The Apology of Socrates (Ancient Greek: Ἀπολογία Σωκράτους, Apología Sokrátous; Latin: Apologia Socratis), written by Plato, is a Socratic dialogue that records the speech Socrates gave in court to defend himself during his trial in 399 BC. He was accused of two crimes: corrupting the youth of Athens and not believing in the gods that the city honored, but instead believing in other spiritual beings that were new or different.

This work is one of the main sources describing the trial and death of the philosopher Socrates. It is part of a group of four Socratic dialogues written by Plato, which include Euthyphro, Phaedo, and Crito. These dialogues describe the final days of Socrates. Scholars sometimes debate whether the account of the trial in The Apology is completely accurate.

The text ofApology

The Apology of Socrates, written by the philosopher Plato (429–347 BC), is one of several written defenses explaining Socrates's response to charges of corrupting young people and showing disrespect for religious beliefs. Most of these defenses were published in the ten years following Socrates's trial in 399 BC. Plato's Apology of Socrates is an early philosophical defense of Socrates, presented as a conversation between Socrates and others. Although Aristotle later considered it a type of fictional writing, the text remains a valuable historical record about Socrates (469–399 BC). Aristotle believed the part where Socrates questions Meletus demonstrated effective use of questioning.

Except for the two parts where Socrates speaks with Meletus about the meaning and reasoning behind the accusations of disrespect for religious beliefs, the Apology of Socrates is written from Socrates's own perspective and voice (24d–25d and 26b–27d). Additionally, during the trial, Socrates mentions in his speech that Plato is present at the trial (34a and 38b).

Introduction

The Apology of Socrates begins with Socrates speaking to a jury of about 500 Athenian men. He asks if they have been influenced by three orators—Lycon, Anytus, and Meletus—who accused him of corrupting young people and showing disrespect toward the gods of Athens.

Socrates then tells the jury that his accusers warned the audience to be cautious of his speaking skills. He explains that his words will not be carefully planned or fancy. Instead, he will use simple language, similar to how he questions respected citizens in public places. He also says he is not familiar with courtroom speaking and that his wisdom comes from knowing that he knows nothing (23b, 29b).

During the trial, Socrates mimics, mocks, and corrects the orators. He asks the jury to judge him based on the truth of his words, not his speaking style (cf. Lysias XIX 1,2,3; Isaeus X 1; Isocrates XV 79; Aeschines II 24). He promises not to use complex or decorated language but will speak in the everyday language of Greek, as he does in public markets and places where people gather. Even though he is given a chance to avoid punishment by making small concessions to the charges of corruption and disrespect toward the gods, Socrates refuses to compromise his beliefs to save his life. The jury sentences him to death.

Accusers of Socrates

In the society of 5th-century BC Athens, three men officially charged the philosopher Socrates with impiety and corrupting the people and the city. These men acted on behalf of politicians, craftsmen, scholars, poets, and rhetoricians. The accusers of Socrates were:

• Anytus, a wealthy and well-known Athenian who opposed the Sophists. Socrates claimed that Anytus joined the prosecution because he was upset on behalf of the craftsmen and politicians (23e–24a). Anytus also appears in a conversation with Meno, a visitor to Athens. While Socrates and Meno discussed the nature of virtue, Anytus unexpectedly arrived and listened. Socrates argued that virtue cannot be taught, and he noted that many respected Athenians had sons who were less capable than themselves, naming figures like Pericles and Thucydides. Anytus was offended by this and warned Socrates that criticizing people (kakós legein) could cause problems in the future (Meno 94e–95a).

• Meletus, the only accuser who spoke during Socrates’s defense. He acted as a tool for Anytus, the true enemy of Socrates. Socrates said Meletus joined the prosecution because he was upset on behalf of the poets (23e). Meletus also appears in a dialogue called Euthyphro. At the trial, Socrates described Meletus as a young man with a pointed nose. In The Apology, Meletus agreed to answer Socrates’s questions, which led him to contradict himself when accused of both atheism and believing in demigods.

• Lycon, who represented the interests of professional rhetoricians. Socrates said Lycon joined the prosecution because he was upset on behalf of the rhetoricians (24a). Lycon was also connected to the pro-Spartan group called the Thirty Tyrants (404 BC), who killed his son, Autolycus. As a prosecutor of Socrates, Lycon was mocked in a play by Aristophanes and later became a successful democratic politician after the fall of the Oligarchy of the Four Hundred (411 BC).

Accusations

At his trial, Socrates faced two main accusations: (i) he was charged with impiety, meaning he did not respect the gods of Athens by introducing new gods; and (ii) he was accused of corrupting the youth of Athens. Socrates told the court that these accusations had been spread for many years through gossip and prejudice, making them difficult to address. He then summarized the accusations made by others in legal terms: "Socrates is an evil-doer, a curious person who searches into things under the earth and in heaven, and he makes the worse appear the better cause; and he teaches these ideas to others" (19b-c).

Socrates explained that these accusations were already discussed and written about by the comic poet Aristophanes in his play The Clouds (423 BC). Because of this, Socrates argued that these claims were not new and were not within the legal scope of the trial. In the play, Aristophanes mocked Socrates as a charlatan, a type of philosopher who used complex words and arguments that seemed wise but were actually misleading. Socrates defended himself by saying he was not a Sophist, a group of teachers who were paid for their work and were considered wise by many in Athens. Unlike them, Socrates lived in poverty and claimed he knew nothing about what was truly noble or good (23c).

