(399 B.C.)
Born about 470 B.C., died in 399; for a time followed his father’s art as
a sculptor; served in three campaigns; President of the Pyrtanes in 406 and
opposed the Thirty Tyrants; his philosophical precepts, as those of the wisest
man of his time, known to us only in the writings of his disciple, Plato.
THAT 1 I should not be
grieved, O Athenians, at what has happened, namely, that you have condemned me,
as well as many other circumstances concur in bringing to pass, and moreover
this, that what has happened has not happened contrary to my expectations; but
I much rather wonder at the number of votes on either side. For I did not
expect that I should be condemned by so small a number, but by a large
majority; but now, as it seems, if only three more votes had changed sides I
should have been acquitted. As far as Miletus is concerned, as it appears to
me, I have been already acquitted, and not only have I been acquitted, but it
is clear to every one that had not Anytus and Lycon come forward to accuse me,
he would have been fined a thousand drachmas, for not having obtained a fifth
part of the votes.
The man then awards me the penalty of death. Well. But what shall I, on my
part, O Athenians, award myself? Is it not clear that it will be such as I
deserve? What then is that? Do I deserve to suffer or to pay a fine, for that I
have purposely during my life not remained quiet, but, neglecting what most men
seek after,—money-making, domestic concerns, military command, popular
oratory, and moreover all the magistracies, conspiracies and cabals that are
met with in the city,—thinking that I was in reality too upright a man to
be safe if I took part in such things, I therefore did not apply myself to
those pursuits, by attending to which I should have been of no service either
to you or to myself; but in order to confer the greatest benefit on each of you
privately, as I affirm, I there upon applied myself to that object, endeavoring
to persuade everyone of you not to take any care of his own affairs, before he
had taken care of himself, in what way he may become the best and wisest, nor
of the affairs of the city before he took care of the city itself, and that he
should attend to other things in the same manner.
What treatment then do I deserve, seeing I am such a man? Some reward, O
Athenians, if at least I am to be estimated according to my real deserts; and
moreover such a reward as would be suitable tome. What then is suitable to a
poor man, a benefactor, and who has need of leisure in order to give you good
advice? There is nothing so suitable, O Athenians, as that such a man should be
maintained in the Prytaneum, and this much more than if one of you had been
victorious at the Olympic games in a horse race, or in the two or four-horsed
chariot race; for such a one makes you appear to be happy, but I, to be so: and
he does not need support, but I do. If, therefore, I must award a sentence
according to my just deserts, I award this, maintenance in the Prytaneum.
Perhaps, however, in speaking to you thus, I appear to you to speak in the same
presumptuous manner as I did respecting commiseration and entreaties: but such
is not the ease, O Athenians, it is rather this. I am persuaded that I never
designedly injured any man, tho I can not persuade you of this, for we have
conversed with each other but for a short time. For if there was the same law
with you as with other men, that in capital cases the trial should last not
only one day but many, I think you would be persuaded; but it is not easy in a
short time to do away with great calumnies.
Being persuaded then that I have injured no one, I am far from intending to
injure myself, and of pronouncing against myself that I am deserving of
punishment, and from awarding myself anything of the kind. Through fear of
what? lest I should suffer that which
Perhaps, however, some one will say, Can you not, Socrates, when you have gone
from us, live a silent and quiet life? This is the most difficult thing of all
to persuade some of you. For if I say that that would be to disobey the deity,
and that therefore it is impossible for me to live quietly, you would not
believe me, thinking I spoke ironically. If, on the other hand, I say that this
is the greatest good to man, to discourse daily on virtue, and other things
which you have heard me discussing, examining both myself and others, but that
a life without investigation is not worth living for, still less would you
believe me if I said this. Such, however, is the case, as I affirm, O
Athenians, tho it is not easy to persuade you. And at the same time I am not
accustomed to think myself deserving of any ill.
If, indeed I were rich, I would amerce myself in such a sum as I should be able
to pay; for then I should have suffered no harm, but now—for I can not,
unless you are willing to amerce me in such a sum as I am able to pay. But
perhaps I could pay you a mina of silver; in that sum then I amerce myself. But
Plato here, O Athenians, and Crito, Critobulus, and Apollodorus bid me amerce
myself in thirty minæ, and they offer to be sureties. I amerce myself then to
you in that sum; and they will be sufficient sureties for the money.
Note 1. After a majority of voices had
declared him guilty, Socrates resumed his address as reported by Plato in the
“Apology.”
from "The World's Great
Orations" ed. by William Jennings Bryan, 1906, published in full by
bartelsby.com