Is It Surprising That Socrates Was Found

Guilty Essay, Research Paper

In the play The Last Days of Socrates by, Plato, Socrates is found guilty of the charges brought against him. Taking into account the articles Euthyphro, the Apology, and I.F. Stone s article, When Free Speech was First Condemned, it is not surprising that Socrates was found guilty. In Euthyphro, and in I.F. Stone s article, Socrates shows the reader that he is aware that his charges are severe and perhaps it is better for him to be convicted. It seems to the reader that Socrates is actually trying to be convicted. In The Apology, Socrates claims of wisdom, impatience with the jury and arrogance cause the jury to convict him, and sentence him to death. Socrates attitude makes his defense weak and therefore it is not surprising he was convicted and found guilty.

Socrates understood that the charges against him would prove to be difficult to over come, he even explains to the jury that he is doubtful of his success. Euthyphro tells Socrates that a charge of improvising on the subject of the gods is easily misrepresented before the general public, a charge that Socrates must defend. Then the two men agree that a criminal would not in his right mind admit that he did wrong, and then ask for no penalty. So based on his conversation with Euthyphro, Socrates concludes that his case is a matter of who did it, what he did, and when he did it, not whether the act was right or wrong. His conversation with Euthyphro leads Socrates to conclude that it is difficult to ascertain what is holy and unholy, right or wrong. Therefore, Socrates plans on defending his case by answering the questions of who, what and when because it would be impossible to prove instead if he was right or wrong. Socrates chosen method of defense is not familiar to the Athenians. It is customary in the Athenian court that the plaintiff pleads his case to try and sway the jury s emotions. Socrates tells the jury that he, at his age and reputation, will not do this. So Socrates chooses a defense that he knows will not be taken well with the jury. As expected, the jury finds Socrates method of defense too oblique for them to be compassionate under. Socrates knew that his method of defense would not sway the jury. His decision to still use such a defense leads the reader to believe that Socrates wanted to be convicted. Later in the Apology, Socrates shows the jury that the charges against him are immense, and shows his lack of confidence in his case. He says:

I should like this to be the result, gentlemen, assuming it to be for your advantage and my own; and I should like to be successful in my defense; but I think that it will be difficult, and I am quite aware of the nature of my task. However, let that turn out as God wills; I must obey the law and make my defense. (39, The Apology)

This is his first sign of lack of confidence but he continues to repeat this theme throughout the trial. He is doubtful that he was able to sway the jury in the short time. A man who is arguing his defense for his life surely should not show this kind of demeanor, lacking confidence and giving up before the trial was over. It seems Socrates knew he was going to be convicted and was blaming it on the system, instead of his actions. The jury would have been outraged at this kind of behavior. Socrates is being tried for not conforming to the system he is now ridiculing. But Socrates in his ultimate wisdom decides to continue his arguments in the fashion that he and Euthyphro agreed, answering the questions of who, what and when instead of proving right and wrong. He spends the majority of his time arguing why people hate him, instead of dismissing his own charges. I.F. Stone agrees with this, saying if Socrates had argued free speech, the jury would have acquitted him. In other words, if Socrates had argued that he was right in the actions he was being convicted for, he would have been acquitted. The Athenians were open to such ideas as free speech and the right to assembly, and they might have shown compassion for Socrates. A sway of thirty votes would have created a tie, setting Socrates free. Socrates himself is surprised at the outcome. I.F. Stone explains:

Socrates clearly expected a large and decisive majority against him. I think he had good reason to be surprised by the close vote. His lifelong teaching had been consistently hostile to Athenian democracy, and his thought and opinions had attracted the kind of jet set youth who had twice overthrown the democracy in the decade and a half before his trial If the Athenian demos, the common people, had been as benighted and biased as Socrates believed them to be, his case would have been hopeless. But the closely divided jury shows his case was not hopeless- that the jury was troubled about convicting him. (Stone 60)

Stone s opinion is that Socrates thought he would lose anyway, so why should Socrates waste his time begging for mercy. Socrates was surprised at the outcome because he had been annoying the people of Athens all his life, and he felt he was doing the same at his trial. Perhaps Socrates wisdom did not go as far as he had hoped. However, after his conviction, Socrates still uses his arrogant thinking telling the jury he would rather die as a result of his defense, than live as a result of begging. So Socrates was aware that his task of acquittal was difficult. But he chose to argue in his own style, his great