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punishment which is exacted there of deeds done here were
once a laughing matter to him, but now he is tormented with
the thought that they may be true: either from the weakness of
age, or because he is now drawing nearer to that other place,
he has a clearer view of these things; suspicions and alarms
crowd thickly upon him, and he begins to reflect and consider
what wrongs he has done to others. And when he finds that
the sum of his transgressions is great he will many a time like
a child start up in his sleep for fear, and he is filled with dark
forebodings. But to him who is conscious of no sin, sweet
hope, as Pindar charmingly says, is the kind nurse of his age:

"Hope," he says, "cherishes the soul of him who lives in justice and
holiness, and is the nurse of his age and the companion of his journey--
hope which is mightiest to sway the restless soul of man."

How admirable are his words! And the great blessing of
riches, I do not say to every man, but to a good man, is, that he
has had no occasion to deceive or to defraud others, either in-
tentionally or unintentionally; and when he departs to the world
below he is not in any apprehension about offerings due to the
gods or debts which he owes to men. Now to this peace of
mind the possession of wealth greatly contributes; and there-
fore I say, that, setting one thing against another, of the many
advantages which wealth has to give, to a man of sense this is
in my opinion the greatest.

Well said, Cephalus, I replied; but as concerning justice,
what is it?--to speak the truth and to pay your debts--no more
than this? And even to this are there not exceptions? Sup-
pose that a friend when in his right mind has deposited arms
with me and he asks for them when he is not in his right mind,
ought I to give them back to him? No one would say that I
ought or that I should be right in doing so, any more than
they would say that I ought always to speak the truth to one
who is in his condition.

You are quite right, he replied.

But then, I said, speaking the truth and paying your debts
is not a correct definition of justice.

Quite correct, Socrates, if Simonides is to be believed, said
Polemarchus, interposing.

I fear, said Cephalus, that I must go now, for I have to look
after the sacrifices, and I hand over the argument to Polem-
archus and the company.

Is not Polemarchus your heir? I said.

To be sure, he answered, and went away laughing to the sac-
rifices.

Tell me then, O thou heir of the argument, what did Simon-
ides say, and according to you, truly say, about justice?

He said that the repayment of a debt is just, and in saying
so he appears to me to be right.

I shall be sorry to doubt the word of such a wise and inspired
man, but his meaning, though probably clear to you, is the re-
verse of clear to me. For he certainly does not mean, as we
were just now saying, that I ought to return a deposit of arms