DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.69035#0139
GREECE.] SOCRATES.
the plan for his destruction. In addition to their former
calumnies, they reported, that among his disciples he
delighted in haranguing against a popular government;
they reminded the people that three of his favourite
pupils, Critias, Alcibiades, and Theramenes, had con-
spired against the public freedom; and from that mo-
ment the bulk of the Athenians considered him as the
secret abettor of that system of oligarchy which they
had so recently subverted. The public mind being thus
prepared for his condemnation, Melitus, an obscure
poet, but supported by the influence of Lycon, a public
orator, and Anitus, a rich and powerful man, instituted
a criminal process against Socrates, in which he accused
him of having introduced new deities into Athens, under
the name of genii. Socrates, at that time, wras 70 years
old. Absurd as the accusation appeared, his friends
were alarmed, and conjured him to allay the storm, and
prepare his defence. “ That is a task,” said he, iC that
has occupied me ever since my birth ; let them examine
the tenour of my whole life; .it is the best apology I can
make.” Lysias, one of his disciples, drew up an affect-
ing reply to the charges brought agaist his master: he
shewed it to him; but Socrates, after praising the inten-
tion of the author, and the merit of the composition,
declined making use of it. On the day appointed,
he appeared before the Heliastoe, a tribunal composed
of 500 judges, and entered upon his defence, with all
the firmness of innocence, and dignity of virtue. He
was declared guilty, by a majority of three voices only;
“ a circumstance,” says Plato, “ which astonished him
more than the sentence itself.” According to custom,
they allowed him the liberty of selecting his own punish-
ment. He answered, il that would be to acknowledge
dnyself guilty, which is so far from my intention, that I
the plan for his destruction. In addition to their former
calumnies, they reported, that among his disciples he
delighted in haranguing against a popular government;
they reminded the people that three of his favourite
pupils, Critias, Alcibiades, and Theramenes, had con-
spired against the public freedom; and from that mo-
ment the bulk of the Athenians considered him as the
secret abettor of that system of oligarchy which they
had so recently subverted. The public mind being thus
prepared for his condemnation, Melitus, an obscure
poet, but supported by the influence of Lycon, a public
orator, and Anitus, a rich and powerful man, instituted
a criminal process against Socrates, in which he accused
him of having introduced new deities into Athens, under
the name of genii. Socrates, at that time, wras 70 years
old. Absurd as the accusation appeared, his friends
were alarmed, and conjured him to allay the storm, and
prepare his defence. “ That is a task,” said he, iC that
has occupied me ever since my birth ; let them examine
the tenour of my whole life; .it is the best apology I can
make.” Lysias, one of his disciples, drew up an affect-
ing reply to the charges brought agaist his master: he
shewed it to him; but Socrates, after praising the inten-
tion of the author, and the merit of the composition,
declined making use of it. On the day appointed,
he appeared before the Heliastoe, a tribunal composed
of 500 judges, and entered upon his defence, with all
the firmness of innocence, and dignity of virtue. He
was declared guilty, by a majority of three voices only;
“ a circumstance,” says Plato, “ which astonished him
more than the sentence itself.” According to custom,
they allowed him the liberty of selecting his own punish-
ment. He answered, il that would be to acknowledge
dnyself guilty, which is so far from my intention, that I