Jack S.

2/18/15

Per 4. 

                                  Thoughts and Reflections on: Socrates The Apology

Socrates will not use, "pitiful appeals" in court because he does not want anyones pity. He says that he will not bring his sons to the trial because it drew unwanted sympathy from the jury. Socrates also stays very calm and composed instead of crying and pleading to the jury. Socrates was very confident in himself and did not want anyones help in this trial. Many punishments are suggested in Socrates trial, but he finds out a way to shoot each one of them down. For example, Meletus suggests imprisonment and Socrates makes a joke by saying if he was put in prison the government was essentially just taking care of him. Socrates does not believe he deserves a punishment, but instead should be rewarded for his work by receiving free food from the Athenians. Socrates also suggests banishment over death, but then contradicts himself by saying that he would still teach even if he was banished. Throughout the passage he is comparing banishment and death and it soon becomes apparent that he would prefer death over banishment. Socrates pressures the jury to give him the death penalty by saying that if they do anything els he will still find a way to teach. Socrates gives all these suggestions because he wants to overwhelm the jury with his knowledge and essentially coax them into giving him what he wants, the death penalty. Socrates finally proves he will not do what he believed is wrong by telling the jury that he will not give in to them and allow them to give him an unfair punishment. He does this because he can not afford to be passive in this situation and he must tell the jury shay he believes in order to get what he wants. Socrates gives a prophecy that states, "I tell you, my executioners, that as soon as I am dead, vengeance shall fall upon you with a punishment far more painful than your killing of me. As soon as I am dead, retribution will come upon you-far more severe, I swear, than the sentence that you have passed upon me." This prophecy is saying that even if the Athenians kill him all of his followers will continue to question the government and live as Socrates did. Socrates believed death is a good thing and he shows this to the jury by saying, "Death is either annihilation, and the dead have no consciousness of anything; or, as we are told, it is really a change: a migration of the soul from this place to another." According to Socrates the two possible outcomes of death are both appealing to him, so for Socrates death is a good thing.