WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:04.960 Part one of the Apology of Socrates by Plato. This 2 00:00:05.280 --> 00:00:09.039 is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the 3 00:00:09.080 --> 00:00:13.640 public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit 4 00:00:14.279 --> 00:00:21.640 LibriVox dot org. Recording by phil Chinavert Apology by Plato, 5 00:00:22.239 --> 00:00:29.519 translated by Benjamin Jowitt, Part one, How you o Athenians 6 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:33.520 have been affected by my accusers? I cannot tell, but 7 00:00:33.679 --> 00:00:36.920 I know that they almost made me forget who I was. 8 00:00:37.600 --> 00:00:42.280 So persuasively did they speak, And yet they have hardly 9 00:00:42.359 --> 00:00:45.840 uttered a word of truth. But of the many falsehoods 10 00:00:45.840 --> 00:00:49.479 told by them, there was one which quite amazed me. 11 00:00:50.799 --> 00:00:54.159 I mean, when they said that you should be on 12 00:00:54.320 --> 00:00:58.200 your guard and not allow yourselves to be deceived by 13 00:00:58.200 --> 00:01:02.679 the force of my eloquence. To say this when they 14 00:01:02.719 --> 00:01:05.439 were certain to be detected as soon as I opened 15 00:01:05.480 --> 00:01:08.680 my lips and proved myself to be anything but a 16 00:01:08.719 --> 00:01:13.560 great speaker, did indeed appear to me most shameless, unless 17 00:01:13.640 --> 00:01:17.400 by the force of eloquence they mean the force of truth. 18 00:01:18.079 --> 00:01:20.840 For if such is their meaning, I admit that I 19 00:01:20.920 --> 00:01:25.760 am eloquent, but in how different away from theirs? Well 20 00:01:25.840 --> 00:01:29.439 as I was saying, they have scarcely spoken the truth 21 00:01:29.640 --> 00:01:35.519 at all. But from me you shall hear the whole truth, not, however, 22 00:01:35.640 --> 00:01:40.159 delivered after their manner in a set oration, duly ornamented 23 00:01:40.200 --> 00:01:44.239 with words and phrases. No, by Heaven, but I shall 24 00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:46.719 use the words and arguments which occur to me at 25 00:01:46.719 --> 00:01:49.680 the moment, for I am confident in the justice of 26 00:01:49.719 --> 00:01:53.200 my cause, or I am certain that I am right 27 00:01:53.280 --> 00:01:57.680 in taking this course. At my time of life, I 28 00:01:57.719 --> 00:02:01.760 ought not to be appearing before you, o men of Athens, 29 00:02:01.799 --> 00:02:05.359 in the character of a juvenile orator. Let no one 30 00:02:05.480 --> 00:02:08.639 expect it of me, and I must beg of you 31 00:02:08.719 --> 00:02:12.240 to grant me a favor. If I defend myself in 32 00:02:12.360 --> 00:02:16.560 my accustomed manner, and you hear me using the words 33 00:02:16.599 --> 00:02:18.639 which I have been in the habit of using in 34 00:02:18.719 --> 00:02:21.840 the agora, at the tables of the money changers, or 35 00:02:21.960 --> 00:02:25.719 anywhere else, I would ask you not to be surprised 36 00:02:26.280 --> 00:02:29.680 and not to interrupt me on this account, for I 37 00:02:29.719 --> 00:02:33.000 am more than seventy years of age, and appearing now 38 00:02:33.039 --> 00:02:35.439 for the first time in the court of law, I 39 00:02:35.520 --> 00:02:37.960 am quite a stranger to the language of the place, 40 00:02:39.000 --> 00:02:41.840 and therefore I would have you regard me as if 41 00:02:41.879 --> 00:02:45.520 I were really a stranger whom you would excuse if 42 00:02:45.520 --> 00:02:48.800 he spoke in his native tongue and after the fashion 43 00:02:48.840 --> 00:02:53.360 of his country. Am I making an unfair request of you? 44 00:02:54.199 --> 00:02:57.039 Never mind the manner, which may or may not be good, 45 00:02:57.680 --> 00:03:01.759 but think only of the truth of my words, and 46 00:03:01.840 --> 00:03:06.240 give heed to that. Let the speaker speak truly, and 47 00:03:06.360 --> 00:03:11.919 the judge decide justly. At first I have to reply 48 00:03:12.039 --> 00:03:15.639 to the older charges and to my first accusers, and 49 00:03:15.680 --> 00:03:18.639 then I will go on to the later ones. For 50 00:03:18.759 --> 00:03:22.159 of old I have had many accusers who have accused 51 00:03:22.159 --> 00:03:26.120 me falsely to you during many years, and I am 52 00:03:26.199 --> 00:03:29.840 more afraid of them than of Anetus and his associates, 53 00:03:29.879 --> 00:03:33.960 who are dangerous to in their own way. But far 54 00:03:34.120 --> 00:03:38.360 more dangerous are the others who began when you were 55 00:03:38.439 --> 00:03:42.240 children and took possession of your minds with their falsehoods. 