th, supposing (5) the
God-given revelations had but revealed his own proneness to deception.
It is plain he would not have ventured on forecast at all, but for his
belief that the words he spoke would in fact be verified. Then on whom,
or what, was the assurance rooted, if not upon God? And if he had faith
in the gods, how could he fail to recognise them?

(2) Or, "A divine something." See "Encyc. Brit." "Socrates." Dr. H.
Jackason; "The Daemon of Socrates," F. W. H. Myers; K. Joel, "Der
echte und der Xenophontische Sokrates," i. p. 70 foll.; cf.
Aristot. "M. M." 1182 a 10.

(3) See Aesch. "P. V." 487, {enodious te sombolous}, "and pathway
tokens," L. Campbell; Arist. "Birds," 721, {sombolon ornin}:
"Frogs," 196, {to sometukhon exion}; "Eccl." 792; Hor. "Od." iii.
27, 1-7.

(4) See "Anab." III. i. 4; "Symp." iv. 48.

(5) Or, "if his vaunted manifestations from heaven had but manifested
the falsity of his judgment."

But his mode of dealing with his intimates has another aspect. As
regards the ordinary necessities of life, (6) his advice was, "Act as
you believe (7) these things may best be done." But in the case of those
darker problems, the issues of which are incalculable, he directed his
friends to consult the oracle, whether the business should be undertaken
or not. "No one," he would say, "who wishes to manage a house or city
with success: no one aspiring to guide the helm of state aright, can
afford to dipense with aid from above. Doubtless, skill in carpentering,
building, smithying, farming, of the art of governing men, together with
the theory of these processes, and the sciences of arithmetic,
economy, strategy, are affairs of study, and within the grasp of human
intelligence. Yet there is a side even of these, and that not the least
important, which the gods reserve to themselves, the bearing of which is
hidden from mortal vision. Thus, let a man sow a field or plant a farm
never so well, yet he cannot foretell who will gather in the fruits:
another may build him a house of fairest proportion, yet he knows not
who will inhabit it. Neither can a general foresee whether it will
profit him to conduct a campaign, nor a politician be certain whether
his leadership will turn to evil or good. Nor can the man who weds a
fair wife, looking forward to joy, know whether through her he shall not
reap sorrow. Neither can he who has built up a powerful connection in
the state know whet