

hear　them　saying　what　I　now　repeat　to　you：



'Sons；　the　event　proves　that　your　fathers　were　brave　men；　for　we　might　have

lived　dishonourably；　but　have　preferred　to　die　honourably　rather　than　bring

you　and　your　children　into　disgrace；　and　rather　than　dishonour　our　own

fathers　and　forefathers；　considering　that　life　is　not　life　to　one　who　is　a

dishonour　to　his　race；　and　that　to　such　a　one　neither　men　nor　Gods　are

friendly；　either　while　he　is　on　the　earth　or　after　death　in　the　world

below。　　Remember　our　words；　then；　and　whatever　is　your　aim　let　virtue　be

the　condition　of　the　attainment　of　your　aim；　and　know　that　without　this　all

possessions　and　pursuits　are　dishonourable　and　evil。　　For　neither　does

wealth　bring　honour　to　the　owner；　if　he　be　a　coward；　of　such　a　one　the

wealth　belongs　to　another；　and　not　to　himself。　　Nor　does　beauty　and

strength　of　body；　when　dwelling　in　a　base　and　cowardly　man；　appear　comely；

but　the　reverse　of　comely；　making　the　possessor　more　conspicuous；　and

manifesting　forth　his　cowardice。　　And　all　knowledge；　when　separated　from

justice　and　virtue；　is　seen　to　be　cunning　and　not　wisdom；　wherefore　make

this　your　first　and　last　and　constant　and　all…absorbing　aim；　to　exceed；　if

possible；　not　only　us　but　all　your　ancestors　in　virtue；　and　know　that　to

excel　you　in　virtue　only　brings　us　shame；　but　that　to　be　excelled　by　you　is

a　source　of　happiness　to　us。　　And　we　shall　most　likely　be　defeated；　and　you

will　most　likely　be　victors　in　the　contest；　if　you　learn　so　to　order　your

lives　as　not　to　abuse　or　waste　the　reputation　of　your　ancestors；　knowing

that　to　a　man　who　has　any　self…respect；　nothing　is　more　dishonourable　than

to　be　honoured；　not　for　his　own　sake；　but　on　account　of　the　reputation　of

his　ancestors。　　The　honour　of　parents　is　a　fair　and　noble　treasure　to　their

posterity；　but　to　have　the　use　of　a　treasure　of　wealth　and　honour；　and　to

leave　none　to　your　successors；　because　you　have　neither　money　nor

reputation　of　your　own；　is　alike　base　and　dishonourable。　　And　if　you　follow

our　precepts　you　will　be　received　by　us　as　friends；　when　the　hour　of

destiny　brings　you　hither；　but　if　you　neglect　our　words　and　are　disgraced

in　your　lives；　no　one　will　welcome　or　receive　you。　　This　is　the　message

which　is　to　be　delivered　to　our　children。



'Some　of　us　have　fathers　and　mothers　still　living；　and　we　would　urge　them；

if；　as　is　likely；　we　shall　die；　to　bear　the　calamity　as　lightly　as

possible；　and　not　to　condole　with　one　another；　for　they　have　sorrows

enough；　and　will　not　need　any　one　to　stir　them　up。　　While　we　gently　heal

their　wounds；　let　us　remind　them　that　the　Gods　have　heard　the　chief　part　of

their　prayers；　for　they　prayed；　not　that　their　children　might　live　for

ever；　but　that　they　might　be　brave　and　renowned。　　And　this；　which　is　the

greatest　good；　they　have　attained。　　A　mortal　man　cannot　expect　to　have

everything　in　his　own　life　turning　out　according　to　his　will；　and　they；　if

they　bear　their　misfortunes　bravely；　will　be　truly　deemed　brave　fathers　of

the　brave。　　But　if　they　give　way　to　their　sorrows；　either　they　will　be

suspected　of　not　being　our　parents；　or　we　of　not　being　such　as　our

panegyrists　declare。　　Let　not　either　of　the　two　alternatives　happen；　but

rather　let　them　be　our　chief　and　true　panegyrists；　who　show　in　their　lives

that　they　are　true　men；　and　had　men　for　their　sons。　　Of　old　the　saying；

〃Nothing　too　much；〃　　appeared　to　be；　and　really　was；　well　said。　　For　he

whose　happiness　rests　with　himself；　if　possible；　wholly；　and　if　not；　as　far

as　is　possible；who　is　not　hanging　in　suspense　on　other　men；　or　changing

with　the　vicissitude　of　their　fortune；has　his　life　ordered　for　the　best。

He　is　the　temperate　and　valiant　and　wise；　and　when　his　riches　come　and　go；

when　his　children　are　given　and　taken　away；　he　will　remember　the　proverb

〃Neither　rejoicing　overmuch　nor　grieving　overmuch；〃　for　he　relies　upon

himself。　　And　such　we　would　have　our　parents　to　bethat　is　our　word　and

wish；　and　as　such　we　now　offer　ourselves；　neither　lamenting　overmuch；　nor

