Understanding why Athenians were executed

To understand why the Athenians executed Socrates in 399, one must first take a deeper look into his life. Socrates was born in 469 in Athens, son of the sculptor Sophroniscus and the midwife Phainarete. He belonged to the small Athenian bourgeoisie. He began to work in his father’s workshop. After 421, he married Xanthippe and had three sons.

Socrates lived in the period of the war of Peloponnese. He was a brave fighter at Poleidaia, Delion, and at Amphipolis in 422. He showed force, courage and generosity.

Throughout his political life, Socrates did not have governmental charges and he never tried to have any. In 405-406, he was a member of the Council of the Five hundred. At the time, Athens was under a democratic government. Socrates was chosen a judge. He was the only one to side against the democratic government that wanted to make summary justice accusing the admirals collectively, like it was established on the contrary by the law. In 408 Athens was under the oligarchical government of the Thirty. Socrates was charged, with four other citizens, to arrest the democratic Lion of Salamis. He

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To the Athenians, at the point of death, he said, “It is time to go: I die and you to live. ” The first accusation referred to the declaration of Socrates having in himself a divinity, whose voice took him off evil and guided him in his decisions.

The second accusation referred to the work of the critical education of youth, carried out by Socrates in anti-traditional sense. These people gave themselves the noble name of Sophists, which due to their name became a repulsive name. Socrates fame spread all over Greece. The most respected and educated men from all around came to him to enjoy his friendly company and instruction. They took care of the education of the youth, taught the sciences, arts, moral philosophy, and religion. Moreover he is guilty of having corrupted young people. The process ended with the acknowledgement of the Socrates guilt for 280 ballots against 220.

In Socrates philosophical activity, Cicero asserts that “Socrates for the first time made the philosophy come down from the sky and transported it in the cities introducing it also in the houses and forcing it to take care of issues relating life, customs, good and evil. There was the popular jury, which contributed five hundred citizens. ”

There was a time in Greece when the scholars enjoyed great esteem and encouraged prejudice and obsolete superstitions. On the other hand he tried to save the weak minds of his fellow citizens and to avoid scandal.

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Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

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