To defend himself, Socrates first denied being a wise man. He explained that a man named Chaerephon, who was known for acting quickly, once asked the Oracle of Delphi if anyone was wiser than Socrates. The Oracle, called the prophetess Pythia, answered that no one was wiser. Socrates was surprised because he believed the Oracle could not lie, yet he knew he was not wise. To test the Oracle’s answer, he searched for someone wiser than himself. He carefully questioned politicians, poets, and scholars, but found no one who truly possessed wisdom. While some people were talented, they were often mistaken for being wise by others and believed themselves to be wise. Socrates concluded that he was the wisest because he understood his own lack of wisdom.

Socrates explained that young, wealthy men in Athens had little to do, so they followed him around the city. They watched him question other Athenians and expose their lack of knowledge. These young men then imitated Socrates’ method of questioning. When Socrates pointed out the weaknesses in their arguments, they became angry and repeated common accusations against him, claiming he was a morally bad person who corrupted the youth of Athens through misleading ideas and disbelief in the gods. In his defense, Socrates said, "For those who are examined, instead of being angry with themselves, are angry with me!"

The dialogue

The Apology of Socrates, written by Plato, is a record of Socrates’ trial in 399 BC. It includes three parts: (i) Socrates’ defense of himself in court, (ii) the jury’s decision, and (iii) the court’s punishment.

Socrates began his defense by explaining that people who disliked him had spread false ideas about him when the jurors were young. He claimed that his reputation as a teacher who used clever arguments came from his enemies, not from his actions. He named only one person, the playwright Aristophanes, who had mocked him in a comedy called The Clouds (423 BC). Socrates argued that it was illogical for him to harm young people, as that would harm him too. He said the accusation that he corrupted youth started when a man named Chaerephon asked the Oracle at Delphi if anyone was wiser than Socrates. The Oracle said no one was, which confused Socrates because he believed he knew nothing. He interpreted this as a riddle, meaning that true wisdom might come from knowing one’s own ignorance.

To understand the Oracle’s message, Socrates questioned politicians, poets, and craftsmen. He found that politicians thought they knew things they did not. He said, “I am wiser than this man because I know I do not know anything worthwhile.” He also said poets did not understand their own work, and craftsmen thought they knew more than they did. This made Socrates believe he was the wisest because he knew his own limits. He compared himself to a “social gadfly,” a person who stirs others to think, which made powerful people in Athens dislike him.

Socrates addressed the charge that he corrupted youth by questioning his accuser, Meletus. He argued that no one would intentionally harm others, as they would later face punishment. He also said the accusation of corrupting youth might be linked to Aristophanes’ play, which had mocked him years earlier.

Next, Socrates dealt with the charge of impiety, or disrespect toward the gods. He asked Meletus to explain his claims, which led Meletus to contradict himself. Socrates pointed out that Meletus accused him of being an atheist but also said he believed in spiritual beings.

Socrates said people who fear death are ignorant because death could be good or bad, and no one can know for sure. He claimed his wisdom was in knowing he was ignorant. He believed people should obey laws, even if they disagree with them, and that obeying divine laws was more important than obeying human laws. He said he would continue to question others about truth and morality, as the Oracle had commanded him.

Socrates argued that he was not a teacher who charged money, so he could not be responsible for corrupting anyone. He asked why no one had come forward to say he had harmed them. He noted that relatives of young people he was accused of influencing were in the courtroom, supporting him.

Socrates ended his defense by saying he would not use emotional tricks or cry to sway the judges. He would not bring his children to court, and he would not fear death. He would rely only on logical arguments and truth.

In Plato’s version of the trial, Socrates criticized speeches that used tricks to persuade people instead of telling the truth. Some scholars believe this was a way to show that rhetoric, or the art of speaking, should be used for deeper purposes, not just to win arguments.

The jurors found Socrates guilty by a small margin. Plato did not record the exact number of votes, but Socrates said he would have been acquitted if 30 more jurors had voted for him. This suggests about 280 jurors voted against him, and 220 voted for him. The difference was about 12 percent. In such cases, Athenian law required both the accuser and the accused to suggest a punishment.

Adaptations

• Socrates on Trial: A Play Based on Aristophane's Clouds and Plato's Apology, Crito, and Phaedo Adapted for Modern Performance (2007), by Andrew David Irvine, is a modern play that shows Socrates as a philosopher and a person. It is based on The Clouds (423 BC) by Aristophanes and three Socratic dialogues by Plato: The Apology of Socrates (Socrates' defense at his trial), The Crito (a discussion about justice), and The Phaedo (a discussion about the afterlife).

• Roberto Rossellini's 1971 television film Socrates uses much of the action and script from this play.

Texts and translations

• Greek text from Plato available at Perseus Digital Library
• Plato: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Phaedo, Phaedrus. Greek text with translation by Harold North Fowler. Published in the Loeb Classical Library, volume 36, by Harvard University Press (originally published in 1914). ISBN 0-674-99040-4, available at Internet Archive
• H.N. Fowler’s translation of Plato’s works available at Perseus Digital Library
• Plato: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Phaedo. Greek text with translation by Chris Emlyn-Jones and William Preddy. Published in the Loeb Classical Library, volume 36, by Harvard University Press, 2017. ISBN 9780674996878, available at Harvard University Press listing
• Plato. Opera, volume I. Published in the Oxford Classical Texts series. ISBN 978-0198145691
• Plato. Complete Works. Published by Hackett, 1997. ISBN 978-0872203495
• The Last Days of Socrates, a translation of Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Phaedo by Hugh Tredennick, 1954. ISBN 978-0140440379. This translation was used in a BBC radio play in 1986
• Four Texts on Socrates: Plato’s Euthyphro, Apology, and Crito, and Aristophanes’ Clouds. Translated by Thomas G. West and Grace Starry West, 1984. ISBN 0-8014-8574-6