Death of Socrates

Death of Socrates

2.A To what extent does the study of Greek history and society justify Athens decision to put Socrates to death?

           

No one played a bigger part in Socrates death than himself.

Socrates was a man said to be the greatest thinker of his time. His life was dedicated to finding truths. Truths about government, truths about the gods, and truths about human nature were some of his key inspirations. He spread ideas about how self-development is more important than material gain, and he believed that the most important aspects of the human being are their own personal philosophical or intellectual virtues. His teachings inspired his students, such as Pluto Aristotle, Xenophon, and Aristophanes, who continually wrote him into their ideas and stories, which can only speak to their acknowledgement of his importance in their education. Yet for all the insight, and all the progress, Socrates was rewarded with the death penalty by the Greek state of Athens in 339 B.C. However, after studying Socrates and learning more about him and his personality, along with his absolute drive to understand truths, it could easily be argued that Socrates knew exactly what he was doing when he forced Athens’s hand in his own murder.

Socrates was called to trial for two main reasons, the most important of which was his corruption of the youth. During this time, Athens had a teetering democracy, having just overcome the rule of Thirty Tyrant’s after losses in the Peloponnesian War against Sparta. The weaknesses of government lead to extra eagerness to stop any revolutionary thinking. Some would call this the oppression of free speech; others would simply play it off as taking extra measure to qualm the threat of treason. Nevertheless, Socrates opposed democracy, mostly due to his belief that drawing lots, a lottery system used to choose political leaders, accomplished nothing but to weaken Athens’s government with the empowerment of unfit governors. Socrates was not quiet with his judgments against democracy, and he even started teaching his students of his misgivings. As an early government, democracy or not, it would be hard to forgive a man using his wide influence to tear down the current structure. Not only this, but a man who’s very job is to teach progressive and forward thinking ideas to young impressionable men who will no doubt go on to be equally influential. Socrates may have been right, but he was never subtle about it, even in sensitive times.

The second charge for which Socrates was called to trial was his failure to acknowledge the gods. In a society that has worshiped, murdered, and been influenced by the gods so entirely, the denial of their existence would be no doubt seen as an attack on the very fabric which united all of Greece. The gods were culture, the gods were life givers, the idea of gods gave Greeks ways of understanding not only their existence, but also the existence of all that happened around them. The seemingly simple statement of non-belief would be a slap in the face to all of Greece who had spent enormous amounts of time and resources creating places of warship, one of which was the Parthenon itself. Socrates did not deny the existence of gods flat-out, instead, he believed in his own gods, ones which spoke directly to him. Socrates was obviously not a subtle man. His idea of his own gods is an extremely bold one. The idea that he himself had the power to believe in his own gods, makes it seem as if he viewed himself as a god creator; a creator of creators. While Socrates may not have ever claimed to be anything but mortal, it is still easy to sympathize with the governments lack empathy towards him after speaking such things.

During his trial, there are records that tell us that Socrates acted irresponsibly. When he cross examines his main accuser, Meletus, he seems more bent on embarrassing his opponent than proving him wrong. Socrates speech, which he speaks to the five hundred jury members whose job it was to vote on his innocence, is titled “The Apology”, but back in Greece “apology” was the word for “defense”. In his defense Socrates does not try to prove that the accusations against him were false, but instead that they are misguided, as everything he had done was just. However, while his speech is said to be of historical excellence, many of the arguments themselves were unjustified or too far reaching. In the end, by a relatively close margin, Socrates is found guilty. In the Athenian courts, when a defendant was found guilty, both sides present an idea for punishment, and the five hundred members decide on which they want carried out. Meletus wants Socrates put to death, and Socrates, in one of his boldest moves ever, suggests his punishment should be a feast. The jury had no choice but to sentence Socrates to death.

“Imagine once more, I said, such a one coming suddenly out of the sun to be replaced in his old situation; would he not be certain to have his eyes full of darkness?

To be sure, he said.

And if there was a contest, … would he not be ridiculous? Men would say of him that he up he went and down he came without his eyes; and that it was better not even to think of ascending; and if anyone tried to loose another and lead him up to the light, let them catch only the offender, and they would be put to death.

No question, he said.”

 This quote is taken from the Allegory of the Cave, written using Socratic Method by Plato, with Socrates as the narrator. This quote works beautifully alongside the death of Socrates. It explains that a person who has been enlightened (seen the sun), will never again be able re-integrate themselves with those still ignorant (seeing only shadows), and they will be put to death as a result. Socrates was put to death because of his beliefs and ideas, which he believed enlightened him to a point that he was obligated to teach and share them. Whether or not Socrates ideas truly were those of ultimate enlightenment, it is impossible to argue that he was a man that died because of his ideas; instead, he was a man that died for them.

Total time spent writing: 3 and a half hour