The Trial of Socrates

Adapted from Plato's Apology by Nancy Ruff
 

Characters: King Archon (AR-con)

Meletus (muh-LAY-tus)

Anytus (a-KNEE-tus)

Lycon (LIE-con)

Socrates (SOCK-rat-tees)

Brother of Chaerephon

(KIE-ruff-hon)

Plato (PLAY-toe)

Socrates' Phaedo (Fay-doh)

Friends Crito (CRY-toe)

Apollodorus (ah-pah-low-DOOR-us)

Jurors / Audience

Guards
 

Setting: The courtroom, 399 B.C.E.
 

Jurors enter and take seats. Socrates and friends enter and sit in front row. Meletus, Anytus and Lycon enter and stand at the rock.
 

MELETUS: (reads): This indictment is sworn by Meletus, the son of Meletus of Pithos, against Socrates, the son of Sophroniscus of Alopece. Socrates is guilty first, of refusing to recognize the gods the state recognizes; second, of introducing other new divinities; and third, of corrupting the youth of Athens. The penalty demanded is death.
 

Meletus stops reading.
 

MELETUS: Socrates is a criminal. For years, we've all known that he questions everything, even things beneath the earth and in the heavens. This is unlawful and impious. He does not even believe in the gods!
 

LYCON: He argues about everything, with no respect for the truth. With his tricky reasoning, he can convince you that a lie is the plain and simple truth. Is this a good thing? To persuade others that lies are truth? In fact, Jurors, you'd better be on your guard against him here today. When he speaks, he'll use this very method to try to convince you that he's innocent.
 

ANYTUS: Yes, he questions everything, seems to laugh at everyone and teaches our youth to do this, too. He is a ridiculous old fool, going around barefoot and dressed in rags, unable to manage his own household and yet insisting on telling us how to run ours! A ridiculous fool! But he has this power over our youth, over many of us, and so he has become dangerous. If he is acquitted, your sons will all be utterly ruined by practicing what he teaches.
 

KING ARCHON: The defendant will now speak in his defense. Socrates?
 

Meletus, Anytus and Lycon move to the left of the rock as Socrates comes to stand at the rock.
 

SOCRATES: Speaking of making a lie seem true! From listening to these lies, I almost can't recognize myself. Of all the lies they told, I was most amazed when they said that I'm a clever speaker. Socrates chuckles. Just by opening my mouth I can prove that's a lie. From me, Athenians, you won't hear finely turned phrases carefully arranged. I just tell the truth as it occurs to me. Though I'm seventy, this is the first time I've come before a court. I know only everyday, marketplace kind of talk, so that'll have to do here, too.
 

MELETUS: Socrates, do you deny that you have investigated things below the earth and in the heavens? That you have discovered new divinities?
 

SOCRATES: Come on, Meletus! You, like all of us, have seen these things in Aristophanes' comedy: a Socrates being carried around, proclaiming that he could walk on air and a lot of other nonsense, which I don't know any more about than you do.. I am not the character in the play, for heaven's sake. And I offer as witnesses most of yourselves. Plato, Phaedo, Crito, Apollodorus?
 

SOCRATES' FRIENDS: Yes, Socrates?
 

SOCRATES: Have you ever heard me talking about such matters?
 

SOCRATES' FRIENDS.: Of course not!
 

MELETUS: Socrates, you teach people how to make false things seem true and even take money for such instruction!
 

SOCRATES: Not true, again! I've heard of some teachers who are so wise that rich young men follow them around the city and actually pay for the privilege of doing it! There may indeed be such wise men, but I am not one of them.
 

JUROR 1 (stands to speak): But Socrates, what is the trouble about you? Where did these reports against you come from? I mean, such accusations didn't just spring up while you were doing nothing. So tell us what you were doing that caused them. We want to act with good information in your case. (Sits.)
 

SOCRATES: You are right. I'll try to explain how some people came to think I'm wise and how many others came to despise me. So listen. And don't think I'm joking. Remember, I told you I only intend to speak the truth. Clears his throat. The fact is, Athenians, that I have acquired all this trouble on account of a kind of wisdom I have. Not the wisdom of those teachers for hire I was just talking about, but another kind, what I call human wisdom. A humble, but maybe a wiser kind. . ..
 

Objections from the audience at this boasting.
 

