APOLOGY IBD

Sinopsi

TheáApology of Socratesá(Greek:áá¼êIÇολογλα ÎúIëκIüάIäοIàIé,áApolog¡a Sokrátous,áLatin:áApologia Socratis), written byáPlato, is aáSocratic dialogueáof the speech of legal self-defence whicháSocratesá(469-399 BC) spoke at hisátrial for impiety and corruptionáin 399 BC.[1]Specifically, theáApology of Socratesáis a defence against the charges of 'corrupting the youth' and 'not believing in the gods in whom the city believes, but in otherádaimoniaáthat are novel' to Athens (24b).[2]Among the primary sources about the trial and death of the philosopher Socrates, theáApology of Socratesáis the dialogue that depicts the trial, and is one of four Socratic dialogues, along witháEuthyphro,áPhaedo, andáCrito, through which Plato details the final days of the philosopher Socrates.TheáApology of Socratesábegins with Socrates addressing the jury of perhaps 500 Athenian men to ask if they have been persuaded by the Orators Lycon, Anytus, and Meletus, who have accused Socrates of corrupting the young people of the city and impiety against theápantheonáof Athens. The first sentence of his speech establishes the theme of the dialogue-thatáphilosophyábegins with an admission of ignorance. Socrates later clarifies that point of philosophy when he says that whateveráwisdomáhe possesses comes from knowing that he knows nothing (23b, 29b).In the course of the trial, Socrates imitates, parodies, and corrects the Orators, his accusers, and asks the jury to judge him by the truth of his statements, not by his oratorical skill (cf.áLysiasáXIX 1,2,3,áIsaeusáX 1,áIsocratesáXV 79,áAeschinesáII 24). Socrates says he will not use sophisticated language-carefully arranged ornate words and phrases-but will speak using the common idiom of the Greek language. Socrates says that he will speak in the manner he has used in theáagoraáand at the money tables which he states is his native tongue and the fashion of his country. Although offered the opportunity to appease the prejudices of the jury, with a minimal concession to the charges ofácorruptionáandáimpiety, Socrates does not yield hisáintegrityáto avoid theápenalty of death. The jury condemns Socrates to death.