In the Crito Socrates repeatedly refers to doing what is right as compared to doing what is expedient or what will placate others. The point he arrives at in his reasoning for following the laws provides an early example of a social contract, but he deliberately avoids examining possible conflicts (such as a concern he […]

There are several areas in the Crito I highlighted in the previous post that I plan on discussing in additional posts like this one. For this post I want to look at the conflict between Socrates’ conclusion of the Crito that he must obey the laws with the following statement he made in the Apology […]

Somewhere in this procession the “Socratic Revolution” takes place: the warrior ethic of Achilles at Troy is superseded by the civic ethic of Socrates in Athens. –from Grand Strategy: Literature, Statecraft, and World Order by Charles Hill (Yale University Press, 2010), page 32. I had planned on a series of post about the Crito that […]

As the beginning of the Phaedo relates, Socrates did not die until a month after his trial, which followed by a day the sailing of the Athenian state galley on an annual religious mission to the island of Delos; no executions were permitted during its absence. Crito comes to tell Socrates of its anticipated arrival […]

So what to think of Socrates’ defense and Plato’s presentation of it? There are a few points I want to get down on paper (I wrote this at a Easter family get-together) while the dialogue still rattles around in my thoughts. Having read Thucydides a few months ago, Socrates’ dialogue with the city of Athens […]

This post looks at Plato’s Apology from 38b to the end at 42a. The jury returns with Socrates’ sentence of death and he gives his last speech in the Apology following a three-part construction, similar to many other parts in the work. In this instance he speaks to those that condemned him to death and/or […]

This post looks at Plato’s Apology from 35e to 38b, Socrates’ response to his conviction and his offers for punishment. I’m going to quote and paraphrase Plato’s presentation based on G.M.A. Grube’s translation. Socrates begins his speech after the jury has returned with a verdict of guilty and Meletus has asked for a penalty of […]

This post looks at Plato’s Apology from 34b to 35e which encompasses Socrates’ closing defense statement. I’m going to quote and paraphrase Plato’s presentation based on G.M.A. Grube’s translation unless otherwise noted. Socrates says he will not beg the jury for acquittal, nor will he bring family and friends to arouse all possible pity. But […]

This post looks at the section of Plato’s Apology from 28a to 34b, wrapping up the last of Socrates’ formal defense. In this section Socrates turns to what he really wants to talk about—what makes Socrates Socrates and what Athens should be doing. This section builds slowly but surely as Socrates explores the virtues to […]