CHAEREPHON'S BROTHER (stands to speak to audience): Now wait, everyone! Listen! I can tell you. Socrates isn't kidding or boasting. You all know that Socrates and my brother, Chaerephon were always good friends. Well, once Chaerephon went to Delphi and asked the oracle if there was anyone wiser than Socrates. The Pythia replied that there was no one wiser. (Sits.)
 

Audience comments in surprise.

SOCRATES: When I heard this, I thought: "I know I'm not wise, and I also know the gods don't lie. So what could Apollo possibly mean?" Reluctantly, I set out to investigate this oracle. I went to a man whom everyone thought wise. He thought he was wise, too. But when I questioned him, I discovered that he wasn't really wise at all. Then I tried to show him what I'd discovered. And he showed me to the door. But as I went away, I thought to myself, "I am wiser than this man. Neither of us really knows anything much, but this man thinks he knows something, whereas I know that I don't know anything."
 

Laughter from the audience.
 

I discovered the same thing with others I exmined. The Athenians who had the greatest reputation for wisdom were the most deficient; those thought stupid were actually much more sensible. After the politicians, I went to the poets. They turned out to know less about what their poems meant than anyone. Their gift wasn't wisdom, it was inspiration. I went to the artisans. They actually did know how to make many fine things, and this was more than I knew. But were they wise? They tended to think that their skill at making fine sandals or jewelry or statues or temple columns made them wise in all important matters. So they proved themselves, on the whole, foolish.
 

So you see, my examinations have met with two responses. Many people hate me and are angry with me for showing their folly. Among others I have this reputation for being very wise, just because I have been able to show that those who are thought wise are not. But really, only the god is wise. I have finally decided that when he said no man was wiser than Socrates, he meant only that the wisest human being is he who, like Socrates, recognizes that he really knows very little.
 

ANYTUS: And as you, the wise Socrates, go about Athens laughing at all her respected citiznes, you bring along with you our sons to show them how to disrespect their elders.
 

SOCRATES: Our sons, yes! Young men accompany me because they enjoy hearing people being examined. They often imitate me themselves when they find people who think they know something, but know nothing. Those who are examined by them are angry with me. They should, of course, be angry with themselves for their own foolishness, but instead, they say that Socrates is a most abominable person and is corrupting the youth.
 

JUROR 2: How corrupting the youth? By doing what?
 

SOCRATES: Well, they don't really know, so they fling the typical accusations against philosophers. Looks around to accusers, then back to the audience.
 

SOCRATES (pointing to Meletus): Meletus, here, says I am a wrongdoer because I corrupt the youth. But I, Athenians, say Meletus is a wrongdoer. He jokes about very serious matters. He abuses our justice system. He drags people into court as if he cares about the welfare of the city, when he's never cared about it at all.

Audience makes surprised/angry? comments. Socrates looks at Meletus again.
 

SOCRATES: Come here, Meletus.
 

MELETUS (indignant): I will not!
 

KING ARCHON: You will have to answer the questions, Meletus.
 

Meletus comes forward.
 

SOCRATES: Tell me, don't you think it is very important that young people be as good as possible?
 

MELETUS: Yes, I do.
 

SOCRATES: Now who makes them better?
 

Meletus is silent.
 

SOCRATES: What's this, Meletus, you don't know? Doesn't this show that you have never even thought about the matter you pretend to care so deeply about? Now come on, man, who makes them better?
 

MELETUS: The laws.
 

SOCRATES: But that is not what I ask, Meletus, but what person makes them better?
 

MELETUS: These people, Socrates, the jurors.
 

SOCRATES: All of the jurors? Or only some of them?
 

MELETUS: All.
 

SOCRATES: Well said, by Hera! (Looks at audience.) But what about this audience, here? Do they make them better, or not?
 

MELETUS: These also.
 

SOCRATES: And how about the senators?
 

MELETUS: The senators also.
 

SOCRATES: But, Meletus, the assemblymen don't corrupt the youth, do they? Or do they also all make them better?
 

MELETUS: They also.
 

SOCRATES: All the Athenians, then, make them excellent. Except myself. And I alone corrupt them. Is this what you mean?
 

MELETUS: That is exactly what I mean.
 

Murmurs in the audience.
 

SOCRATES: It would be a wonderful thing if young people needed to avoid only one person and they could trust everyone else to do them only good. But of course we all know this is not the case, don't we, Meletus? Your answers show us that you don't care at all about the youth of our city or how they might be corrupted. In fact, you haven't even thought about the matter. Yet you drag me into court to answer this carelessly constructed, yet gravely serious charge.
 

