r himself. To condemn unheard is a sadly crude
proceeding, not for us; leave that to the hasty people with whom might
is right. We shall give occasion to the enemy to blaspheme if we stone
a man without a hearing, profest lovers of justice as we are. We shall
have to keep quiet about Anytus and Meletus, my accusers, and the jury
on that occasion, if we can not spare an hour to hear this fellow
before he suffers.

_Plato._ Very true, Socrates. We will go and fetch Philosophy. The
decision shall be hers, and we will accept it, whatever it is....

_Philosophy._ Well, well. Here we are at the appointed place. We will
hold the trial in the forecourt of Athene Polias.[124] Priestess,
arrange our seats, while we salute the goddess.

_Lucian._ Polias, come to my aid against these pretenders, mindful of
the daily perjuries thou hearest from them. Their deeds too are
revealed to thee alone, in virtue of thy charge. Thou hast now thine
hour of vengeance. If thou see me in evil case, if blacks be more than
whites, then cast thou thy vote and save me!

_Philosophy._ So. Now we are seated, ready to hear your words. Choose
one of your number, the best accuser you may, make your charge, and
bring your proofs. Were all to speak, there would be no end. And you,
Parrhesiades, shall afterward make your defense....

_Parrhesiades._ Philosophy, Diogenes has been far indeed from
exhausting his material; the greater part of it, and the more strongly
exprest, he has passed by, for reasons best known to himself. I refer
to statements of mine which I am as far from denying that I made as
from having provided myself with any elaborate defense of them. Any of
these that have been omitted by him, and not previously emphasized by
myself, I propose now to quote; this will be the best way to show you
who were the persons that I sold by auction and inveighed against as
pretenders and impostors; please to concentrate your vigilance on the
truth or falsehood of my descriptions. If what I say is injurious or
severe, your censure will be more fairly directed at the perpetrators
than at the discoverer of such iniquities. I had no sooner realized
the odious practises which his profession imposes on an advocate--the
deceit, falsehood, bluster, clamor, pushing, and all the long hateful
list, than I fled as a matter of course from these, betook myself to
your dear service, Philosophy, and pleased myself with the thought of
a remainder of life spent far from