that the violence of it would precipitate him so far a length as to make
him transgress the bounds of nature, shocked at his behaviour, he exerted
his utmost strength of reason and argument to dissuade him from so wild a
desire. And while the impetuosity of Critias' passion seemed to scorn
all check or control, and the modest rebuke of Socrates had been
disregarded, the philosopher, out of an ardent zeal for virtue, broke out
in such language, as at once declared his own strong inward sense of
decency and order, and the monstrous shamefulness of Critias' passion.
Which severe but just reprimand of Socrates, it is thought, was the
foundation of that grudge which he ever after bore him; for during the
tyranny of the Thirty, of which Critias was one, when, together with
Charicles, he had the care of the civil government of the city, he failed
not to remember this affront, and, in revenge of it, made a law to forbid
teaching the art of reasoning in Athens: and having nothing to reproach
Socrates with in particular, he laboured to render him odious by
aspersing him with the usual calumnies that are thrown on all
philosophers: for I have never heard Socrates say that he taught this
art, nor seen any man who ever heard him say so; but Critias had taken
offence, and gave sufficient proofs of it: for after the Thirty had
caused to be put to death a great number of the citizens, and even of the
most eminent, and had let loose the reins to all sorts of violence and
rapine, Socrates said in a certain place that he wondered very much that
a man who keeps a herd of cattle, and by his ill conduct loses every day
some of them, and suffers the others to fall away, would not own himself
to be a very ill keeper of his herd; and that he should wonder yet more
if a Minister of State, who lessens every day the number of his citizens,
and makes the others more dissolute, was not ashamed of his ministry, and
would not own himself to be an ill magistrate. This was reported to
Critias and Charicles, who forthwith sent for Socrates, and showing him
the law they had made, forbid him to discourse with the young men. Upon