ANYTUS (to Meletus): I told you to watch out for him. He's making us look like fools! Now shut up and let me do the talking! (Anytus shoves Meletus aside and takes his place.)
 

SOCRATES: Well, then, Anytus, tell us. Is it better to live among good citizens, or bad? Pause. My friend, I am not asking anything hard. If you live with good people, are you likely to receive good from them? If you live with bad people, are you likely to receive bad from them?
 

ANYTUS: Of course, but--
 

SOCRATES: And is there anyone who prefers to be injured by his associates rather than helped? Pause. The law requires you to answer, my good man. Is there anyone who prefers to be injured?
 

ANYTUS: Well of course not, but--
 

SOCRATES: Agreed! Now, are you accusing me of corrupting the youth voluntarily or involuntarily?
 

ANYTUS: Voluntarily.
 

SOCRATES: That cannot be true. Since we just agreed that people avoid harm when they can, I obviously would not make one of my associates bad voluntarily, because then he might harm me. So, either I do not corrupt my friends, or if I corrupt them, I do it involuntarily.
 

ANYTUS: All right, then. Say you do it involuntarily.
 

SOCRATES: But if I corrupt them involuntarily, the law requires you not to drag me into court, but to instruct me in private. With instruction, I would naturally stop doing that bad thing which I do involuntarily. But you did not do this. You avoided associating with me, let alone instructing me. Instead, you hauled me in here, where we haul those who need punishment, not instruction.
 

SOCRATES: (points to Juror 2): This citizen asked how I corrupt the youth. By doing what? Your indictment says that it is by teaching them not to believe in the gods the state believes in, but in other new spiritual beings, right?
 

ANYTUS: That's exactly what we say.
 

SOCRATES: Now, Anytus, clarify this for me. Do you say that I believe and teach that there are some gods, but that these are not the ones the state believes in? Is this what you mean?
 

ANYTUS: No. I say you don't believe in the gods at all.
 

SOCRATES: You amaze me, Anytus! Why do you say this? Don't I believe that the sun and the moon are gods, as the rest of mankind do?
 

MELETUS: (breaking in with certainty, speaking to the jurors) No, by Zeus, Jurors! In fact, he says that the sun is a stone and the moon is earth.
 

SOCRATES: No, my dear Meletus. That's Anaxagoras you're thinking of, not me.
 

Audience snickers/mutters at Meletus' mistake.
 

SOCRATES: But for heaven's sake, do you two really think that I do not believe there is any god?
 

MELETUS: By Zeus, that's exactly what we know to be the case.
 

SOCRATES: You cannot be serious, Meletus. You must be joking, trying to see if we'll catch on?.
 

ANYTUS (to Meletus): I wish you would shut up and let me handle this, Meletus. (to Socrates): What are you ranting about, Socrates?
 

SOCRATES: Meletus contradicts himself. He says "Socrates is a wrongdoer because he does not believe in gods--but he does believe in gods." What nonsense is this!
 

JUROR 3: (Stands to speak) I don't follow that, Socrates. How's he saying those two things at the same time? (Sits.)

SOCRATES: Let's see. Looks around at accusers. Lycon.
 

Lycon comes forward.
 

SOCRATES: Lycon, could anyone believe that there are things pertaining to human beings, but no human beings?
 

Audience mutters impatiently.
 

SOCRATES: Let him answer, please. Is there anyone who does not believe in horses, but does believe in things pertaining to horses? or who does not believe that flute-players exist, but that things pertaining to flute-players do? Pause. Well, since you won't answer, I'll answer for you: There is no one who believes in one and not the other. But answer at least the next question. Is there anyone who believes spiritual things exist, but does not believe in spirits?
 

LYCON (to King Archon): Do we really have to continue with this silly line of questioning?
 

KING ARCHON: If you do not answer the defendant's questions, you will have to pay a fine.
 

LYCON (annoyed): There is not.
 

SOCRATES: Thank you for replying reluctantly when forced. No need to ask you the next question, since you swore in your indictment that I believe in spiritual beings. But if I believe in spiritual beings, I must also believe in spirits, isn't that true? Pause.
 

Lycon makes a dismissive gesture.
 

SOCRATES: I'll take that as a yes. But do we not think the spirits are gods or children of gods? Pause. Yes, or no?
 

LYCON: Of course we do.
 