56 00:03:42.879 --> 00:03:48.039 Telling of one's Socrates, a wise man who speculated about 57 00:03:48.039 --> 00:03:52.360 the heavens above and searched into the earth below, and 58 00:03:52.479 --> 00:03:56.800 made the worse appear the better cause. The disseminators of 59 00:03:56.879 --> 00:04:01.319 this tale are the accusers whom I dread, for their 60 00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:05.719 hearers are apt to fancy that such inquirers do not 61 00:04:05.879 --> 00:04:10.400 believe in the existence of the gods, and they are many, 62 00:04:10.719 --> 00:04:14.800 and their charges against me are of ancient date, and 63 00:04:14.840 --> 00:04:16.959 they were made by them in the days when you 64 00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:21.480 were more impressible than you are now, in childhood, or 65 00:04:21.519 --> 00:04:24.879 it may have been in youth, and the cause, when heard, 66 00:04:25.399 --> 00:04:29.800 went by default, for there was none to answer. And 67 00:04:29.920 --> 00:04:33.879 hardest of all, I do not know and cannot tell 68 00:04:33.959 --> 00:04:37.879 the names of my accusers, unless in the chance case 69 00:04:37.920 --> 00:04:42.120 of a comic poet, all who from envy and malice 70 00:04:42.199 --> 00:04:46.040 have persuaded you, some of them having first convinced themselves. 71 00:04:46.800 --> 00:04:50.920 All this class of men are most difficult to deal with, 72 00:04:51.560 --> 00:04:54.600 for I cannot have them up here and cross examine them. 73 00:04:55.160 --> 00:04:58.399 And therefore I must simply fight with shadows in my 74 00:04:58.639 --> 00:05:02.800 own defense, and argue. When there is no one who answers. 75 00:05:03.399 --> 00:05:05.959 I will ask you, then to assume with me as 76 00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:10.240 I was saying, that my opponents are of two kinds, 77 00:05:10.800 --> 00:05:14.519 one recent, the other ancient. And I hope that you 78 00:05:14.720 --> 00:05:18.079 will see the propriety of my answering the latter first, 79 00:05:18.839 --> 00:05:23.480 for these accusations you heard long before the others, and 80 00:05:24.040 --> 00:05:29.959 much oftener. Well, then I must make my defense and 81 00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:34.319 endeavor to clear away in a short time a slender 82 00:05:34.360 --> 00:05:39.040 which has lasted a long time. May I succeed? If 83 00:05:39.120 --> 00:05:42.680 to succeed be from my good and yours, or likely 84 00:05:42.720 --> 00:05:46.399 to avail me in my cause. The task is not 85 00:05:46.759 --> 00:05:50.399 an easy one. I quite understand the nature of it, 86 00:05:50.879 --> 00:05:54.720 And so, leaving the event with God, in obedience to 87 00:05:54.800 --> 00:05:58.600 the law, I will now make my defense. I will 88 00:05:58.639 --> 00:06:04.160 begin at thee and ask what is the accusation which 89 00:06:04.199 --> 00:06:07.839 has given rise to the slander of me, and in 90 00:06:07.879 --> 00:06:12.920 fact has encouraged Melitus to prove this charge against me. Well, 91 00:06:13.000 --> 00:06:18.439 what do the slanderers say? They shall be my prosecutors, 92 00:06:18.600 --> 00:06:22.199 and I will sum up their words in an affidavit. 93 00:06:22.800 --> 00:06:27.920 Socrates is an evildoer and a curious person who searches 94 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:31.720 into things under the earth and in heaven, and he 95 00:06:31.800 --> 00:06:35.480 makes the worse appear the better cause, and he teaches 96 00:06:35.560 --> 00:06:40.079 the effort said doctrines to others. Such is the nature 97 00:06:40.120 --> 00:06:44.000 of the accusation. It is just what you have yourselves 98 00:06:44.040 --> 00:06:48.079 seen in the comedy of Aristophanes, who has introduced a 99 00:06:48.160 --> 00:06:52.319 man whom he calls Socrates, going about and saying that 100 00:06:52.399 --> 00:06:55.959 he walks in air and talking a deal of nonsense 101 00:06:56.040 --> 00:06:58.839 concerning matters of which I do not pretend to know 102 00:06:58.920 --> 00:07:02.879 either much or not, that I mean to speak disparagingly 103 00:07:02.959 --> 00:07:06.000 of any one who is a student of natural philosophy. 