And first, i have to reply to the older charges and to my first accusers, and then i will go to the later ones. Phaedrus is one of plato s most admired literanj masterpieces. The following lecture notes on platos apology have been prepared specifically for the. Roth the analects of confucius confucius bhagavad gita unknown democritus. I do not know what impression my accusers have made upon you. Plato complete works worlds best collection this is the worlds best plato colle. These notes provide a sectionbysection commentary on the apology that supplies the background needed to read the work in its historical and philosophical context. There is certainly nothing apologetic about the speech. For i was conscious that i had knowledge of nothing, so to speak, but i knew that i d would discover that.
As an anthology that invites readers to immerse themselves in the masterpieces of the literary giants, it is musthave addition to any library. The complex relationship between philosophy and politics, memorably dramatized in platos bestknown dialogue, is a permanent theme in strausss writing and teaching. Apology translated by benjamin jowett socrates defense in the apology by plato, socrates stands trial and faces execution. The apology is the speech made by socrates in his own defence at his trail, and his justification for his life. The apology of socrates, by plato the project gutenberg edition trans. Platoapology wikibooks, open books for an open world.
Socrates philosophy though difficult to understand, is brought down to near simplification, thanks to plato and his translations. For my classes i use the 1954 hugh tredennick penguin classics translation of the apology. How you have felt, o men of athens, at hearing the speeches of my accusers, i cannot tell. Phaedrus is one of platos most admired literanj masterpieces. The great plato translation by benjamin jowett 181793, for example, was not intended as a tool of scholarship. I do not know what impression my accusers have made upon you, athenians.
Read the last days of socrates euthyphro, apology, crito, phaedo by. Socrates addressed some words to the court for his defense. But i do know that they nearly made me forget who i was, so persuasive were. Environmental education resources to commemorate earth days 50th anniversary. Philosophy, rhetoric, and the world of myth socrates opens the apology with a denial of his accusers charge that he is a. In the ancient greek era, the word apology meant to defend ones. Apology plato by plato overdrive rakuten overdrive. Hide browse bar your current position in the text is marked in blue.
Socrates speech, however, is by no means an apology in our modern understanding of the word. Yet toward its end socrates criticizes severely those who take their own writing seri. Western philosophy is the philosophical thought of the western world. In what relation the apology of plato stands to the real defence of socrates, there. The last days of socrates ebook by plato 1230000100610. The apology is platos version of the speech given by socrates as he defended himself in 399 bc against the charges of corrupting the young, and by not believing in the gods in whom the city believes, but in other daimonia that are novel. Masterpieces of world literature, critical edition.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. See all 7 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Historical background of platos apology in 399 bc, the athenians anytus on behalf of the craftsmen and politicians, meletus on behalf of the poets, and lycon on behalf of the rhetoricians brought socrates to trial on charges of impiety and corrupting the youth of the city. The apology, or defence of socrates christmas summary classics. Apologia socratis, written by plato, is a socratic dialogue of the speech of legal selfdefence which socrates spoke at his trial for impiety and corruption in 399 bc specifically, the apology of socrates is a defence against the charges of corrupting the youth and not believing in the. It is welltranslated relative to the greek original in that is smooths out the phraseological structure for a modern englishspeaking audience withou. And so i go about the world, obedient to the god, and search and make enquiry into the wisdom of any one, whether citizen or stranger, who appears to be wise. I do not know, men of athens, how my accusers affected you.
From a general summary to chapter summaries to explanations of famous quotes, the sparknotes the apology study guide has everything you need to ace quizzes, tests, and essays. Platos apology socrates was a very simple man who did not have many material possessions and spoke in a plain, conversational manner. After socratess execution for corrupting the young and neglecting. Platos apologyby platothe literary work a dialogue set in the year 399 b. The apology of socrates 2 socrates addresses two sets of accusations. Along with his mentor, socrates, and his student, aristotle, plato helped to lay the foundations of western philosophy and science. From wikibooks, open books for an open world apology 1. Grunthaler the following lecture notes on platos apology have been prepared specifically for the philosophical novice in mind. The last days of socrates, which pulled him to court of law are some of the best teachings of socrates, remembered by the world, and proclaimed him to be the father of philosophy. He is charged with impiety toward the gods and corrupting the youth.
It breathes the spirit of socrates, but has been cast anew in the mould of plato. Plato complete works worlds best collection ebook by plato. The apology represents the speech that socrates gave in his defense at his trial, and it gives an interpretation of socrates career. There is actually a parian philosopher residing in athens, of whom i have heard. Rightly so, the apology is still, all by itself, an excellent introduction to western philosophy and traditionally the first complete text. In what relation the apology of plato stands to the real defence of socrates, there are no means of determining. Writing with extreme care, plato supplies us through his words alone with most of the information neededtounderstandthe work. For, judgesand in calling you judges i give you your right namea wonderful thing has happened to me. Meletus is his prosecutor, but he is addressing a jury of hundreds of his fellow citizens. Fowler translation, loeb 19 edited with introduction and notes by e. He attempts to defend himself and his conduct, but he does not apologize for it. Besides the dialogues of plato there are the plays of. Synopsis the apology is a dramatization of the trial at which the philosopher socrates was found guilty and condemned to death. Plato was a classical greek philosopher, mathematician, student of socrates, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the academy in athens, the first institution of higher learning in the western world.