SOCRATES: Then if I believe in spirits and if spirits are a kind of gods, then I must also believe in gods. So what you have sworn is that I believe and don't believe in the gods. (Turns to address audience.) Well then, Athenians, you can see that Meletus' charge doesn't make much sense. What have I really done? I have questioned people; I have urged people to question themselves. And many of them hate me for it. This will cause my condemnation, if I am condemned. Not Meletus or Anytus, but the prejudice and dislike of the many. This has condemned many other good men. And there is no danger that it will stop with me.
 

JUROR 4: Aren't you ashamed, Socrates, of having followed such a pursuit, that you are now in danger of being put to death?
 

SOCRATES: (to Juror 4): Should we ever be proud to refuse to do what is right because it is dangerous? I would have been wrong to ignore the oracle of Apollo.

I would have been ashamed to ignore it.
 

JUROR 2: But aren't you afraid of dying, Socrates?
 

SOCRATES: Ah! Now we're back to the oracle. How little we know! To fear death is to think we know what we don't know. Death could be the greatest of all blessings, but we fear it as if we knew that it is the greatest of evils. Not knowing much about the other world, I don't fear it. I don't fear or avoid things I don't know to be bad.

JUROR 5: Socrates, this is death we are talking about. Think, man! Your wife, your sons! Suppose this time we let you go. On one condition: that you no longer spend your time in this investigation or in philosophy, and if you are caught doing so again, you'll die?
 

SOCRATES: If you propose this, then I say, "Athenians, I respect and love you, but I shall obey the god rather than you." While I live and am able to continue, I shall never give up philosophy.
 

JUROR 1: Well, suppose we just gave out a sentence of exile, so you could go to some other city and philosophize?
 

SOCRATES: Athens, greatest of cities and most famous for wisdom and power! Athens, full of citizens who care more about their wealth than they do about wisdom, truth and goodness! My work is here. I believe that no greater good ever came to Athens than my service to the god. I fly around this city like a horsefly around the great rump of a well-bred but sluggish horse, urging you all to care more about doing what is right than about your possessions and petty grievances. If I corrupt the youth, it is by urging them to do this. Because this is all I do. Anyone who accuses me of doing other things is lying.
 

LYCON: And did you teach Alcibiades to do what is right? Charmides? Critias? Weren't these enemies of Athenian democracy all your friends?
 

SOCRATES: Yes, these men were my friends once. But as you all know, they had long stopped being my friends by the time they began to be corrupt. And they are all dead. Look rather to the people who are here today. If I am corrupting or have corrupted any of you, speak up, now! Many of my associates are here. (Walks around to point out where the following are sitting) Crito, my own age and his father, Critobulus; there's Lysanias, and Antiphon, Nicostratus, Paralus and his brother, Theages, Adimantus, Apollodorus, Plato. Do any of you accuse me of corrupting you? Meletus ought certainly to have produced at least one witness to support his point that I have corrupted you all. Maybe he forgot. Well, if that's the case, let him do so now; I yield the floor to him.
 

Pause. Socrates invites Meletus to speak. Meletus says nothing, consults briefly in private with Anytus and Lycon.

SOCRATES: Meletus has no witness, you see. Because in fact all these citizens are ready to aid me. Imagine that! They stand by the man who corrupts and injures themselves and their relatives, as Meletus and Anytus say.
 

King Archon steps forward and signals that time is up.
 

SOCRATES: I see that time is up. Athenians, if you judge me unjustly, you will do yourselves a great disservice. If you kill me, you will not easily find another to help you as I have. I now leave the case to you and to God to decide what is best for me and for you. (Sits down)
 

Scene 2
 

KING ARCHON (comes to the rock): The votes have been counted and stand thus: Guilty: 267. Not guilty 234. Pause. Socrates, the accusers have proposed the death penalty. You may now propose an alternative.
 

SOCRATES: rises and goes to the rock. King Archon steps back.
 

SOCRATES: An alternative? What do I deserve to suffer or to pay for refusing to keep quiet, for neglecting what most men care for--money-making and property--so I could devote myself to working for the good of each citizen? Pause. Some good thing, Athenians, is what I deserve. Paces a little and thinks. I am a poor man and I need leisure to do my work of stinging and exhorting you. Therefore I propose that I be given free meals from now on in the City Hall dining room.
 

Surprised, frustrated, indignant? murmurs from the audience as Socrates continues.
 

