“The Trial and Death of Socrates”

The Repentance of Socrates

The repentance of Socrates, as depicted in Plato's "The Trial and Death of Socrates," is one of the intellectual foundations laid by the Greek philosophers. Socrates, like other thinkers, exposes himself to the jury and his accusers, such as Meletus, as a fair, sovereign, and wise man by rhetoric. Plato reveals that the primary topic of Socrates' allegation is impiety and divinities. The first accused, Meletus, and the second accuser, the Jury, are seen to rhyme in judgment and thinking, while Socrates is seen to stand for what he calls wisdom and liberalism. In the apology, Socrates begins by laying information to the jury that his accusers are the masters of deception bearing the fact that the accuser; Meletus, had warned the Jury to take care not to be taken by his clever way of speaking. Therefore, the Apology is a revelation of wisdom and truth that Plato uses to shed light to the ancient Greeks on what to take or consider as wisdom and ignorance. He does this through portraying Socrates and as a martyr of the truth who lays arguments rhetorically before the jury and the accusers to amaze the audience and everyone but later lone sentenced death, yet with no pity for what he calls unknown (Globe, p.26). Therefore, Plato’s, “The Trial and Death of Socrates” is a reflection of wisdom, freedom, and morality.

Socrates' Teachings and Divinities

Plato presents Socrates’ first accusation based on his teachings about the divinities and his inquiries about what is in heaven and below the earth. Plato gives the case to contrast the beliefs on deities that Greeks believed on and the scientific explanations of these beings (Globe, p.21). Socrates does wrong and is too concerned with knowing what is in the heaven and below the earth and to make the weaker argument appear to be the stronger and to teach these same things to others. The accusation primarily questioned the Greek beliefs. He is charged with not recognizing the gods, which the state did. The Greeks valued their gods a lot as they used to help and guide or direct them when in need. However, he lays a defends it and asks the judges if any one of them heard him teaching it. As the accuser stresses that Socrates invented new deities and altered the thinking of the people living in Athens, he is not in a good position to respond because he claims that the jury is biased and that the rumors had spread extensively to distort his teachings and moral authenticity. The speech hence is in no way apology in contemporary cognizance of the word. Socrates attempts defending himself and his conduct rather than apologizing for it.

The Question of Impiety and Misleading the Youth

The question of impiety and misleading the youth is another concern. Plato depicts the accusation that the Greeks disregarded what the philosophers of the time revealed. The philosophers like Plato were the elements of change in the community, and they targeted the moment of enlightenment for the whole populations. In this accusation, Plato appraises the Euthyphro knowledge on religion as the basis of his argument. Socrates defends himself in court as this conversation takes place in court. His ignorance is observable. He spends his time in his intelligence and superior nature and says is better than anyone else. The accusers are, however, afraid that he could lead people to believe in this reality. His memory only lives on a book and intellectual acts. Actual people are trying to find, and Plato makes Socrates picture real in this case. The Phaedo dialogue is the longest of this. Plato brings a summary of his friend's surrender to death. He tries to convince on the manner in which the soul is immoral and life after death. He poses the questions on when does the soul attains its truth. A life that is not examined is not worth living. This shows that when people are alive, they must be subjected to some questions which will help them live a worthy life. It is interesting to see how Socrates manipulates his dialogue to achieve his ends (Globe, p.31).

Reasoning, Fairness, Liberalism, and Dynamism

Plato’s, “The Trial and Death of Socrates” infers a sense of reasoning, fairness, liberalism, and dynamism that Socrates instill to his audience in his apology. Throughout the period in front of the jury and his accusers, Socrates demonstrates upright reasoning, liberty of conscience and an initiator of change that other people would hardly recommend. Socrates is therefore concerned with reasoning, liberty, and changes. Plato contrasts the accusers and the Jury as unfair and biased parties who seek justification of things that they feel that they are not right for them. This inference of Plato’s text is reflective of the building of the nation. When Plato is compiling all these apologies in “The Trial and Death of Socrates,” he believes that philosophy is key in liberating the society. He perceives that for the society to undergo a complete change, people must wake up from their stupor and seek knowledge. The apologies, therefore, give justification that Socrates had to bear the consequence of being a free thinker and speak the truth (Elder, Linda, and Richard, p.92).

Building a Just Society

In the defenses that Plato reveals in Socrates Apology, the implications depicted in Plato’s, “The Trial and Death of Socrates” is that the society should be built by those people who reason properly and in an upright manner. People who cannot or do not like reasoning uprightly or properly should not be accommodated in any society. When Socrates is speaking, he talks of a gathering in the Assembly deliberating on building the city. He says that the builders are the ones who may be sent to deliberate about construction, ship-building to the shipwrights. Plato interprets this metaphor to ascertain that the skillful people or people who are knowledgeable like the philosophers are the ones who should be entrusted to teach and guide the citizens, especially the youth. Philosophers should be on the front line in guidance and direction in society. The allegory is contrasted with the management of the city, which is seen to be possibly done by anyone (Nails, p.106). It implies that the work of teaching is to be taken as an earnest role. People who were rigid, those who did not know what they argued about, as he gives the case of his accuser Meletus, are the ones who should be banned from teaching the youth. Socrates is depicted to say that, “But if someone else tries to advise them, whom they do not regard to a craftsman, even if he is handsome and wealthy and well-born, they don’t receive him well but instead shout him down and laugh at him….” The statement implies that, even after the Jury accuses Socrates by influencing the youth on the issue of morals and religion, he is found out to be the best because if he were a wrong person, he could not be able to advise the youth. After all, no youth would go for his advice (Globe, p.41).

Connection with the Reader

To the reader’s point of view of Plato’s, “The Trial and Death of Socrates,” there is a close connection between the protagonist, Socrates and the readers. Socrates texts invoke the audience who loves knowledge and hate ignorance. When Socrates is seen to answer questions fluently and amaze the jury, the audience's point is moved to like him as the reader does. He shows upright reasoning in answering the questions. Socrates also indicates how knowledgeable and intelligent he is. His death sentence, however, is another incidence that makes the readers be swayed by this person who is ready to die for the truth despite the circumstances. His stand for the truth is unshakeable. He is prepared to undergo all the sufferings and pain in standing for the truth.

Defense of Wisdom and Truth

In conclusion, Socrates’ words do not seem like an Apology. Instead, he defends himself from all the accusations that are laid on him. He does this wisely. It is because he applies his knowledge and proper reasoning which makes it easy for him to be trusted and believed by the society. The accusations to corrupt others like Alcibiades and Critias and Charmides are transformed into greatness and heroism by the fact that he is ready to stand for prejudice, truth, and justice. Through this defense, Socrates can make people see sense in his word and deeds. The accusations made against him are untrue as per his reasoning, and this is why he made people surprised about him and changed in the way people reason and think. Though judged wrongly by the accusers, Plato shows that Aristotle significantly gains the courage to wish his accusers well as they pronounce an unfair justice for him to be killed. Therefore, the Apology shows the efforts of Plato to reveal the wisdom and truth that seemed ignored by many people in society. His accusers and the Jury are the central focus that Plato uses to show ignorance, enemies of truth and development as well as unjust rulers.

Work Cited

Cooper, and Glube. Plato’s, The Trial and the Death of Socrate, (Third Edition), 2011

Elder, Linda, and Richard Paul. The thinker's guide to analytic thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking, 2010.

Nails, Debra. "The trial and death of Socrates." A companion to Socrates (2006): 5.