104 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:11.079 I should be very sorry if Melitus could bring so 105 00:07:11.399 --> 00:07:14.959 grave a charge against me. But the simple truth is, 106 00:07:15.279 --> 00:07:20.000 o Athenians, that I have nothing to do with physical speculations. 107 00:07:20.839 --> 00:07:23.920 Very many of those here present are witnesses to the 108 00:07:23.959 --> 00:07:28.560 truth of this, and to them I appeal. Speak, then, 109 00:07:28.800 --> 00:07:32.399 you who have heard me, and tell your neighbors, whether 110 00:07:32.519 --> 00:07:36.079 any of you have ever known me. Hold forth, in 111 00:07:36.199 --> 00:07:40.519 few words or in many upon such matters. You hear 112 00:07:40.639 --> 00:07:43.800 their answer, and from what they say of this part 113 00:07:43.839 --> 00:07:46.439 of the charge, you will be able to judge of 114 00:07:46.480 --> 00:07:51.720 the truth of the rest. As little foundation is there 115 00:07:51.759 --> 00:07:54.879 for the report that I am a teacher and take money. 116 00:07:55.519 --> 00:07:58.639 This accusation has no more truth in it than the other. 117 00:07:59.519 --> 00:08:02.920 Although so if a man were really able to instruct 118 00:08:02.920 --> 00:08:07.079 mankind to receive money for giving instruction, would, in my opinion, 119 00:08:07.240 --> 00:08:11.839 be an honor to him. There is Gargius of Leontium, 120 00:08:12.639 --> 00:08:17.000 and Proticus or Chius and Nepius of Elis, who go 121 00:08:17.199 --> 00:08:20.120 to the rounds of the cities and are able to 122 00:08:20.199 --> 00:08:23.360 persuade the young men to leave their own citizens by 123 00:08:23.360 --> 00:08:26.279 whom they might be taught for nothing, and come to 124 00:08:26.360 --> 00:08:30.279 them whom they not only pay, but are thankful if 125 00:08:30.319 --> 00:08:33.240 they may be allowed to pay them. There is at 126 00:08:33.240 --> 00:08:37.559 this time a Parian philosopher residing in Athens, of whom 127 00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:40.840 I have heard, and I came to hear of him. 128 00:08:41.039 --> 00:08:44.600 In this way I came across a man who has 129 00:08:44.639 --> 00:08:48.240 spent a world of money on the Sophists, Callius, the 130 00:08:48.240 --> 00:08:51.320 son of Hipponeus, And knowing that he had sons, I 131 00:08:51.399 --> 00:08:55.840 asked him, Calius, I said, if your two sons were 132 00:08:55.960 --> 00:09:00.120 folds or calves, there would be no difficulty in finding 133 00:09:00.159 --> 00:09:03.720 someone to put over them. We should hire a trainer 134 00:09:03.759 --> 00:09:07.360 of horses, or a farmer, probably, who would improve and 135 00:09:07.440 --> 00:09:11.120 perfect them in their own proper virtue and excellence. But 136 00:09:11.399 --> 00:09:14.360 as they are human beings, whom are you thinking of 137 00:09:14.399 --> 00:09:18.240 placing over them? Is there any one who understands human 138 00:09:18.519 --> 00:09:22.240 and political virtue? You must have thought about the matter, 139 00:09:22.440 --> 00:09:27.000 for you have sons. Is there any one there is? 140 00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:30.879 He said? Who is? He said I? And of what country? 141 00:09:31.120 --> 00:09:35.600 And what does he charge? A venus the Parian? He replied, 142 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:39.360 he is the man and his charge is five minae? 143 00:09:40.720 --> 00:09:43.000 Hap he is a venus. I said to myself. If 144 00:09:43.039 --> 00:09:45.879 he really has this wisdom and teaches at such a 145 00:09:46.080 --> 00:09:50.200 moderate charge, had I the same, I should have been 146 00:09:50.399 --> 00:09:53.759 very proud and conceited. But the truth is that I 147 00:09:53.840 --> 00:09:59.279 have no knowledge of the kind I dare say, Athenians, 148 00:09:59.600 --> 00:10:03.919 that's some one among you. Will reply, yes, Socrates, but 149 00:10:04.039 --> 00:10:07.039 what is the origin of these accusations which are brought 150 00:10:07.039 --> 00:10:10.600 against you? There must have been something strange which you 151 00:10:10.679 --> 00:10:14.559 have been doing. All these rumors and this talk about 152 00:10:14.639 --> 00:10:17.519 you would never have arisen if you had been like 