THE DEATH OF SOCRATES 397
was comforting you and myself, have had, as I per- ceive, no effect upon Crito. And therefore I want you to be surety for me to him now, as at the trial he was surety to the judges for me ; but let the promise be of another sort ; for he was surety for me to the judges that I would remain, and you must be my surety to him that I shall not remain, but go away and depart ; and then he will suffer less at my death, and not be grieved when he sees my body being burned or buried. I would not have him sorrow at my hard lot, or say at the burial, ' Thus we lay out Socrates,' or, ' Thus we follow him to the grave,' or ' bury him ; ' for false words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil. Be of good cheer, then, my dear Crito, and say that you are burying my body only, and do with that whatever is usual, and Λvhat you think best."
When he had spoken these words, he arose and went into a chamber to bathe ; Crito followed him, and told us to wait. So we remained behind, talking and thinking of the subjects of discourse, and also of the greatness of our sorrow ; he was like a father of whom we were being bereaved, and we were about to pass the rest of our lives as orphans. When he had taken the bath his children were brought to him (he had two young sons and an elder one) ; ancf the women of his family also came, and he talked to them and gave them a few directions in the pre- sence of Crito ; then he dismissed them and returned to us.
Now the hour of sunset was near, for a good deal of time had passed while he was within. AVhen he came out, he sat down with us again after his bath, but not much was said. Soon the jailer, who was
