Assesment of the Apology

Assessment of the Apology

At this point in the Apology, Socrates is still being interrogated by the Athenian jury for his suspected crimes of heresy, sedition and corruption of the youth. It is also at this point that the final verdict on Socrates is presented and he is offered to defend himself. During this scene, Meletus also ask the jury for Socrates to be put to death and Socrates refuses to beg for mercy and continues to state that he has committed no crime for which to be punished.

As stated above, Socrates verdict has been reached and the jury has found Socrates to be guilty as charged with a vote of 280 to 221, and Meletus’ ask for Socrates to be put to dead. Instead of being angry or upset with the verdict Socrates explains that he is surprised so many of the juror’s casted votes for his innocence. He then explains that by the sheer number of votes cast for him, he believes, that he has been cleared of Meletus’ charges. Socrates also states that without the help of Anytus and Lycon, Meletus’ would have been charged a thousand drachmas for not receiving a fifth of the vote.

At this point, Socrates is asked by the jury to offer an alternate form of punishment besides death. Socrates responds to their request by saying that he does not believe he should be punished, because he believes he has committed no crime. Instead, Socrates exclaims that he should be rewarded by the jury for his actions, not punished. Socrates states that for his actions he should have the honor of dinning in the Prytaneum, which is the town hall of Athens where victorious Olympians are entertained and fed on their return home, because it is much more suitable for him than any man in Athens who has gained victory through a team of horses. Socrates then explains to the jury that he is not saying these words out of arrogance, but rather because he has done no wrong to anyone, because he is incapable of causing harm to anyone. Socrates tells the jury that the reason they believe he is guilty is because they have not given him enough time to converse with them and Socrates states that in other places trials with the penalty of death do not last just one day, but many. So as a result of the shortness of the trial, Socrates has not been able to dispel the crimes against him.

After this, Socrates continues to dismiss the potential punishments presented to him by the jury, starting with the idea of imprisonment. Socrates denies this proposal because in prison he feels he would be at the whim of the magistrates. Next, the jury suggests the idea of a fine for Socrates punishment and Socrates explains how he has no money to pay a fine. Then the idea of Exile is brought up and Socrates explains that in exile he would just wander from town to town gaining resentment and dismissal from the elders of other towns, just as he has done in Athens. Lastly, the jury proposes the idea of Socrates remaining quiet and not philosophizing anymore. To this Socrates responds that he would be disobeying the god by keeping quiet, because he would not be able to examine his personal self and asserts that, “the unexamined life is not worth living” (Socrates). Finally, Socrates states that the words he speaks to the jury are the truth and he believes that he should not be punished because he has not committed a crime. To please the jury Socrates suggests he pay a small fine of one silver minas, because he would be able to obtain that amount of money fairly easy. Then Plato, Crito, Critobulus, and Apollodorus state that they will raise the fine to thirty minas and they guarantee the fine will be paid if the jury agrees to the punishment.

After being sentenced to death, Socrates warns the jury that they are going to obtain the reputation and guilt of being the city that killed Socrates, a wise man. He then tells the jury that he is old, and if they would have waited a little bit longer, he would have died on his own. Next Socrates talks solely to his accusers, letting them know that he was convicted not because of his lack of words in convincing them, but because he wanted to retain his integrity. If he wanted to say or do anything just to get out of his sentence he could have. Socrates tells them he was convicted because he lacked boldness and shamelessness and he was not willing to act like others in front of the jury and tell them what they wanted to hear. He lets them know that he has no regrets about his defense and would rather die than make the other kind of defense and bring shame upon his name.

Socrates then tells them that no man, whether on trial or in war, should plan to avoid death at any cost. He says it is easy to avoid death in these situations, and one could do so if he is willing to shamelessly do anything to get out of it. Socrates states it is difficult, however, to avoid wickedness. He tells his accusers that they