153 00:10:17.600 --> 00:10:21.759 other men. Tell us, then, what is the cause of them? 154 00:10:22.200 --> 00:10:24.559 For we should be sorry to judge hastily of you. 155 00:10:26.440 --> 00:10:29.960 Now I regard this as a fair challenge, and I 156 00:10:30.000 --> 00:10:32.960 will endeavor to explain to you the reason why I 157 00:10:33.000 --> 00:10:38.200 am called wise and have such an evil fame. Please 158 00:10:38.279 --> 00:10:41.440 to attend, then, And although some of you may think 159 00:10:41.480 --> 00:10:44.279 that I am joking, I declare that I will tell 160 00:10:44.360 --> 00:10:49.600 you the entire truth. Men of Athens, this reputation of 161 00:10:49.639 --> 00:10:52.960 mine has come of a certain sort of wisdom which 162 00:10:53.000 --> 00:10:56.960 I possess. If you ask me what kind of wisdom, 163 00:10:57.159 --> 00:11:00.960 I reply, wisdom such as may perhap apps be attained 164 00:11:01.000 --> 00:11:03.879 by man. For to that extent, I am inclined to 165 00:11:03.919 --> 00:11:07.879 believe that I am wise, whereas the persons of whom 166 00:11:07.879 --> 00:11:12.159 I was speaking have a superhuman wisdom which I may 167 00:11:12.240 --> 00:11:16.080 fail to describe, because I have it not myself. And 168 00:11:16.159 --> 00:11:19.600 he who says that I have speaks falsely and is 169 00:11:19.679 --> 00:11:23.600 taking away my character. And here o, men of Athens, 170 00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:26.759 I must beg you not to interrupt me, even if 171 00:11:26.799 --> 00:11:30.480 I seem to say something extravagant, for the word which 172 00:11:30.519 --> 00:11:34.240 I will speak is not mine. I will refer you 173 00:11:34.399 --> 00:11:37.720 to a witness who is worthy of credit. That witness 174 00:11:37.879 --> 00:11:41.840 shall be the God of Delphi. He will tell you 175 00:11:41.879 --> 00:11:45.000 about my wisdom, if I have any, and of what 176 00:11:45.240 --> 00:11:50.679 sort it is. You must have known Cherophone. He was 177 00:11:50.720 --> 00:11:53.559 an early friend of mine and also a friend of yours, 178 00:11:53.919 --> 00:11:56.519 for he shared in the recent exile of the people 179 00:11:56.879 --> 00:12:01.320 and returned with you. Well. Charophone, as you know, was 180 00:12:01.639 --> 00:12:05.519 very impetuous in all his doings, and he went to 181 00:12:05.600 --> 00:12:09.679 Delphi and boldly asked the oracle to tell him whether, 182 00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:12.720 as I was saying, I must beg you not to interrupt. 183 00:12:13.279 --> 00:12:16.799 He asked the oracle to tell him whether any one 184 00:12:17.039 --> 00:12:21.519 was wiser than I was, And the Pithian prophetess answered 185 00:12:21.960 --> 00:12:26.759 that there was no man wiser. Cherophon is dead himself, 186 00:12:27.279 --> 00:12:30.440 but his brother, who is in court, will confirm the 187 00:12:30.480 --> 00:12:34.759 truth of what I am saying. Why do I mention 188 00:12:34.879 --> 00:12:39.120 this because I am going to explain to you why 189 00:12:39.200 --> 00:12:42.639 I have such an evil name. When I heard the answer, 190 00:12:42.720 --> 00:12:46.399 I said to myself, what can the God mean? And 191 00:12:46.519 --> 00:12:49.799 what is the interpretation of his riddle? For I know 192 00:12:49.960 --> 00:12:53.519 that I have no wisdom, small or great? What then 193 00:12:53.720 --> 00:12:56.639 can he mean when he says that I am the 194 00:12:56.679 --> 00:13:00.240 wisest of men? And yet he is a god god 195 00:13:00.240 --> 00:13:04.279 and cannot lie that would be against his nature. After 196 00:13:04.440 --> 00:13:09.080 long consideration, I thought of a method of trying the question. 197 00:13:09.960 --> 00:13:12.759 I reflected that if I could only find a man 198 00:13:12.919 --> 00:13:16.200 wiser than myself, then I might go to the God 199 00:13:16.240 --> 00:13:20.679 with a refutation in my hand. I should say to him, 200 00:13:21.240 --> 00:13:24.039 here is a man who is wiser than I am, 201 00:13:24.240 --> 00:13:27.799 But you said that I was the wisest. Accordingly, I 202 00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:31.000 went to one who had the reputation of wisdom and 203 00:13:31.120 --> 00:13:34.879 observed him. His name I need not mention. He was 204 00:13:34.960 --> 00:13:39.000 a politician whom I selected for examination, and the result 205 