The Trial and Death of Socrates

1. The Trial and Death of Socrates

2. ‘’Ifyouthinkthatbykillingmenyou can preventsomeonefromcensuringyourevillives, you are mistaken; thatisnot a way of escape whichiseitherpossibleor honorable; theeasiest and thenoblestwayisnotto be disablingothers, butto be improvingyourselves. Thisistheprophecywhich I utterbeforemydeparturetothejudgeswhohavecondemned me’’. Socrates

3. Formost of hislonglife, Socrateswasabletofunction as a critic, questioningAthenianvalues and annoyingimportant and powerfulpeople in theprocess. He acquired a mixedreputation, beingviewedononehand as a harmleseccentric and ontheother as a dangerous social critic and ‘’free thinker’’. Socrates’ philosophicalmethodconsisted of raisingquestionafterquestion, and manyAtheniansfoundthisattitudeundemocratic, disrespectful and threatening, theypreferredconventionalbeliefs.

4. Finally, resentment, distrust and hostilityagainstSocratesgrewtosuchproportionsthat he wasbroughtto trial for ‘’NotworshipingtheGods of theState”, and ‘’Corruptingtheyoung’’. Thesewerepotencially capital offenses, and theydemandeddeath. At that time itwascustomaryforindividualschargedwithsuchcrimestosubmittovoluntary exile, butSocratesdidn’tchoosethisoption. Atheniantrialsconsisted of twoparts. First, thejurydeterminedwhetherornottheacussedwasguilty as charged. Ifguilty, thesecondstage of thetraildeterminedthemostappropiatepunishment.

5. Socrate’sjuryconsisted of 501 members, Socrates defended himself and wasjudgedguilty, at that time, therewas a wayto escape fromdeath, thatwaspublichumilliation, defendantswereexpectedtotear at theirclothes, roll ontheground and throwdirtonthemselveswhilecrying and wailing, theywouldusuallyhavetheirwives and children and friendscry and pleadfortheirlives, animportantfunction of thetrailinvolvedmakingpeacewiththosewhowereoffended. Instead of followingcustom, Socratespointedoutthatitwould be undignified at hisagetogrovelfor a little more life, he refusedtoallowhisfamily and friendsto crawl either. Tomakethingsevenworse, he remindedthejurythatmany of thembelieved he wasnotguilty and hadbeenfalselyconvicted.

6. TheDeath of Socrates Socratescouldnot be executedontheday of thetrail, as wascustomarybecausethetrailhadlastedlongerthan usual, extendinginto late afternoon, thebeginning of a holyperiod. He wasput in prisontoawaittheend of theholyperiod, whichwasabout a month. Whilethere he continuedtopursuehisphilosophicalquestions. He wasofferedtheopportunityto escape, theofficialsgoing so far as tomakeitcleartheywouldnot stop him, he refused, and finallytheholyperiodended and wordcamethatSocratesmust die beforesundown.

7. A number of friendsvisitedhim in prisononthelastday of hislife, he discussedthenature of thesoul and told a mythicalstoryaboutthesoul’sinmortality, he wenttobathewhilehisfriendstalkedaboutwhat he hadsaid , Plato reportedthathisfriendsfelt as iftheywerelosing a father and would be orphansfortherest of theirlives. Hiswife and childrenwerebrought in tosaygoodbye, whentheyleave, thejailercame in sayingthatitwas time. Manycondemnedmenresisteddrinkingthepoisonuntil late intotheevening, gettingdrunk and putting off the inevitable for as long as theycould, butSocratesaskedthatthepoison be prepared and broughttohim.

8. He drankfromthe cup, and some of hisfriendscriedloudly, for he said, Whatisthisstrangeoutcry? I sendthewomenawaybecausetheymightbehave in thisway, for I havebeentoldthat a manshould die in peace, be quietthen and havepatience. Whentheyheardhiswords, theywereashamed and refrainedtheirtears, and he walkedaboutuntilhislegsbegantofail and then he lay onhis back, and said: ‘’Whenthepoisonreachesmyheart, thatwould be theend’’. ‘’Suchwastheend of ourfriend; conserningwhom I maytrulysay, that of allthemen of his time whom I haveknown, he wasthewisest and justest and best.’’ Plato