many ways a continuation of sophistic. This is involved
already in the fact that the same questions form the central interest in
the two schools of thought, so that the problems stated by the sophists
became the decisive factor in the content of Socratic and Platonic
thought. The Socratic schools at the same time took over the actual
programme of the sophists, namely, the education of adolescence in the
highest culture. But, on the other hand, the Socratic philosophy was in
the opposite camp to sophistic; on many points it represents a reaction
against it, a recollection of the valuable elements contained in earlier
Greek thought on life, especially human life, values which sophistic
regarded with indifference or even hostility, and which were threatened
with destruction if it should carry the day. This reactionary tendency in
Socratic philosophy appears nowhere more plainly than in the field of
religion.

Under these circumstances it is a peculiar irony of fate that the very
originator of the new trend in Greek thought was charged with and
sentenced for impiety. We have already mentioned the singular prelude to
the indictment afforded by the comedy of Aristophanes. We have also
remarked upon the futility of looking therein for any actual enlightenment
on the Socratic point of view. And Plato makes Socrates state this with
all necessary sharpness in the _Apology_. Hence what we may infer from the
attack of Aristophanes is merely this, that the general public lumped
Socrates together with the sophists and more especially regarded him as a
godless fellow. Unless this had been so, Aristophanes could not have
introduced him as the chief character in his travesty. And without doubt
it was this popular point of view which his accusers relied on when they
actually included atheism as a count in their bill of indictment. It will,
nevertheless, be necessary to dwell for a moment on this bill of
indictment and the defence.

The charge of impiety was a twofold one, partly for not believing in the
gods the State believed in, partly for introducing new "demonic things."
This latter act was directly punishable according to Attic law. What his
accusers alluded to was the _daimonion_ of Socrates. That they should have
had any idea of what that was must be regarded as utterly out of the
question, and whatever it may have been--and of this we shall have a word
to say later--it had at any rate nothing whatever to do with atheism. As to
t