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:41.919 was as follows. When I began to talk with him, 206 00:13:42.240 --> 00:13:45.519 I could not help thinking that he was not really wise, 207 00:13:46.279 --> 00:13:50.200 although he was thought wise by many, and still wiser 208 00:13:50.240 --> 00:13:53.840 by himself. And thereupon I tried to explain to him 209 00:13:53.919 --> 00:13:57.879 that he thought himself wise, but he was not really wise, 210 00:13:58.320 --> 00:14:02.000 And the consequence was that he hated me, and his 211 00:14:02.279 --> 00:14:05.600 enmity was shared by several who were present, and hurt me. 212 00:14:06.360 --> 00:14:10.000 So I left him, saying to myself as I went away, well, 213 00:14:10.240 --> 00:14:13.320 although I do not suppose that either of us knows 214 00:14:13.399 --> 00:14:16.720 anything really beautiful and good, I am better off than 215 00:14:16.759 --> 00:14:21.120 he is, for he knows nothing, and thinks that he knows. 216 00:14:21.600 --> 00:14:24.639 I neither know nor think that I know. In this 217 00:14:24.919 --> 00:14:29.399 last particular, then I seemed to have slightly the advantage 218 00:14:29.399 --> 00:14:33.000 of him. Then I went to another, who had still 219 00:14:33.240 --> 00:14:38.000 higher pretensions to wisdom, and my conclusion was exactly the same. 220 00:14:38.759 --> 00:14:42.279 Whereupon I made another enemy of him, and of many 221 00:14:42.399 --> 00:14:47.919 others beside him. Then I went to one man after another, 222 00:14:48.120 --> 00:14:51.799 being not unconscious of the enmity which I provoked. And 223 00:14:51.840 --> 00:14:56.159 I lamented and feared this, But necessity was laid upon me. 224 00:14:56.720 --> 00:14:59.879 The word of God, I thought ought to be considered first, 225 00:15:00.960 --> 00:15:04.559 and I said to myself, go, I must to all 226 00:15:04.600 --> 00:15:07.639 who appear to know and find out the meaning of 227 00:15:07.720 --> 00:15:11.200 the oracle. And I swear to you Athenians by the 228 00:15:11.279 --> 00:15:13.799 dog I swear, for I must tell you the truth. 229 00:15:14.440 --> 00:15:18.559 The result of my mission was just this. I found 230 00:15:18.679 --> 00:15:22.120 that the men most in repute were all but the 231 00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:27.159 most foolish, and that others less esteemed were really wiser 232 00:15:27.240 --> 00:15:29.480 and better. I will tell you the tale of my 233 00:15:29.639 --> 00:15:33.320 wanderings and of the Herculean labors, as I may call them, 234 00:15:33.639 --> 00:15:38.519 which I endured, only to find at last the oracle irrefutable. 235 00:15:39.480 --> 00:15:44.000 After the politicians, I went to the poets, tragic dithyrambic 236 00:15:44.159 --> 00:15:48.200 in all sorts, and there I said to myself, you 237 00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:52.399 will be instantly detected. Now you will find out that 238 00:15:52.559 --> 00:15:56.600 you are more ignorant than they are. Accordingly, I took 239 00:15:56.679 --> 00:15:59.639 them some of the most elaborate passages in their own 240 00:15:59.639 --> 00:16:03.120 writings and ask them what was the meaning of them, 241 00:16:03.639 --> 00:16:07.679 thinking that they would teach me something. Will you believe me? 242 00:16:08.200 --> 00:16:11.679 I am almost ashamed to confess the truth, but I 243 00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:15.120 must say that there is hardly a person present who 244 00:16:15.159 --> 00:16:18.159 will not have talked better about their poetry than they 245 00:16:18.200 --> 00:16:22.559 did themselves. Then I knew that not by wisdom do 246 00:16:22.679 --> 00:16:27.480 poets write poetry, but by a sort of genius and inspiration. 247 00:16:28.399 --> 00:16:32.840 They are like diviners or soothsayers, who also say many 248 00:16:32.879 --> 00:16:36.679 fine things, but do not understand the meaning of them. 249 00:16:37.559 --> 00:16:40.080 The poets appear to me to be much in the 250 00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:44.039 same case. And I further observe that upon the strength 251 00:16:44.039 --> 00:16:47.399 of their poetry, they believe themselves to be the wisest 252 00:16:47.399 --> 00:16:50.120 of men, and other things in which they are not wise. 253 00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:55.519 So I departed, conceiving myself to be superior to them, 254 00:16:55.600 --> 00:16:59.320 for the same reason that I was superior to the politicians. 