Page:History of Greece Vol VIII.djvu/397

 PKODIKUS. 375 collect impressive illustrations of elementary morality? Who does not know that its express purpose is, to kindle the imagina- tions of youth in favor of a life of labor for noble objects, and against a life of indulgence ? It was the favorite theme on which Prodikus lectured, and on which he obtained the largest audi- ence. 1 If it be of striking simplicity and effect even to a modern reader, how much more powerfully must it have worked upon the audience for whose belief it was specially adapted, when set off by the oral expansions of its author ! Xenophon wondered that the Athenian dikasts dealt with Sokrates as a corruptor of youth, Isokrates wondered that a portion of the public made the like mistake about him, and I confess my wonder to be not less, that not only Aristophanes, 2 but even the modern writers on Grecian philosophy, should rank Prodikus in the same unenvi- able catalogue. This is the only composition 3 remaining from him ; indeed, the only composition remaining from any one of the sophists, excepting the thesis of Gorgias, above noticed. It served, not merely as a vindication of Prodikus against such reproach, but also as a warning against implicit confidence in the sarcastic remarks of Plato, which include Prodikus as well as the other sophists, and in the doctrines which he puts into the mouth of the sophists generally, in order that Sokrates may con- fute them. The commonest candor would teach us, that if a polemical writer of dialogue chooses to put indefensible doctrine 1 Xcnoph. Memor.ii, 1,21-34. Kai Ilpoih/cof l Tj/f apeTtft uTvoQaiveTai, etc. Xenophon here introduces Sokrates himself as bestowing much praise on the moral teaching of Prodikus. ment. Aristoph. p. 1140. 3 Xenophon gives only the substance of Prodikus's lecture, not his exact words. But he gives what may be called the whole substance, so that wo can appreciate the scope as well as the handling of the author. We cannot .=,iy the same of an extract given (in the Pseudo-Platonic Dialogue Axio- chus, c. 7, 8) from a lecture said to have been delivered by Prodikus, re- specting the miseries of human life, pervading all the various professions and occupations. It is impossible to make out distinctly, either how much really oolongs to Prodikus, or what was his scope and purpose, if any su ;b kctnre was really delivered.
 * Sec Fragment iii, of the Ta-/r)viffral of Aristophanes, Meineke, Frag-