The Trial of Socrates: Fact, Fiction, Reality & Myth
Overview
Of all the great โtrials of the centuryโ in history, the firstยญโand maybe most influentialโwas the one that sentenced a grumpy philosopher to death. But we canโt understand the trial of Socrates without understanding the context. Athens had recently lost a long war to its bitter rival, Sparta, and was looking to take its anger out on someone. But Socrates wasnโt having it: he turned the accusations around and put Athens on trial. Was it a case of free speech, or Athenian vengeance on the most annoying person in the cityโand what are its implications for whistleblowers today?
Recommended Reading:
The Hemlock Cup: Socrates, Athens, and the Search for the Good Life,ย by Bettany Hughes
Plato: The Trial and Death of Socrates, 3rd ed.; translated by G.M.A. Grube and revised by John M. Cooper
The Last Days of Socrates, by Plato; translated by Harold Tarrant and Hugh Tredennick
Discussion Questions:
- What do you think is the legacy of Socrates for today?
- How would you have voted?
- What do you think of Socratesโ decision to flip the narrative and put Athens on trial?
- Do you think Socratesโ advanced age had anything to do with his decision to put his life on the line?
Excellent presentation and explanation of the three Greek philosophersโs thinking