255 00:17:01.559 --> 00:17:05.440 At last I went to the artisans. I was conscious 256 00:17:05.599 --> 00:17:08.960 that I knew nothing at all, as I may say, 257 00:17:09.480 --> 00:17:12.319 and I was sure that they knew many fine things. 258 00:17:13.000 --> 00:17:16.480 And here I was not mistaken, for they did know 259 00:17:16.640 --> 00:17:19.519 many things of which I was ignorant, and in this 260 00:17:19.759 --> 00:17:23.880 they certainly were wiser than I was. But I observed 261 00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:27.720 that even the good artisans fell into the same error 262 00:17:27.839 --> 00:17:31.480 as the poets. Because they were good workmen, they thought 263 00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:35.039 that they also knew all sorts of high matters, and 264 00:17:35.160 --> 00:17:38.880 this defect in them overshadowed their wisdom. And therefore I 265 00:17:38.920 --> 00:17:42.720 asked myself, on behalf of the oracle, whether I would 266 00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:45.799 like to be as I was neither having their knowledge 267 00:17:45.880 --> 00:17:49.319 nor their ignorance, or liked them in both. And I 268 00:17:49.400 --> 00:17:52.400 made answer to myself and to the Oracle, that I 269 00:17:52.599 --> 00:17:58.960 was better off as I was. This inquisition has led 270 00:17:59.039 --> 00:18:02.599 to my having many enemies of the worst and most 271 00:18:02.759 --> 00:18:07.839 dangerous kind, and has given occasion also to many calumnies. 272 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:12.240 And I am called wise, for my hearers always imagine 273 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:15.799 that I myself possess the wisdom which I find wanting others. 274 00:18:16.480 --> 00:18:19.559 But the truth is O Men of Athens, that God 275 00:18:19.799 --> 00:18:24.680 only is wise, And by his answer he intends to 276 00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:28.039 show that the wisdom of men is worth little or nothing. 277 00:18:28.759 --> 00:18:32.119 He is not speaking of Socrates. He is only using 278 00:18:32.200 --> 00:18:35.640 my name by way of illustration, as if he said he, 279 00:18:35.960 --> 00:18:40.799 O Men is the wisest who likes Socrates knows that 280 00:18:40.880 --> 00:18:45.480 his wisdom is in truth worth nothing. And so I 281 00:18:45.640 --> 00:18:49.680 go about the world, obedient to the God, and search 282 00:18:49.880 --> 00:18:53.960 and make inquiry into the wisdom of anyone, whether citizen 283 00:18:54.039 --> 00:18:57.640 or stranger, who appears to be wise. And if he 284 00:18:57.720 --> 00:19:01.960 is not wise, then in indication of the oracle, I 285 00:19:02.119 --> 00:19:05.799 show him that he is not wise. And my occupation 286 00:19:06.039 --> 00:19:09.039 quite absorbs me, and I have no time to give 287 00:19:09.079 --> 00:19:11.960 either to any public matter of interest, or to any 288 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:15.720 concern of my own. But I am in utter poverty 289 00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:20.279 by reason of my devotion to the God. There is 290 00:19:20.319 --> 00:19:24.839 another thing. Young men of the richer classes, who have 291 00:19:25.000 --> 00:19:28.799 not much to do, come about me of their own accord. 292 00:19:29.559 --> 00:19:32.960 They like to hear the pretenders examined, and they often 293 00:19:32.960 --> 00:19:37.400 imitate me and proceed to examine others. There are plenty 294 00:19:37.480 --> 00:19:41.319 of persons, as they quickly discover, who think that they 295 00:19:41.400 --> 00:19:45.680 know something, but really know little or nothing. And then 296 00:19:45.759 --> 00:19:48.960 those who are examined by them, instead of being angry 297 00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:55.359 with themselves, are angry with me. This confounded Socrates. They say, 298 00:19:55.920 --> 00:20:00.759 this vilenous misleader of youth. And then if somebody asks them, 299 00:20:01.279 --> 00:20:04.839 why what evil does he practice or teach? They do 300 00:20:04.960 --> 00:20:08.319 not know and cannot tell. But in order that they 301 00:20:08.359 --> 00:20:11.319 may not appear to be at a loss, they repeat 302 00:20:11.359 --> 00:20:15.279 the ready made charges which are used against all philosophers, 303 00:20:15.319 --> 00:20:18.640 about teaching things up in the clouds and under the earth, 304 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:22.720 and having no gods, and making the worse appear the 305 00:20:22.799 --> 00:20:26.319 better cause, for they do not like to confess that 306 00:20:26.400 --> 00:20:30.079 their pretensive knowledge has been detected, which is the truth. 