Apology (Plato)
In the year 399 BC, a philosopher named Socrates stood before five hundred Athenian men to face charges of impiety and corruption. The trial took place in Athens during a time when the city-state was reeling from defeat by Sparta and the collapse of its democracy. Plato wrote down the speech Socrates delivered at this event, creating one of the earliest records of a legal defense in Western history. Scholars debate whether this text accurately reflects what actually happened or if it is a literary construction designed to honor his teacher. Some historians argue that the Apology serves as a primary source for understanding the trial itself, while others believe it is too stylized to be trusted as a factual account. Aristotle later classified the work as fiction, yet it remains a vital historical document about the life of Socrates.
Three men formally accused Socrates of corrupting the youth and introducing new gods into Athens: Anytus, Meletus, and Lycon. Anytus was a wealthy and socially prominent Athenian who opposed the Sophists on principle. He joined the prosecution because he felt vexed on behalf of the craftsmen and politicians whom Socrates had criticized. In another dialogue called Meno, Anytus warns Socrates that stepping on people's toes could cause him trouble. Meletus was the only accuser to speak during Socrates' self-defense speech. He was described as an unknown young man with an aquiline nose who acted as a tool for Anytus. Meletus claimed Socrates did not believe in the gods of the city but introduced novel spiritual agencies instead. Lycon represented professional rhetoricians and associated Socrates with the pro-Spartan oligarchy known as the Thirty Tyrants. This group had killed his son Autolycus years earlier, making his motivation deeply personal and political.
Socrates began his defense by explaining how he came to be questioned by the citizens of Athens. His friend Chaerephon went to the Oracle at Delphi and asked if anyone was wiser than Socrates. The prophetess Pythia answered that no one was wiser. Socrates found this statement puzzling because he knew he possessed no great wisdom. He decided to test the oracle by questioning those who were thought to be wise. Politicians, poets, and craftsmen all failed his examination. They believed they knew things they did not understand. Socrates concluded that he was wiser than them simply because he admitted his own ignorance. This process made him appear as a social gadfly to the powerful figures of Athens. He stated that he would rather remain himself than become an impostor like the others he had tested. His mission from the god at Delphi required him to question everyone and challenge their assumptions about virtue and knowledge.
The jury voted on the guilt of Socrates with a relatively narrow margin. Plato notes in the text that thirty more votes would have been needed for acquittal. If the court consisted of five hundred men, then two hundred eighty voted against him while two hundred twenty voted in his favor. This represents a margin of approximately twelve percent. Athenian law required both sides to propose penalties after a guilty verdict. Socrates proposed perpetual maintenance at public expense instead of punishment. He suggested free meals at the Prytaneum, a honor reserved for Olympic athletes and benefactors. The court rejected this proposal. Socrates then offered a fine of one hundred drachmae. His supporters, including Plato and Crito, offered three thousand drachmae to pay the penalty. Despite these offers, the judges chose death over imprisonment or banishment. Diogenes Laërtius later reported that two hundred eighty jurors voted for execution while two hundred twenty voted for a pecuniary fine.
Modern academic discussions continue to examine whether the Apology is historically accurate or a literary creation. Donald Morrison published an article in 2000 questioning the historical reliability of Plato's account. Charles Kahn argued in 1996 that the dialogue remains the most reliable guide among all testimonies concerning Socrates. Aristotle classified the work as fiction yet acknowledged its value as a source about the philosopher. Some scholars view the text as a critique of rhetoric-as-speechmaking rather than a simple trial record. Others see it as an implicit depiction of a more expansive view of rhetoric unfolding over a lifetime. The debate centers on how much of the speech reflects actual events versus how much was invented by Plato to convey philosophical truths. The text serves as both a legal defense and a moral statement about the nature of wisdom and virtue.
Contemporary audiences have encountered Socrates through various adaptations of his final days. Andrew David Irvine adapted a play in 2007 based on Aristophanes' Clouds and three dialogues by Plato. Roberto Rossellini released a television film titled Socrates in 1971 that lifted action and script directly from this dialogue. A BBC radio play featuring texts translated by Hugh Tredennick aired in 1986. Translations by Benjamin Jowett from 1891 remain widely available online. Project Gutenberg offers free professional-quality downloadable audio books of the Apology. These works reinterpret the original dialogue for modern listeners while preserving the core arguments made by Socrates. They demonstrate how the story continues to influence theater, cinema, and public discourse across centuries.
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Common questions
What year did Socrates stand trial in Athens according to Plato's Apology?
Socrates stood trial in the year 399 BC before five hundred Athenian men. The trial occurred during a period when Athens was recovering from defeat by Sparta and the collapse of its democracy.
Who were the three men that formally accused Socrates of corrupting the youth and introducing new gods?
Anytus, Meletus, and Lycon formally accused Socrates of these crimes. Anytus opposed Sophists on principle while Meletus spoke during the defense speech as an unknown young man with an aquiline nose.
How many votes were needed for acquittal if the jury consisted of five hundred men in the Apology text?
Thirty more votes would have been needed for acquittal if the court consisted of five hundred men. Two hundred eighty voted against him while two hundred twenty voted in his favor, representing a margin of approximately twelve percent.
When did Donald Morrison publish an article questioning the historical reliability of Plato's account?
Donald Morrison published an article in 2000 questioning the historical reliability of Plato's account. Charles Kahn argued in 1996 that the dialogue remains the most reliable guide among all testimonies concerning Socrates.
Which television film released in 1971 lifted action and script directly from this dialogue?
Roberto Rossellini released a television film titled Socrates in 1971 that lifted action and script directly from this dialogue. A BBC radio play featuring texts translated by Hugh Tredennick aired in 1986.