ACROS:
Yes, he says that the priests of Ceres sometimes get drunk. It's true,
he's impious.
DRIXA:
He's a heretic. He denies the plurality of the gods. He's a deist. He
believes only in one God. He's an atheist.
MELITUS:
Now these are very grave accusations and very credible. They've
already informed me of all that you are telling us.
ANITUS:
If such horrors are allowed to go unpunished, the state is in danger.
Minerva will withhold her aid from us.
DRIXA:
Yes, Minerva without doubt. I heard him make jokes about the owl of
Minerva.
MELITUS:
About the owl of Minerva! Oh! Heavens! Aren't you of the opinion he
should be put in prison immediately?
JUDGES: (together)
Yes, in prison. Right away. In prison!
MELITUS:
Ushers! Take Socrates to prison immediately.
DRIXA:
And there let him be burned without having been heard.
ONE OF THE JUDGES:
Ah! He must at least be heard! We cannot infringe the law.
ANITUS:
What this fine, pious man means is--he must be heard, but one cannot
be surprised by what he says. For you know these philosophers are
diabolically clever. Where we bring harmony, they disturb all the
Estates.
MELITUS:
To prison! to prison!
(Xantippe, Sophronine, Aglaea enter.
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