307 00:20:30.839 --> 00:20:35.519 And as they are numerous and ambitious and energetic, and 308 00:20:35.720 --> 00:20:39.119 are drawn up in battle array and have persuasive tongues. 309 00:20:39.799 --> 00:20:44.200 They have filled your ears with their loud and inveterate calumnies. 310 00:20:44.920 --> 00:20:48.839 And this is the reason why my three accusers, Militus 311 00:20:48.880 --> 00:20:53.960 and Anaitis and Lycon have set upon me. Melitus, who 312 00:20:53.960 --> 00:20:56.440 has a quarrel with me on behalf of the poets, 313 00:20:57.000 --> 00:21:01.480 Anitis on behalf of the craftsmen, and politicians like on 314 00:21:01.480 --> 00:21:04.720 on behalf of the rhetoricians. And as I said at 315 00:21:04.759 --> 00:21:07.799 the beginning, I cannot expect to get rid of such 316 00:21:07.839 --> 00:21:11.599 a mass of calumny all in a moment. And this, 317 00:21:11.880 --> 00:21:16.240 o Men of Athens, is the truth and the whole truth. 318 00:21:16.880 --> 00:21:21.839 I have concealed nothing, I have dissembled nothing. And yet 319 00:21:21.880 --> 00:21:25.119 I know that my plainness of speech makes them hate me. 320 00:21:25.720 --> 00:21:28.359 And what is their hatred but a proof that I 321 00:21:28.480 --> 00:21:33.440 am speaking the truth. Hence has arisen the prejudice against me, 322 00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:36.319 And this is the reason of it. As you will 323 00:21:36.319 --> 00:21:39.960 find out, either in this or in any future inquiry, 324 00:21:41.599 --> 00:21:44.400 I have said enough in my defense against the first 325 00:21:44.440 --> 00:21:48.400 class of my accusers. I turn to the second class. 326 00:21:49.279 --> 00:21:53.000 They are headed by Militus, that good man and true 327 00:21:53.119 --> 00:21:57.000 lover of his country, as he calls himself against these two, 328 00:21:57.039 --> 00:22:00.079 I must try to make a defense. Let the wh 329 00:22:00.119 --> 00:22:04.839 affidavit be read. It contains something of this kind. It 330 00:22:04.960 --> 00:22:09.519 says that Socrates is a doer of evil, who corrupts 331 00:22:09.519 --> 00:22:12.240 the youth, and who does not believe in the gods 332 00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:15.680 of the state, but has other new divinities of his own, 333 00:22:16.440 --> 00:22:19.759 such as the charge. But now let us examine thee 334 00:22:19.759 --> 00:22:23.000 particular accounts. He says that I am a doer of 335 00:22:23.160 --> 00:22:26.720 evil and corrupt the youth. But I say, o, men 336 00:22:26.759 --> 00:22:30.920 of Athens, that Melitus is a doer of evil, in 337 00:22:31.119 --> 00:22:33.680 that he pretends to be in earnest when he is 338 00:22:33.839 --> 00:22:37.680 only in jest, and is so eager to bring men 339 00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:41.480 to trial from a pretended zeal and interest about matters 340 00:22:41.480 --> 00:22:45.279 in which he really never had the smallest interest. And 341 00:22:45.319 --> 00:22:48.000 the truth of this I will endeavor to prove to you. 342 00:22:49.000 --> 00:22:53.279 Come hither, Melitus, and let me ask a question of you. 343 00:22:53.279 --> 00:22:57.079 You think a great deal about the improvement of youth? Yes, 344 00:22:57.200 --> 00:23:01.759 I do. Tell the judges, then, who is their improver? 345 00:23:02.039 --> 00:23:04.359 For you must know, as you have taken the pain 346 00:23:04.440 --> 00:23:07.880 to discover their corruptor, and are citing and accusing me 347 00:23:08.119 --> 00:23:12.680 before them. Speak then, and tell the judges who their 348 00:23:12.839 --> 00:23:18.079 improver is. Observe Melitus that you are silent and have 349 00:23:18.279 --> 00:23:23.200 nothing to say. But is this not rather disgraceful and 350 00:23:23.279 --> 00:23:27.200 a very considerable proof of what I was saying, that 351 00:23:27.240 --> 00:23:31.160 you have no interest in the matter, Speak a friend 352 00:23:31.680 --> 00:23:38.440 and tell us who their improver is the laws. But that, 353 00:23:38.559 --> 00:23:41.599 my good, sir, is not my meaning. I want to 354 00:23:41.640 --> 00:23:45.200 know who the person is who in the first place 355 00:23:45.400 --> 00:23:51.039 knows the laws. The judges, Socrates, or are present in court. 