The difference between the wise men and the foolish men is brought out by Socrates. It is clear from the summary that the state did not appreciate change because the people could rise and demand their rights. This Apology demonstrates that it is those who fight for the liberation of society from the bondage of ignorance that ends up paying heavily. That widespread ignorance in the society was to be blamed for the backwardness that exists in the society. He accepted the verdict asserting that it was not to fear death as it is only God who knows life after death.įrom this summary, it comes out clearly that Socrates was a man who was willing to fight and die for what he believed was good for the people.

Socrates offered to pay a fine instead of prison or exile but the jury refused and sentenced him to death. He ended up proposing that if he were to be given what he deserved then it should be a meal to honor him for the great favor he had done to Athens. He is found guilty by a very small margin that he is asked to give a proposal on the penalty. Socrates thought that Athens was in a pathetic state and it was only through his actions that the city was going to come out of the sick condition. Socrates compares himself with gadfly stinging the lazy horse which was like Athens state without people him. Socrates in his behavior focuses more on embarrassing Meletus than speaking out the truth of the matter. Socrates then went ahead to question Meletus, the man who had brought him to the jury. That such people with hatred were contemptuous and that is why he was being tried. Most of the youths in Athens admired and respected Socrates because of his activities but to those whom he embarrassed he remained hated in their hearts. He categorically attributed their false behavior to ignorance. He expressed in a manner that aimed at questioning those who were supposed to be to be wise and that it was his duty to expose their false behavior to the public. Socrates explained that he must be wiser than other men because he knew perfectly well that he knew that he knew nothing. That what other people believed in the world did not matter in his decisions and behavior. He demonstrated his ignorance in most of the worldly affairs. That he was the wisest of all men that had ever been born. He claimed that he did what he did because it was prophesized at Delphi by the oracle. This is because he believed in honesty and not beating around the bush. In this defense, Socrates explains that his language is by what he is used to and that he had no experience in the law courts. He was accused of corrupting the minds of the youths in Athens, creations of his deities, and not respecting the gods of the state. In this apology, Socrates speaks in a very simple way in his defense.

Plato socrates defense