Crito
Plato's Crito takes place after Socrates is condemned to death and sitting in his jail cell. Crito is Socrates' good friend and has come to visit Socrates in the hopes of convincing his old friend to escape. But Socrates logically refutes Crito's argument. Crito begins his argument by bringing bad news to Socrates, relating to him that the ship from Delos is approaching and, with it, the hour of his mandated death. Socrates seems resigned to his fated death, but Crito attempts to persuade him to allow his friends to help him escape prison and flee Athens. Crito fears that others will begin to criticize Socrates' disciples for not rescuing their great leader. But Socrates says that, like he has said so many times before, the popular opinion of others does not concern him, only with that of the Gods does he concern himself. He advises his friend to do the same. Crito then, in response to this, says that Socrates must escape in order to ensure that their father properly educate his sons. Socrates goes on to argue that the advice of one individual, namely God, should be heeded much more than the advice of countless ignorant people, namely Athens' as a whole. In this way, he proves to Crito that popular opinion i
He explains that he actually owes the city much for his life. And, nevertheless, it seems hard to believe that the Laws are just and must be regarded and that the people are unjust and should not be respected. Otherwise, although escape would be easy, it would only corrupt an already corrupt system further. He believes that he has a contract with Athens, which would be broken, if he dodged his death. Plato gives the Laws their own voice in the hopes to distinguish them as a separate entity, making them something human to which Socrates might be able to act unjustly. This method helps Socrates open Crito's mind to instructive discourse, which eventually proves Socrates' logic over Crito's. Despite the unfortunate result of Socrates' trial, the laws are necessary and the system does work in most cases. He has a gift in which he takes a situation and analogizes it with every day occurrences to make it easier to make a well thought out decision. In an effort to better illustrate to Crito his decision to stay and be executed, Socrates compares himself to a medical patient. He goes on to ask Crito what good would a society be with laws if anyone could simply ignore them when the outcome does not suit them. It was under the city's laws that his parents were married and he was born. But if both the people and the Laws have ruled that Socrates is liable for his actions, the one can deduce that either the people have sided with the Laws or that the Laws have sided with the people. However, it is somewhat questionable how far the laws of state can be separated from the people who practice them. He felt that, although the jurors wronged him by unjustly condemning him, it would still be wrong to violate the laws by escaping. Also, Socrates refuses to allow the trite motive of retaliation dictate his behavior, since he believes that revenge is immoral.
Common topics in this essay:
Athens Crito,
Laws Laws,
Crito Socrates',
Plato Laws,
Socrates Crito's,
Plato's Crito,
society laws,
popular opinion,
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