Selected Works of Plato in Outline

The outline below is part of a series described under Selected Works of Plato in Outline. In Benjamin Jowett's translations described there, the Apology is found in Volume 2. 

Socrates Mounts His Defense

The Apology gives Plato's account of the case Socrates presented as he defended himself in the court of law in ancient Athens. An "apology" is literally such a formal defense. In ancient Athens it was the custom for the prosecution to be brought and tried by concerned citizens, and then it was incumbant upon the accused to defend themselves. There were no professional lawyers. As we learn in the course of Socrates' speech, the Athenian citizens prosecuting the case against Socrates were Meletus, Anytus and Lycon. They charged Socrates with two crimes: (1) corrupting the youth of Athens, and (2) religious heresy. According to standard procedure, Socrates' trial took place over several hours on a single day. The Apology opens as Socrates begins to present his defense to the 500 citizen "judges" -- what we would call "jurors" today -- that had been enpanelled to decide the case. The prosectution has just rested. 

1. Preamble on the Eloquence of Truth

Stephanus Page 17: This section of Jowett's translation begins with "How you, O Athenians, have been affected by my accusers, I cannot tell ..." 

2. Reply to Older Accusers

Page 18: "And first, I have to reply to the older charges and to my first accusers, and then I will go on to the later ones ...."

2.1 Accusation Socrates Is a Wise Man

Pages 18-19

"But far more dangerous are the others, who began when you were children, and took possession of your minds with their falsehoods, telling of one Socrates, a wise man ... And from what they say of this part of the charge you will be able to judge of the truth of the rest." 

Note: In this section, Socrates refers to the "comedy of Aristophanes." This is The Clouds in which Socrates is persistently lampooned. Although Socrates points to this comic portrayal as instrumental in the charges being brough against him, in the Symposium Plato depicts Aristophanes and Socrates as being on very friendly terms during the life of the poet. 

2.2 Accusation Socrates Is a Professional Teacher

Pages 19-20

"As little foundation is there for the report that I am a teacher, and take money ... Had I the same, I should have been very proud and conceited; but the truth is that I have no knowledge of the kind."

2.3 Delphic Oracle "No Man Wiser" than Socrates

Pages 20-21

"I dare say, Athenians, that some one among you will reply, 'Yes, Socrates, but what is the origin of these accusations which are brought against you ....' What then can he mean when he says that I am the wisest of men? And yet he is a god, and cannot lie; that would be against his nature."

2.4 The Socratic Method

Pages 21 and Following

"After long consideration, I thought of a method of trying the question. ..." 

2.4.1 Politicians Examined

Pages 21-22

"Accordingly I went to one who had the reputation of wisdom, and observed him — his name I need not mention; he was a politician whom I selected for examination .... I will tell you the tale of my wanderings and of the 'Herculean' labours, as I may call them, which I endured only to find at last the oracle irrefutable."

2.4.2 Poets Examined

Page 22

"After the politicians, I went to the poets; tragic, dithyrambic, and all sorts. ... So I departed, conceiving myself to be superior to them for the same reason that I was superior to the politicians."

2.4.3 Artisans Examined

Page 22

"At last I went to the artisans, for I was conscious that I knew nothing at all, as I may say, and I was sure that they knew many fine things ... and therefore I asked myself on behalf of the oracle, whether I would like to be as I was, neither having their knowledge nor their ignorance, or like them in both; and I made answer to myself and to the oracle that I was better off as I was."

2.4.4 Vindication of the Oracle by Devotion to the God

Pages 22-23

"This inquisition has led to my having many enemies of [23] the worst and most dangerous kind ... and my occupation quite absorbs me, and I have no time to give either to any public matter of interest or to any concern of my own, but I am in utter poverty by reason of my devotion to the god."

2.4.5 Young Imitators

Pages 23-24

"There is another thing:—young men of the richer classes, who have not much to do, come about me of their own accord; they like to hear the pretenders examined, and they often imitate me .... Hence has arisen the prejudice against me; and this is the reason of it, as you will find out either in this or in any future enquiry."

3. Reply to Current Accusers

Pages 24 and Following

"I have said enough in my defence against the first class of my accusers; I turn to the second class. ..."

3.1 The Affidavit

Page 24

"—Let their affidavit be read: it contains something of this kind: It says that Socrates is a doer of evil, who corrupts the youth; and who does not believe in the gods of the state, but has other new divinities of his own." 

