“ SOPHRONIMUS. O my lords, respect his age, respect his virtue; give me his chains! I am ready to yield up my liberty, my life for his. AGLAE. Yes; we will go to prison in his stead; we will die for him: do not destroy the noblest, best of men: take us rather for your victims. MELITUS. You see how he corrupts our youth. SOCRATES. No more, my wife, no more, my children; do not oppose the will of heaven, which speaks by the laws: he who resists the law, is no longer a citizen. God wills that I should be put in bondage ”
Quotes from Socrates — Act II (Voltaire)
“ SOCRATES, XANTIPPE. XANTIPPE. A fine piece of work you have made here; upon my word, my dear husband, I must put a stop to your proceedings. Here had I promised Aglae to Anitus the high-priest, a man of interest amongst the great, and Sophronimus to the rich Drixa, who has extensive influence in the whole nation; and you marry your two fools together, and make me break my word to both: not content with this, you must needs give them best part of your fortune too. Twenty thousand drachms! good gods! twenty thousand drachms! are you not ashamed of yourself? ”
“ SOCRATES, SOPHRONIMUS, AGLAE. AGLAE. O my benefactor, my father, let me fall at your feet, thou more than man; join me, Sophronimus, in mutual acknowledgments; 'tis he, 'tis Socrates who marries us at his own expense, and gives us best part of his own fortune to support us: but we must not suffer him, we must not be rich on these conditions; no, if our hearts have any gratitude, let them imitate his generosity. ”
