The Trial And Death Of Socrates, By Plato

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For centuries, there have been laws. Laws that we made, and they are expected to be followed no matter how unjust we may think they are. We are expected to follow the law even when the authority is wrong. In the book The Trial and Death of Socrates written by Plato, his teacher Socrates, is on trial for corrupting the youth, and for not believing in the right Gods. In Socrates speech Apology, Socrates defends himself against the jury claiming that he is an innocent man and has done no wrong. In the end Socrates is found guilty and will be sentenced to death. Socrates friend Citro has the money to get him out of prison but Socrates refused to take the opportunity and because of this he dies. I have a reason to believe that Socrates was wrong …show more content…
Citro states “Have no such fear. It is not much money that some people require to save you and get you out of here . . . I do not think that what you are doing is just, to give up your life when you can save it, and to hasten your fate as you enemies would hasten it, and indeed have hasten it in their wish to destroy you. Moreover, I think you are betraying your sons by going away and leaving them when you could bring them up and educate them” (Plato 45). Citro does not believe that what Socrates is doing is the right thing to do. His enemies put him in prison and not breaking free means that they win, Citro tries to convince Socrates to let him break Socrates out of prison by bringing up the point that he is leaving his sons behind, and the fact that he has the money to get him out of prison, it is not a problem for him. He feels that if he does not get him out of prison that he will end up looking cheap, because he has the money to do so. Socrates turns down Citro’s offer, because he believes that his trial was fair. He also believes that if he breaks the law that others will follow him. However, people have and continue to break the laws before and after Socrates time. What makes him think that if he breaks free that others will follow. Does this mean that Socrates really does think that he has made an impact on people even when he claims that he has not?

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