That's right! The honor you give those Olympic athletes. It is much more appropriate for me than for someone who rode a good chariot race. Such an athlete makes you feel happy, whereas I make you happy in reality by making you good. And besides, I need it worse than the athletes do.
 

Audience continues to comment. King Archon looks at Socrates and frowns. Socrates looks at King Archon and listens to audience. He is momentarily at a loss for what to do or say.
 

PLATO: King Archon, could we have a word with Socrates, please?
 

KING ARCHON: Yes, you may.
 

Socrates' friends escort Socrates to the right side of the courtroom.
 

Friends together ask what Socrates thinks he's doing.
 

SOCRATES: (to his friends): I am convinced that I never wronged any one, I am certainly not going to propose any penalty that would hurt me. Why should I?
 

PHAEDO: Well, for starters, if you don't propose a penalty they can accept, they'll go with the accusers' proposal for the death sentence.
 

SOCRATES: I've told you I cannot fear death because I don't know whether it is a good thing or an evil.
 

APOLLODORUS: How about proposing imprisonment? That wouldn't hurt you and it wouldn't kill you either.
 

SOCRATES: And why should I live in prison a slave to those in authority?
 

CRITO: How about proposing a fine with imprisonment just until it's paid?
 

SOCRATES: That would be the same as imprisonment for life since I have no money to pay a fine with.
 

JUROR 3 (Stands) Socrates!
 

Socrates looks up. Friends stand behind Socrates and listen as he talks with Juror 3 and the court at large.
 

JUROR 3: Can't you just go away from us and live quietly, without talking? (Sits)
 

SOCRATES: I cannot. Keeping quiet would be disobedience to the god who has sent me to do a great good here. Talking every day about virtue and examining myself and others is what really matters most. The unexamined life is not worth living. Pause. My fellow Athenians, I am having trouble coming up with a penalty because I don't think I deserve anything bad. If I had money, I would propose a fine as large as I could pay. That would have done me no harm. But since I am poor, the only fine I could pay would be one thousand drachmas. So I propose that penalty.
 

Audience makes surprised, maybe indignant comments.
 

SOCRATES' FRIENDS: Socrates! Make that 30,000 drachmas! We'll put up the money.
 

SOCRATES: Okay, then. I propose a fine of 30,000 drachmas. (Sits.)
 

Scene 3:
 

King Archon approaches rock.
 

KING ARCHON: The votes are as follows: Death Penalty: 270. Fine: 231.
 

King Archon stands back from the rock. Socrates rises and returns to the rock.
 

SOCRATES: I have been convicted by my accusers and I must pay the penalty, death. My accusers have been convicted by truth, and they will soon pay a penalty, too. By killing me, Athens, you make a great mistake. I would have died in a little while, and perhaps, been forgotten. But now that you kill me, everyone will remember Athens as the place where a wise man was killed.
 

Accusers leave court. Socrates' friends gather around him. King Archon summons guards who converse apart with King Archon.
 

SOCRATES: (to friends): We have a little time to talk while they get ready to take me away to prison. Listen. I have something amazing to tell you about. I've told you all about that little divine voice in my ear that frequently opposes me whenever I am going to do anything I shouldn't do. (Friends nod.) That voice interrupts me many times during most speeches I make, and dozens of times a day. The amazing thing is that today it has been totally silent.
 

CRITO: What do you think this means?
 

SOCRATES: It means that what has happened here today is a good thing, and those of us who think death is an evil must be mistaken. That voice would have opposed me if I hadn't been going to meet with something good.
 

APOLLODORUS: Ah, Socrates! I know you tell us this in hopes to lift our hearts from grief and desolation about what's happened. But after what we have seen today, it will be hard for us to believe in Athens and her democracy anymore.
 

Others mutter agreement.
 

PLATO: How can we just stand around and do nothing while you, our greatest friend, suffer such unjust treatment from our own city, from us?

SOCRATES: There is something you can do to ensure that I am justly treated, Plato.
 

Socrates' friends ask what they can do.
 

SOCRATES: When my sons grow up, my friends, punish them. Trouble them as I have troubled you. If they care for money or anything else more than for virtue, rebuke them. If they think they amount to something when they don't, rebuke them as I have rebuked you. If you do this, both I and my sons will have received just treatment from you.
 

Guards approach Socrates.
 

SOCRATES: But now the time has come to go away. I go to die, and you to live; but which of us goes to the better lot is known to none but God. Socrates departs with guards.