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The Trial and Death of Socrates - Learning and Ethics

 

The Trial and Death of Socrates (399 BC)

 

Famous for...

 

1. The trial of Socrates in AthensThe Trial and Death of Socrates - Learning and Ethics

The Greek philosopher, Socrates, pictured right, (470-399 BC) was charged with;

  • impiety.
  • corrupting young men’s minds.

 

 

2. His defence speechThe Trial and Death of Socrates - Learning and Ethics

This was a heroic defence of truth and wisdom (later reported by his student, Plato ,pictured right).

 

 

3. His conviction and death

He was sentenced to death by the court (500 male jurors without a judge). 280 found him guilty. 

Socrates died drinking hemlock (pictured below is Jacques-Louis David's 1787 painting, The Death of Socrates) .

 The Trial and Death of Socrates - Learning and Ethics

 

Key people

 

Socrates

 The famous Greek philosopher

 

Crito

Socrates' best friend.

 The Trial and Death of Socrates - Learning and Ethics

Xanthippe 

Socrates' wife (pictured right in a 1553 drawing).

 

Reasons for his trial

 

1. He annoyed important people

His defence speech describes his role as a “gadfly”, cross-examining people so that they:

  • examine themselves.  The Trial and Death of Socrates - Learning and Ethics
  • challenge their assumptions and beliefs.

He believed that everyone should humbly accept their ignorance, but this annoyed important people who thought they were already wise!

Three people, in particular hated him and led his prosecution:

  • Meletus (a poet).
  • Lycon (an orator).
  • Anytus (a leather merchant and politician).

 

 

2. His politics

The democratic government of Athens wanted to convict Socrates, because of his friendship with Critias.

Critias was a leading member of the Thirty Tyrants, a murderous military dictatorship that ruled Athens in 404 BC.

 

 

3. His relationships with young menThe Trial and Death of Socrates - Learning and Ethics

The charge of corrupting young men partly resulted from his flirting with them, particularly Alcibiades (pictured right), whom he befriended in the Athenian army.

Plato says they:

  • weren’t lovers.
  • slept together without having sex.

Even if Socrates had been interested in men, this wouldn’t have been a major reason for his trial - most Athenian men had affairs with teenage boys.

 

Lessons for learning and ethics

 

1. The majority isn’t always rightThe Trial and Death of Socrates - Learning and Ethics

The English philosopher, John Stuart Mill’s (pictured right) belief in the “tyranny of the majority” is confirmed when Socrates is unjustly sentenced to death by the jury.

Wisdom isn’t always what the majority says it is.

 

 

2. Truth and wisdom matter more than popularity

Socrates sacrificed his life for supporting his unpopular philosophy of challenging people to find truth and wisdom through critical self-examination.

“No evil or ignorant person ever strives for wisdom”, he said.

 

 

3. Arrogance angers

People were annoyed by Socrates because they were arrogant enough to think they:

  • were wise.
  • didn’t need his help to improve themselves.

Socrates’ tactless air of superiority also didn’t help him.

As his trial was political, Athenian law gave him the right to choose his own punishment.

But he angered the jury by pompously suggesting a fine that was far too small.

 

The Trial and Death of Socrates - Learning and Ethics

4. Think for yourself

Socrates’ advice was:

  • to work out for yourself what’s right.
  • don’t rely on others (like religions) to do it for you.

Self-discovered virtue is much more important than anything else, he said.

 

 

5. Decisions are sometimes difficultThe Trial and Death of Socrates - Learning and Ethics

Socrates had to choose between his:

  • principles, and
  • family (his wife, Xanthippe, and three sons, who were condemned to poverty and social humiliation by his death).

Crito, his best friend, was so concerned about Socrates' family that he bribed the prison guards to give him the chance to escape.

Just before his death, Xanthippe’s cries were so hysterical that Socrates asked that she be taken away from him.

 

The Trial and Death of Socrates - Learning and Ethics

6. Don’t be afraid of death

Socrates was willing to die because he:

  • had lived a good life.
  • wanted to avoid the mental and physical decline of old age.

He died calmly and courageously comforted by his:

  • tearful friends.
  • belief in the immortality of the soul.

 

 

7. Life is difficultThe Trial and Death of Socrates - Learning and Ethics

Socrates saw death as a release from life’s problems.

His last words to Crito were:

“We owe a cock to Asclepius [the Greek god of medicine]. Pay it and do not forget”

In other words, he thanks Asclepius for the medicine (the hemlock) that will:

  • kill him.
  • cure him of the disease of a difficult life.

 

The Trial and Death of Socrates - Learning and Ethics

8. Character before cash

Socrates said in his defence speech that virtue is:

  • much more important than money and possessions (see the first quote below).
  • the cause of inner peace and happiness.

Such virtue is based on:

  • compassion.
  • self-restraint.
  • courage.

 

Key quotes (from Socrates’ defence speech)

 

Virtue springs not from possessions, but from virtue springs possessions and all other human blessings, whether for the individual or for society.

 

Hard it is not to avoid death, it is far harder to avoid wrongdoing.

 

No evil can happen to a good man, either in life or after death.

 

Wherever a man has taken a position that he believes to be best...there he must I think remain and face danger, without a thought for death or anything else, rather than disgrace.

 

It is the most blameworthy ignorance to believe that one knows what one does not know.

 

Best book

Emily Wilson, The Death of Socrates (2007)

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