Plato’s dialogue, “Crito”, recounts a conversation during the days before the execution of Socrates. Crito comes to the prison to try to help Socrates escape from his cell; however, Socrates has a different idea, and decides to allow himself to be executed.
Crito makes several attempts to convince Socrates to escape from the prison with him. He pleads that “it will look to many people… as if I’d abandoned you” (Cahn 506). His first attempt seems slightly selfish. He doesn’t want to be given the bad reputation that he doesn’t care about his friends, or that he was unwilling to spend the money to finance an escape for Socrates. Socrates retorts that he and Crito should not care about the opinion of those who would believe Crito was too selfish to help his friend, as the only people whose opinion they should be considering are those who would uphold what is just. …show more content…
Socrates agrees that he has given those possibilities some thought. Crito tries to diminish these fears by telling him that those who would turn them in would be cheaply bought out, and that he shouldn’t be worried to be in exile as there would be those who would help him wherever he went.
In a last attempt, Crito tries to appeal to Socrates’ moral beliefs. He tells him that he doesn’t “think that what [he] propose[s] … is even just” (Cahn 507). In allowing himself to be executed, Socrates would be allowing his unfair trial to be validated. He also plays to his duties as a father, stating that “if [he] go[s] off when [he] could be educating them… they’ll meet the same fate which usually befalls orphans once they’ve lost their parents” (Cahn 507). He tries to convince Socrates that he is choosing the easier path, and not finishing the education of his
Crito makes several attempts to convince Socrates to escape from the prison with him. He pleads that “it will look to many people… as if I’d abandoned you” (Cahn 506). His first attempt seems slightly selfish. He doesn’t want to be given the bad reputation that he doesn’t care about his friends, or that he was unwilling to spend the money to finance an escape for Socrates. Socrates retorts that he and Crito should not care about the opinion of those who would believe Crito was too selfish to help his friend, as the only people whose opinion they should be considering are those who would uphold what is just. …show more content…
Socrates agrees that he has given those possibilities some thought. Crito tries to diminish these fears by telling him that those who would turn them in would be cheaply bought out, and that he shouldn’t be worried to be in exile as there would be those who would help him wherever he went.
In a last attempt, Crito tries to appeal to Socrates’ moral beliefs. He tells him that he doesn’t “think that what [he] propose[s] … is even just” (Cahn 507). In allowing himself to be executed, Socrates would be allowing his unfair trial to be validated. He also plays to his duties as a father, stating that “if [he] go[s] off when [he] could be educating them… they’ll meet the same fate which usually befalls orphans once they’ve lost their parents” (Cahn 507). He tries to convince Socrates that he is choosing the easier path, and not finishing the education of his