Abstract

This essay examines the first stage of the positive part of the Socratic education in Xenophon's Memorabilia, whose subject is moderation concerning the gods. This stage of the Socratic education investigates whether providential gods exist and whether it is moderate to be pious. Socrates does not accept either one of the two teleological arguments in favour of the existence of providential gods that he advances in the Memorabilia. Instead, he holds that human beings cannot know whether or not the gods exist, and moderation refers to the manner in which Socrates deems it reasonable to proceed in light of this uncertainty. Socrates suggests that the moderate alternative to piety is justice, and this essay concludes by considering why justice is moderate but piety is not