- Jun 2024
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classics.mit.edu classics.mit.edu
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That Socrates is a doer of evil, and corrupter of the youth, and he does not believe in the gods of the state, and has other new divinities of his own. That is the sort of charge; and now let us examine the particular counts. He says that I am a doer of evil, who corrupt the youth; but I say, O men of Athens, that Meletus is a doer of evil,
This seems like once again he is stating the injustice that he feels. He feels as if he has been judged possibly?? Almost like there is a feeling of a predetermined fate for him.
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and I further observed that upon the strength of their poetry they believed themselves to be the wisest of men in other things in which they were not wise.
What does he mean when he says this? Is this another tribute to going against the grain and path of society? Showing defiance towards their presumed roles?
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for there must have been something strange which you have been doing? All this great fame and talk about you would never have arisen if you had been like other men: tell us, then, why this is, as we should be sorry to judge hastily of you."
This reminds me of many historical or philisophy lessons that go over how people are often deemed as weird or outcasts time and time again for going against the grain of society, or going against the norms.
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Well, then, I will make my defence, and I will endeavor in the short time which is allowed to do away with this evil opinion of me which you have held for such a long time; and I hope I may succeed, if this be well for you and me, and that my words may find favor with you. But I know that to accomplish this is not easy - I quite see the nature of the task. Let the event be as God wills: in obedience to the law I make my defence.
I feel as if he is saying there was prejudice or bias against him because he states they have an ongoing evil opinion of him. He understands that is there is a predisposition of bias or negativity, it is hard to overcome.
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