356 00:23:52.400 --> 00:23:55.119 What do you mean to say, Melitus, that they are 357 00:23:55.160 --> 00:23:59.680 able to instruct and improve youth? Certainly they are what 358 00:24:00.279 --> 00:24:03.559 all of them, or some only and not others? All 359 00:24:03.599 --> 00:24:08.640 of them, by the goddess hair, That is good news. 360 00:24:09.400 --> 00:24:13.000 There are plenty of improvers then, And what do you 361 00:24:13.160 --> 00:24:18.279 say of this audience? Do they improve them? Yes they do? 362 00:24:19.240 --> 00:24:25.519 And the senators, Yes, the senators improve them. But perhaps 363 00:24:25.559 --> 00:24:28.799 the members of the assembly corrupt them? Or do they 364 00:24:28.880 --> 00:24:35.319 too improve them? They improve them? Then every Athenian improves 365 00:24:35.359 --> 00:24:39.279 and elevates them all, with the exception of myself, and 366 00:24:39.599 --> 00:24:42.799 I alone am their corruptor? Is that what you affirm? 367 00:24:43.559 --> 00:24:48.799 That is what I stoutly affirm. I am very unfortunate 368 00:24:48.880 --> 00:24:52.599 if you are right. But suppose I ask you a question, 369 00:24:53.519 --> 00:24:58.000 how about horses? Does one man do them harm and 370 00:24:58.119 --> 00:25:02.359 all the world good? Is not the exact opposite the truth. 371 00:25:03.000 --> 00:25:05.160 One man is able to do them good, or at 372 00:25:05.240 --> 00:25:08.440 least not many the trainer of horses, that is to say, 373 00:25:08.640 --> 00:25:11.400 does them good? And others who have to do with 374 00:25:11.480 --> 00:25:14.680 them rather injure them? Is that not true, Militus, of 375 00:25:14.759 --> 00:25:18.920 horses or of any other animals? Most assuredly it is 376 00:25:19.440 --> 00:25:23.920 whether you and anidas say yes or no. Happy Indeed 377 00:25:24.039 --> 00:25:27.160 would be the condition of youth if they had one 378 00:25:27.359 --> 00:25:30.400 corrupter only, and all the rest of the world were 379 00:25:30.440 --> 00:25:35.279 their improvers. But you, militus, have sufficiently shown that you 380 00:25:35.519 --> 00:25:39.400 never had a thought about the young. Your carelessness is 381 00:25:39.440 --> 00:25:42.720 seen in your not caring about the very things which 382 00:25:42.759 --> 00:25:46.599 you bring against me. And now, Malitus, I will ask 383 00:25:46.640 --> 00:25:51.240 you another question, by zeus, I will which is better 384 00:25:51.720 --> 00:25:55.920 to live among bad citizens or among good ones? Answer? Friend, 385 00:25:56.119 --> 00:25:59.960 I say, the question is one which may be easily answered. 386 00:26:00.680 --> 00:26:02.920 Do not the good do their neighbors good? And the 387 00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:08.480 bad do them evil? Certainly? And is there anyone who 388 00:26:08.519 --> 00:26:12.000 would rather be injured than benefited by those who live 389 00:26:12.039 --> 00:26:15.839 with him? Answer? My good friend, the law requires you 390 00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:20.400 to answer, does anyone like to be injured? Certainly not. 391 00:26:21.839 --> 00:26:26.519 And when you accuse me of corrupting and deteriorating the youth, 392 00:26:27.119 --> 00:26:32.559 do you allege that I corrupt them intentionally or unintentionally intentionally? 393 00:26:32.680 --> 00:26:38.000 I say, but you have just admitted that the good 394 00:26:38.160 --> 00:26:40.799 do their neighbors good, and the evil do them evil. 395 00:26:41.519 --> 00:26:45.039 Now is that a truth which your superior wisdom has 396 00:26:45.119 --> 00:26:48.559 recognized this early in life? Or am I, at my 397 00:26:48.759 --> 00:26:52.640 age in such darkness and ignorance as to not know 398 00:26:52.759 --> 00:26:54.799 that if a man with whom I have to live 399 00:26:55.039 --> 00:26:58.279 is corrupted by me, I am very likely to be 400 00:26:58.359 --> 00:27:02.920 harmed by him, And yet I corrupt him, and intentionally too. 401 00:27:03.079 --> 00:27:06.599