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The Memorabilia by Xenophon
page 32 of 287 (11%)

III

It may serve to illustrate the assertion that he benefited his
associates partly by the display of his own virtue and partly by
verbal discourse and argument, if I set down my various
recollections[1] on these heads. And first with regard to religion and
the concerns of heaven. In conduct and language his behaviour
conformed to the rule laid down by the Pythia[2] in reply to the
question, "How shall we act?" as touching a sacrifice or the worship
of ancestors, or any similar point. Her answer is: "Act according to
the law and custom of your state, and you will act piously." After
this pattern Socrates behaved himself, and so he exhorted others to
behave, holding them to be but busybodies and vain fellows who acted
on any different principle.

[1] Hence the title of the work, {'Apomenmoneumata}, "Recollections,
Memoirs, Memorabilia." See Diog. Laert. "Xen." II. vi. 48.

[2] The Pythia at Delphi.

His formula or prayer was simple: "Give me that which is best for me,"
for, said he, the gods know best what good things are--to pray for
gold or silver or despotic power were no better than to make some
particular throw at dice or stake in battle or any such thing the
subject of prayer, of which the future consequences are manifestly
uncertain.[3]

[3] See (Plat.) "Alcib. II." 142 foll.; Valerius Max. vii. 2;
"Spectator," No. 207.
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