Sunday, August 12, 2012

Be a gadfly!

We need more gadflies.
For if you put me to death, you will not easily find another, who... attaches himself to the city as a gadfly to a horse, which, though large and well bred, is sluggish on account of his size and needs to be aroused by stinging. I think God fastened me upon the city in some such capacity, and I go about arousing, and urging and reproaching each one of you, constantly alighting upon you everywhere the whole day long. Such another is not likely to come to you, gentlemen; but if you take my advice, you will spare me. But you, perhaps, might be angry, like people awakened from a nap, and might slap me, as Anytus advises, and easily kill me; then you would pass the rest of your lives in slumber, unless God, in his care for you, should send someone else to sting you.
Plato, Apology, 30e-31a (H.N. Fowler transl.) [1]
Without the gadflies of the world slavery would still dominate, women would still be subjugated, "faith" would rule and the race of men would be still be crawling around on all fours in the mud.

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