3.2 Meletus Examined

Pages 24 and Following 

"and now let us examine the particular counts. He says that I am a doer of evil, and corrupt the youth ... "

3.2.1 On the Charge of Corrupting the Youth

Pages 24-26

"Come hither, Meletus, and let me ask a question of you. ... It will be very clear to you, Athenians, as I was saying, that Meletus has no care at all, great or small, about the matter."

3.2.2 On the Charge of Not Believing in the Gods

Pages 26-28

"But still I should like to know, Meletus, in what I am affirmed to corrupt the young. ... But no one who has a particle of understanding will ever be convinced by you that the same men can believe in divine and superhuman things, and yet not believe that [28] there are gods and demigods and heroes."

3.3 Reply to Envy and Detraction of the World

Pages 28 and Following 

"I have said enough in answer to the charge of Meletus: any elaborate defence is unnecessary; but I know only too well how many are the enmities which I have incurred, and this is what will be my destruction if I am destroyed. ... "

3.3.1 Despise Death; Fear Disgrace

Pages 28-30

"Some one will say: And are you not ashamed, Socrates, of a course of life which is likely to bring you to an untimely end? ... understand that I shall never alter my ways, not even if I have to die many times. Men of Athens, do not interrupt, but hear me; there was an understanding between us that you should hear me to the end."

3.3.2 Divine Gadfly 

Pages 30-31

"I have something more to say, at which you may be inclined to cry out; but I believe that to hear me will be good for you, and therefore I beg that you will not cry out. ... but now, as you will perceive, not even the impudence of my accusers dares to say that I have ever exacted or sought pay of any one; of that they have no witness. And I have a sufficient witness to the truth of what I say—my poverty."  

3.3.3 Divine Sign Forbids 

Pages 31-32

"Some one may wonder why I go about in private giving advice and busying myself with the concerns of others, but do not venture to come forward in public and advise the state. ... Now do you really imagine that I could have survived all these years, if I had led a public life, supposing that like a good man I had always maintained the right and had made justice, as I ought, the first thing? No indeed, men of Athens, neither I nor any other man." 

3.3.4 Divine Duty of Cross-Examination

Pages 32-33

"But I have been [33] always the same in all my actions, public as well as private, and never have I yielded any base compliance to those who are slanderously termed my disciples, or to any other. ... Now this duty of cross-examining other men has been imposed upon me by God; and has been signified to me by oracles, visions, and in every way in which the will of divine power was ever intimated to any one." 

3.3.5 Youth Should Come Forward as Accusers

Pages 33-34

"This is true, O Athenians; or, if not true, would be soon refuted. If I am or have been corrupting the youth, those of them who are now grown up and have become sensible that I gave them bad advice in the days of their youth should come forward as accusers ... Why should they too support me with their testimony? Why, indeed, except for the sake of truth and justice, and because they know that I am speaking the truth, and that Meletus is a liar. Well, Athenians, this and the like of this is all the defence which I have to offer."

3.3.6 Entreaty and Moving Spectacle Dishonorable and Impious 

Pages 34-35

"Yet a word more. Perhaps there may be some one who is offended at me, when he calls to mind how he himself on a similar, or even a less serious occasion, prayed and entreated the judges with many tears, and how he produced his children in court, which was a moving spectacle ... For if, O men of Athens, by force of persuasion and entreaty I could overpower your oaths, then I should be teaching you to believe that there are no gods, and in defending should simply convict myself of the charge of not believing in them. But that is not so—far otherwise. For I do believe that there are gods, and in a sense higher than that in which any of my accusers believe in them. And to you and to God I commit my cause, to be determined by you as is best for you and me."

NOTES

"Whether I am or am not afraid of death is another question, of which I will not now speak." This question is addressed in the Phaedo. 

"they seemed to fancy that they were going to suffer something dreadful if they died, and that they could be immortal if you only allowed them to live."

Judges Vote Socrates Guilty

Having concluded his defense, the judges then cast votes on the question of Socrates' guilt. By a close margin with tallies of approximately 280 to 220 Socrates is found guilty. Now comes the sentencing phase of the trial. As Socrates has discussed above, Anytus had suggested during the prosecution's case that Socrates should be sentenced to death. And in the sentencing phase Meletus has formally argued for the death penalty. Socrates is now given the opportunity to plead for an alternative penalty for his guilt.  

4. Proposed Penalty

Pages 35 and Following

"There are many reasons why I am not grieved, O men of [36] Athens, at the vote of condemnation. I expected it, and am only surprised that the votes are so nearly equal ... 

