Crito.
Socrates, Crito.
Soc. That is true. But you have not told me why you come at this early hour.
Cr. I come to bring you a message which is sad and painful; not, as I believe, to yourself, The ship from Delos is expected.but to all of us who are your friends, and saddest of all to me.
Soc. What? Has the ship come from Delos, on the arrival of which I am to die?
Cr. No, the ship has not actually arrived, but she will probably be here to-day, as persons who have come from Sunium tell me that they left her there; and therefore to-morrow, Socrates, will be the last day of your life.
Soc. Very well, Crito; if such is the will of God, I am willing; but my belief is that there will be a delay of a day.
Cr. Why do you think so?44
Soc. I will tell you. I am to die on the day after the arrival of the ship.
Cr. Yes; that is what the authorities say.
A vision of a fair woman who prophesies in the language of Homer that Socrates will die on the third day. Soc. But I do not think that the ship will be here until to-morrow; this I infer from a vision which I had last night, or rather only just now, when you fortunately allowed me to sleep.
Cr. And what was the nature of the vision?
Soc. There appeared to me the likeness of a woman, fair and comely, clothed in bright raiment, who called to me and said: O Socrates,
‘The third day hence to fertile Phthia shalt thou go.’[1]
Cr. What a singular dream, Socrates!
Soc. There can be no doubt about the meaning, Crito, I think.
Cr. Yes; the meaning is only too clear. But, oh! my beloved Socrates, let me entreat you once more to take my advice and escape. For if you die I shall not only lose a friend who can never be replaced, but there is another evil: people who do not know you and me will believe that I might have saved you if I had been willing to give money, but that I did not care. Now, can there be a worse disgrace than this—that I should be thought to value money more than the- ↑ Homer, Il. ix. 363.
