Book 1
2.56
Again, his accuser alleged that he selected from the most famous poets the most immoral passages, and used them as evidence in teaching his companions to be tyrants and malefactors: for example, Hesiod’s line: No work is a disgrace, but idleness is a disgrace.Hes. WD 309 Hes. WD 309 He was charged with explaining this line as an injunction to refrain from no work, dishonest or disgraceful, but to do anything for gain.
2.57
Now, though Socrates would fully agree that it is a benefit and a blessing to a man to be a worker, and a disadvantage and an evil to be an idler — that work, in fact, is a blessing, idleness an evil — working, being a worker, meant to him doing good work; but gambling and any occupation that is immoral and leads to loss he called idling. When thus interpreted there is nothing amiss with the line: No work is a disgrace, but idleness is a disgrace. Hes. WD 309
2.58
Again, his accuser said that he often quoted the passage from Homer, showing how Odysseus: Whenever he found one that was a captain and a man of mark, stood by his side, and restrained him with gentle words: Good sir, it is not seemly to affright thee like a coward, but do thou sit thyself and make all thy folk sit down... But whatever man of the people he saw and found him shouting, him he drove with his sceptre and chid him with loud words: Good sir, sit still and hearken to the words of others that are thy betters: but thou art no warrior and a weakling, never reckoned whether in battle or in council.Hom. Il. 2.188; Leaf’s translation. This passage, it was said, he explained to mean that the poet approved of chastising common and poor folk.
