Platos Apology
Plato’s Apology is a narrative of the famous speech of Socrates that is made during his trial. Instead of apologizing, Socrates attempts to defend himself and his actions. He is put on trial due to his accusations of corrupting Athens, not acknowledging the same gods as the state, and creating new gods. During his dialogue, Socrates remains very calm and speaks with honesty. He focuses on what is said rather than his manner of speech.
When he is first presented in from of the jury, Socrates asks them if they will hear him in the same dialect in which he is familiar with. Being his first court appearance, he is not accustomed to the language of the jury. Socrates spent most of his lifetime in the marketplace. This caused him to use conversational tone rather than judicial. He asks the jury to listen to what is being said, rather than how. For Socrates believes that the excellence of a speaker lies in nothing but the truth.
Socrates states that his purpose in life is to bring people to greater wisdom. His does this by questioning them. As the oracle stated, there is no man wiser than Socrates. This is because Socrates is aware of his own ignorance, unlike other men. He believes that it is his job to question those who are said to be “wise”, in order to prove their false wisdom. In doing so he will encourage people to be more productive and virtuous. Although he will gain many enemies along the way, due to embarrassment, Socrates will bring the city of Athens more happiness in the end.
When the jury sentences Socrates to death, he accepts it with poise. He explains to them that he is not afraid of death. “No one knows whether death may not be the greatest of all blessings for a man, yet men fear it as if they knew that it is the greatest of all evils” (The Apology, 29a6). This quote of Socrates is an example of why there is no man wiser than him. For he is intelligent enough to realize that no one knows what is to come after life. People live their lives fearing
When he is first presented in from of the jury, Socrates asks them if they will hear him in the same dialect in which he is familiar with. Being his first court appearance, he is not accustomed to the language of the jury. Socrates spent most of his lifetime in the marketplace. This caused him to use conversational tone rather than judicial. He asks the jury to listen to what is being said, rather than how. For Socrates believes that the excellence of a speaker lies in nothing but the truth.
Socrates states that his purpose in life is to bring people to greater wisdom. His does this by questioning them. As the oracle stated, there is no man wiser than Socrates. This is because Socrates is aware of his own ignorance, unlike other men. He believes that it is his job to question those who are said to be “wise”, in order to prove their false wisdom. In doing so he will encourage people to be more productive and virtuous. Although he will gain many enemies along the way, due to embarrassment, Socrates will bring the city of Athens more happiness in the end.
When the jury sentences Socrates to death, he accepts it with poise. He explains to them that he is not afraid of death. “No one knows whether death may not be the greatest of all blessings for a man, yet men fear it as if they knew that it is the greatest of all evils” (The Apology, 29a6). This quote of Socrates is an example of why there is no man wiser than him. For he is intelligent enough to realize that no one knows what is to come after life. People live their lives fearing