4.1 Maintenance in the Prytaneum the Just Return 

Pages 36-37

"And what shall I propose on my part, O men of Athens? Clearly that which is my due. ... and he only gives you the appearance of happiness, and I give you the reality. And if I am to estimate the penalty fairly, I should say that maintenance in the Prytaneum [37] is the just return." 

Note to Page 37: The Prytaneum was also known as the "Tholos." 

4.2 A Penalty Which Would Certainly Be an Evil?

Page 37

"Perhaps you think that I am braving you in what I am saying now, as in what I said before about the tears and prayers. But this is not so. ... And why should I live in prison, and be the slave of the magistrates of the year—of the Eleven? Or shall the penalty be a fine, and imprisonment until the fine is paid? There is the same objection. I should have to lie in prison, for money I have none, and cannot pay. And if I say exile (and this may possibly be the penalty which you will affix)."

4.3 Exile Disobedience to God; Life Not Worth Living

Pages 37-38

"I must indeed be blinded by the love of life, if I am so irrational as to expect that when you, who are my own citizens, cannot endure my discourses and words ... and if I say again that daily to discourse about virtue, and of those other things about which you hear me examining myself and others, is the greatest good of man, and that the unexamined life is not worth living, you are still less likely to believe me. Yet I say what is true, although a thing of which it is hard for me to persuade you." 

4.4 Must Proportion the Fine to Means — Thirty Minae 

Page 38

"Also, I have never been accustomed to think that I deserve to suffer any harm. ... Let thirty minae be the penalty; for which sum they will be ample security to you."

Judges Vote Penalty as Death

Socrates having proposed a modust fine of thirty minae as opposed to the prosecutions recommendation of the death penalty, the judges unsurprisingly choose the death sentence. Socrates is now given the opportunity to make some final public remarks that he addresses to the judges as representatives of the Athenian people. 

5. To Those Who Have Condemned to Death

Pages 38 and Following

"Not much time will be gained, O Athenians, in return for the evil name which you will get from the detractors of the city, who will say that you killed Socrates, a wise man ..."

5.1 Rather Die Having Spoken the Truth

Pages 38-39

"And I have another thing to say to them: You think that I was convicted because I had no words of the sort which would have procured my acquittal ... And now I depart hence condemned by you to suffer the penalty of death,—they too go their ways condemned by the truth to suffer the penalty of villainy and wrong; and I must abide by my award—let them abide by theirs. I suppose that these things may be regarded as fated,—and I think that they are well."

5.2 Prophecy of More Accusers

Page 39

"And now, O men who have condemned me, I would fain prophesy to you; for I am about to die ... This is the prophecy which I utter before my departure to the judges who have condemned me."

6. To Those Friends Who Would Have Socrates Acquitted

Pages 39 and Following

"Friends, who would have acquitted me, I would like also to talk with you about the thing which has come to pass ... "

6.1 Intimation Those Who Think Death an Evil in Error 

Page 40

"O my judges — for you I may truly call judges — I should like to tell you of a wonderful circumstance. Hitherto the divine faculty of which the internal oracle is the source has constantly been in the habit of opposing me even about trifles ... It is an intimation that what has happened to me is a good, and that those of us who think that death is an evil are in error. For the customary sign would surely have opposed me had I been going to evil and not to good." 

6.2 Great Reason to Hope Death Good

Pages 40-41

"Let us reflect in another way, and we shall see that there is great reason to hope that death is a good ... In another world they do not put a man to death for asking questions: assuredly not. For besides being happier than we are, they will be immortal, if what is said is true."

6.3 Be of Good Cheer about Death

Page 41

"Wherefore, O judges, be of good cheer about death, and know of a certainty, that no evil can happen to a good man, either in life or after death. ... For which reason, also, I am not angry with my condemners, or with my accusers; they have done me no harm, although they did not mean to do me any good; and for this I may gently blame them."

Note to Page 41: Socrates concludes his discourse by emphasizing that death is potentially a great good — especially for one devoted to the lifestyle of the philosopher. 

6.4 A Favor to Ask

Pages 41-42

"Still I have a favour to ask of them. When my sons are grown up, I would ask you, O my friends, to punish them; and I would have you trouble them, as I have troubled you, if they seem to care about riches, or anything, more than about virtue; or if they pretend to be something when they are really nothing,—then reprove them, as I have reproved you, for not caring about that for which they ought to care, and thinking that they are something when they are really [42] nothing. And if you do this, both I and my sons will have received justice at your hands."

6.5 Hour of Departure Arrived

Page 42

"The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our ways—I to die, and you to live. Which is better God only knows."