This is because his writings have set the schema that philosophy can be said to have followed ever since. But i was most amazed by one of the many lies that they toldwhen. This idea proves to be quite accurate when considering platos apology, the apology of socrates which is not really considered an apology but a defense. Whether or not to abide by the laws and decrees of ones own country is the question addressed by plato s apology. Grunthaler the following lecture notes on plato s apology have been prepared specifically for the philosophical novice in mind. That may be an exaggeration, but he is right that in the 3rd century bce plato anticipated most of the topics that philosophers would go on to grapple with for the next two millennia. This biography profiles his childhood, life, works, achievements, ideas, contributions and some interesting facts. Historical background of platos apology wyzant resources. Following the teachings of socrates, platos works are among the world s greatest literature. Plato, of course, leaves no doubt that he read more. The word apologyis a transliteration, not a translation, ofthe greek apologia, which means defense. Son of a wealthy athens family and served in the athens army during the peloponnesian war. Of course, with this great success also came a certain degree of envy from those. The trial and death of socrates the apology by plato translated by g.
On reading masterpieces of philosophy in a changing world john k. This is a sample of socrates speech to be used in my play. On the whole we arrive at the conclusion that the apology is true to the character of socrates, but we cannot show that any single sentence in it was actually spoken by him. Socrates has been put on trial by the citizens of athens for multiple crimes all related to his teaching of philosophy. Of the many lies they told, one in particular surprised me, namely that you should be careful not to be deceived. My accusers say i am skilled in speaking which i denybut that is irrelevant, in any case. The apology of socrates is above all a philosophic document. If indeed when the pilgrim arrives in the world below, he is delivered from the professors of justice in this world, and finds the true judges who are said to give judgment there, minos and rhadamanthus and aeacus and triptolemus, and other sons of god who were righteous in their own life, that pilgrimage will be worth making. Philosophy, rhetoric, and the world of myth socrates opens the apology with a denial of his accusers charge that he is a clever speaker. To him knowledge, if only attainable in this world, is of all things the most divine. Full text of platos apology of socrates translated in english. In his defense, he says that the charges stem from years of gossip and prejudice against him, and are therefore difficult to refute.
Part of what makes his apology so complex and gripping is that it is not a onesided encomium that conceals the features of the socratic way of life that lay behind the anxiety and resentment felt by many of his fellow citizens. It certainly agrees in tone and character with the description of xenophon, who says in the memorabilia that socrates might have been acquitted if in any moderate degree he would have conciliated the favour of the dicasts. One day in the year 399 bc, socrates has been accused for impiety and corruption of youth. Historical background of plato s apology in 399 bc, the athenians anytus on behalf of the craftsmen and politicians, meletus on behalf of the poets, and lycon on behalf of the rhetoricians brought socrates to trial on charges of impiety and corrupting the youth of the city. Janssens the apology of socrates occupies a central place in the thought and work of leo strauss. And yet, hardly anything of what they said is true.
Almost all we know about socrates is from platos writings. The apology by plato i do not know, men of athens, how my accusers affected you. Mar 04, 2014 this is a sample of socrates speech to be used in my play. Remote work advice from the largest allremote company. Plato the apology, or defence of socrates aristocles, the son of ariston, whose birth. In the apology, plato has provided posterity with one of the most memorable portraits of his teacher socrates. Garvin 20 introduction it would not be possible to overestimate the importance of socrates in the development of the. Apologia socratis, written by plato, is a socratic dialogue of the speech of legal selfdefence which socrates spoke at his trial for impiety and corruption in 399 bc. I feel that you are my friends, and i wish to show you the meaning of this which has now happened to me.
Platos the apology is an account of the speech socrates makes at the trial in which he is charged with not recognizing the gods recognized by the state, inventing new deities, and corrupting the youth of athens. The republic amazonclassics edition audiobook by plato. The apology of socrates is one of the earliest existing documents of greek philosophy everything earlier was lost and is known only through quoted fragments in later works, like those of plato himself. The apology, by plato apology how you, o athenians, have been affected by my accusers, i cannot tell. The everlasting masterpieces of world literature in one edition romeo and. Click anywhere in the line to jump to another position. The apology of plato may be compared generally with those speeches of thucydides in which he has embodied his conception of the lofty character and policy of the great pericles, and which at the same time furnish a commentary on the situation of. Instead, it made platos corpus generally accessible in english prose of considerable merit. Plato, wrote the work that we call apology, where socrates once again address some words to the court for his defense. Includes bibliographical references and indexes introduction. The apology of plato may be compared generally with those speeches of thucydides in which he has embodied his conception of the lofty character and policy of the great pericles, and which at the same time furnish a commentary on the situation of affairs from the point of view of the historian. Socrates was accused and found guilty of corrupting the youth. Apology here has its earlier meaning now usually expressed by the word apologia of speaking in defense of a cause or of ones. First published in 1914, this volume was edited by the.