hen he had reached his full three
score years and ten. Refusing all means of escape to which his friends
continually and importunely urged him, he took the poisoned cup from
the hands of the boy who brought it to him in his prison-chamber,
drank it off calmly amid the tears and sobs of surrounding friends,
walked about till the draught had begun to take effect upon his
system, and then laid himself down upon his bed, and soon breathed his
last. Such was the life and such the death of this great man. It has
been felt as the greatest of all human examples, not only by his own
countrymen, but by the whole civilized world.

SOCRATES AND ARISTODEMUS.

(_By Socrates._)

We will now relate the manner in which Socrates discoursed with
Aristodemus, surnamed _the Little_, concerning the Deity. For,
observing that he neither prayed nor sacrificed to the gods nor yet
consulted any oracle, but, on the contrary, ridiculed and laughed at
those who did, he said to him:

"Tell me, Aristodemus, is there any man whom you admire on account of
his merit?"

Aristodemus having answered, "_Many._"--"Name some of them, I pray
you."

"I admire," said Aristodemus, "Homer for his epic poetry, Melanippides
for his dithyrambics, Sophocles for tragedy, Polycletes for statuary,
and Xeuxis for painting."

"But which seems to you most worthy of admiration, Aristodemus--the
artist who forms images void of motion and intelligence, or one who
hath the skill to produce animals that are endued, not only with
activity, but understanding."

"The _latter_, there can be no doubt," replied Aristodemus, "provided
the production was not the effect of _chance_, but of wisdom and
contrivance."

"But since there are many things, some of which we can easily see the
_use_ of, while we can not say of others to what purpose they were
produced, which of these, Aristodemus, do you suppose the work of
wisdom?"

"It should seem the most reasonable to affirm it of those whose
fitness and utility is so evidently apparent."

"But it is evidently apparent, that He, who at the beginning made man,
endued him with senses _because_ they were _good_ for him; eyes,
wherewith to behold whatever was visible; and ears, to hear whatever
was to be heard. For say, Aristodemus, to what purpose should odors be
prepared, if the sense of smelling had been denied? Or why the
distinctions of bitter and sweet, of savory and unsavory, unless a
palate had been likewise given, conve