In the vortex of life, many evils have transpired.
Vices such as plagues, unforeseen deaths, and corruptness.
Among the tragic acts of malefic proportion was the death of
the Greek philosopher, Socrates. He tried to prove and
invalidate many theories through reasoning, and he was
murdered for his beliefs. His execution was not justified
because the charges that were brought against him were false
and unfounded.
The fist crime that Socrates was charged with was that
of impiety. This charge was invented primarily to discredit
him and make him unpopular with the citizens. The charge was
that of not acknowledging the same gods that the state
believed in. Throughout the book, Socrates refers numerous
times to the fact that it is because of the gods that things
are as they seem to be. "Do you suggest that I do not
believe that the sun and moon are gods, as is the general
belief of all of mankind?" (57). The fact that Socrates did
not publicly speak about the gods attributed to the fact
that the charge was heresy. Socrates maintains that he is
not like other philosohers. He is a free-thinker, and his
beliefs are those of private and intimate thoughts of Gods.
Socrates also states that he is not a teacher, however he was
not at all happy with the analogy, but took it as a
compliment and used it in his defense. He used these
accusations to his advantage by saying that he never charged
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charged anyone for believing or listening to them. The
combination of these arguments should have cleared Socrates
of the charge of heresy.
The second charge brought against Socrates was that of
corrupting minors. Socrates battled this charge through the
use of the same arguments. The argument that he did not
consider himself a teacher, the fact that he never accepted
any money for talking or listening to people, and the fact
that he believes in gods are what Socrates used to defend
himself. By confronting the accusation that he was
corrupting the minors, Socrates tried to clear himself by
manipulating his arguments so that Meletus, Anytus, and Lycon
(the men who brought both charges against Socrates) had to
answer questions about these charges. When the questions of
Socrates were placed before Meletus, his answers seemed to
have proven that Socrates was innocent. However, when the
verdict was announced, it demonstrated the opposite.
Upon hearing the verdict, GUILTY, it was plain to see
that the Greek assembly was like every other political
assembly, corrupt.
"I should never have believed that it would be such a
close thing; but now it seems to me that if a mere thirty
votes had gone the other way, I would have been acquitted.
Even as it is, I feel that so far Meletus' part is concerned
I have been acquitted; and not only that, but anyone can see
that if Anytus and Lycon had not come forward to accuse me,
Meletus would have actually lost a thousand drachmae for not
having obtained one-fifth of the votes" (69).
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People in todays society need not look any further than
their own governments (especially in the United States) to
see how ancient were governments really immoral.
Once the verdict of guilty had been announced, Meletus
demanded the death penalty. Socrates could have easily
persuaded the assembly that it was too harsh and taken a
lesser sentence, but Socrates took the sentence of the death
penalty in stride. Unlike all other executions, Socrates
could not be penalized immediately due to a religious
ceremony during which it is forbidden to carry out
executions. Socrates' execution would not take place
immediately because the ceremony ended upon the return of a
ship to a distant island. He was incarcerated, and was
entitled to have visitors. He permitted many of his friends
to see him, and even though Socrates was urged many times to
try to escape (because it could be arranged) he would not
attempt it. When confronted as to why he would not do as his
friends advised, he replied that it would be breaking laws
and his code of ethics. Crito had this to say, "And will no
one comment on the fact that an old man of your age, probably
with only a short time to live, should dare to cling so
greedily to life, at the price of violating the most
stringent laws?" (95). At the conclusion of this, Socrates
said that if he compromised his beliefs, then he would be
compromising his soul. Upon that, Crito did not discuss the
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over that issue anymore. Then came the day when the boat
arrived. All of Socrates' friends gathered to be with him
one last time. After a long discussion, Socrates took the
poison that was to end his life before it was mandatory for
him to do so. His reasoning was that the inevitable can not
be put off. Minutes later Socrates died, and the punishment
had been carried out.
If it was not for the fact that a corrupt government
existed as well as those who wish harm upon others, many of
the travesties, such as the death of Socrates, could have
been avoided. It is only now that people can reflect back
upon what Socrates thought and admire him for the true
philosopher that he was.
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