fearing　overmuch；　if　we　are　to　die　at　this　time。　　And　we　entreat　our

fathers　and　mothers　to　retain　these　feelings　throughout　their　future　life；

and　to　be　assured　that　they　will　not　please　us　by　sorrowing　and　lamenting

over　us。　　But；　if　the　dead　have　any　knowledge　of　the　living；　they　will

displease　us　most　by　making　themselves　miserable　and　by　taking　their

misfortunes　too　much　to　heart；　and　they　will　please　us　best　if　they　bear

their　loss　lightly　and　temperately。　　For　our　life　will　have　the　noblest　end

which　is　vouchsafed　to　man；　and　should　be　glorified　rather　than　lamented。　

And　if　they　will　direct　their　minds　to　the　care　and　nurture　of　our　wives

and　children；　they　will　soonest　forget　their　misfortunes；　and　live　in　a

better　and　nobler　way；　and　be　dearer　to　us。



'This　is　all　that　we　have　to　say　to　our　families：　　and　to　the　state　we

would　sayTake　care　of　our　parents　and　of　our　sons：　　let　her　worthily

cherish　the　old　age　of　our　parents；　and　bring　up　our　sons　in　the　right　way。

But　we　know　that　she　will　of　her　own　accord　take　care　of　them；　and　does　not

need　any　exhortation　of　ours。'



This；　O　ye　children　and　parents　of　the　dead；　is　the　message　which　they　bid

us　deliver　to　you；　and　which　I　do　deliver　with　the　utmost　seriousness。　　And

in　their　name　I　beseech　you；　the　children；　to　imitate　your　fathers；　and

you；　parents；　to　be　of　good　cheer　about　yourselves；　for　we　will　nourish

your　age；　and　take　care　of　you　both　publicly　and　privately　in　any　place　in

which　one　of　us　may　meet　one　of　you　who　are　the　parents　of　the　dead。　　And

the　care　of　you　which　the　city　shows；　you　know　yourselves；　for　she　has　made

provision　by　law　concerning　the　parents　and　children　of　those　who　die　in

war；　the　highest　authority　is　specially　entrusted　with　the　duty　of　watching

over　them　above　all　other　citizens；　and　they　will　see　that　your　fathers　and

mothers　have　no　wrong　done　to　them。　　The　city　herself　shares　in　the

education　of　the　children；　desiring　as　far　as　it　is　possible　that　their

orphanhood　may　not　be　felt　by　them；　while　they　are　children　she　is　a　parent

to　them；　and　when　they　have　arrived　at　man's　estate　she　sends　them　to　their

several　duties；　in　full　armour　clad；　and　bringing　freshly　to　their　minds

the　ways　of　their　fathers；　she　places　in　their　hands　the　instruments　of

their　fathers'　virtues；　for　the　sake　of　the　omen；　she　would　have　them　from

the　first　begin　to　rule　over　their　own　houses　arrayed　in　the　strength　and

arms　of　their　fathers。　　And　as　for　the　dead；　she　never　ceases　honouring

them；　celebrating　in　common　for　all　rites　which　become　the　property　of

each；　and　in　addition　to　this；　holding　gymnastic　and　equestrian　contests；

and　musical　festivals　of　every　sort。　　She　is　to　the　dead　in　the　place　of　a

son　and　heir；　and　to　their　sons　in　the　place　of　a　father；　and　to　their

parents　and　elder　kindred　in　the　place　of　a　guardianever　and　always

caring　for　them。　　Considering　this；　you　ought　to　bear　your　calamity　the

more　gently；　for　thus　you　will　be　most　endeared　to　the　dead　and　to　the

living；　and　your　sorrows　will　heal　and　be　healed。　　And　now　do　you　and　all；

having　lamented　the　dead　in　common　according　to　the　law；　go　your　ways。



You　have　heard；　Menexenus；　the　oration　of　Aspasia　the　Milesian。



MENEXENUS：　　Truly；　Socrates；　I　marvel　that　Aspasia；　who　is　only　a　woman；

should　be　able　to　compose　such　a　speech；　she　must　be　a　rare　one。



SOCRATES：　　Well；　if　you　are　incredulous；　you　may　come　with　me　and　hear　her。



MENEXENUS：　　I　have　often　met　Aspasia；　Socrates；　and　know　what　she　is　like。



SOCRATES：　　Well；　and　do　you　not　admire　her；　and　are　you　not　grateful　for

her　speech？



MENEXENUS：　　Yes；　Socrates；　I　am　very　grateful　to　her　or　to　him　who　told

you；　and　still　more　to　you　who　have　told　me。



SOCRATES：　　Very　good。　　But　you　must　take　care　not　to　tell　of　me；　and　then

at　some　future　time　I　will　repeat　to　you　many　other　excellent　political

speeches　of　hers。



MENEXENUS：　　Fear　not；　only　let　me　hear　them；　and　I　will　keep　the　secret。



SOCRATES：　　Then　I　will　keep　my　promise。








End