Socrates refuses Crito’s invitation to escape because by doing so he breaks the laws of Athens. Socrates explains to Crito that by exiling himself he not only breaks one law, he breaks them all; this is due to the fact that as a citizen you support the laws, and breaking one law would end your endorsement. These laws carry great importance to Socrates, because by escaping he breaks the law from which he was fostered, educated, and begat his children. By exiling himself, Socrates cannot enter other states; considering he broke the laws of Athens, other states would see him as a fugitive. Furthermore, Socrates he explains that he would not greedily risk his children’s Athenian citizenship in order to save his life; he also states that even the
