# The Dialogues of Plato (Jowett)/Apology/Introduction

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INTRODUCTION.
Apology. Introduction. In what relation the Apology of Plato stands to the real defence Apology. of Socrates, there arc no means of determining. It certainly i^troduc- agrees in tone and character with the description of Xenophon, who says in the Memorabilia (iv. 4, 4) that Socrates might have been acquitted f if in any moderate degree he would have con- ciliated the favour of the dicasts ; ' and who informs us in another passage (iv. 8j 4), on the testimony of Hermogenes, the friend of Socrates, that he had no wish to live ; and that the divine sign refused to allow him to prepare a defence, and also that Socrates himself declared this to be unnecessary, on the ground that all his life long he had been preparing against that hour. For the speech breathes throughout a spirit of defiance, 'ut non supplex aut reus sed magister aut dominus videretur esse judicum ' (Cic. de Orat. i. 54) ; and the loose and desultory style is an imitation of the 'accus- tomed manner' in which Socrates spoke in 'the agora and among the tables of the money-changers.' The allusion in the Crito (45 B) may, perhaps, be adduced as a further evidence of the literal accuracy of some parts (37 C, D). But in the main it must be regarded as the ideal of Socrates, according to Plato's concep- tion of him, appearing in the greatest and most public scene of his life, and in the height of his triumph, when he is weakest, and yet his mastery over mankind is greatest, and his habitual irony acquires a new meaning and a sort of tragic pathos in the face of death. The facts of his life are summed up, and the features of his character are brought out as if by accident in the course of the defence. The conversational manner, the seeming want of arrange- ment, the ironical simplicity, are found to result in a perfect work of art, which is the portrait of Socrates. Yet some of the topics may have been actually used by Socrates ; and the recollection of his very words may have rung ​Page:The Dialogues of Plato v. 2.djvu/105 ​Page:The Dialogues of Plato v. 2.djvu/106 ​Page:The Dialogues of Plato v. 2.djvu/107 ​Page:The Dialogues of Plato v. 2.djvu/108 ​I02 Analysis 30-35. Apology, cease to follow in obedience to the god, even if a thousand deaths Analysis. await him. He is desirous that they should let him live — not for his own sake, but for theirs; because he is their heaven-sent friend (and 31 they will never have such another), or, as he may be ludicrously described, he is the gadfly who stirs the generous steed into motion. Why then has he never taken part in public affairs ? Because the familiar divine voice has hindered him ; if he had been a pubhc man, and had fought for the right, as he would certainly have fought against the many, he would not have lived, and could therefore have done no good. Twice in public matters 32 he has risked his life for the sake of justice — once at the trial of the generals ; and again in resistance to the tyrannical com- mands of the Thirty. But, though not a public man, he has passed his days in in- structing the citizens without fee or reward — this was his mission. Whether his disciples have turned out well or ill, he cannot justly be charged with the result, for he never promised to teach them 33 anything. They might come if they liked, and they might stay away if they liked : and they did come, because they found an amusement in hearing the pretenders to wisdom detected. If they have been corrupted, their elder relatives (if not themselves) might surely come into court and witness against him, and there is an opportunity still for them to appear. But their fathers 34 and brothers all appear in court (including ' this ' Plato), to witness on his behalf; and if their relatives are corrupted, at least they are uncorrupted ; 'and they are my witnesses. For they know that I am speaking the truth, and that Meletus is lying.' This is about all that he has to say. He will not entreat the judges to spare his life ; neither will he present a spectacle of weeping children, although he, too, is not made of ' rock or oak.' 35 Some of the judges themselves may have complied with this practice on similar occasions, and he trusts that they will not be angry with him for not following their example. But he feels that such conduct brings discredit on the name of Athens : he feels, too, that the judge has sworn not to give away justice ; and he cannot be guilty of the impiety of asking the judge to break his oath, when he is himself being tried for impiety. ​Page:The Dialogues of Plato v. 2.djvu/110 ​Page:The Dialogues of Plato v. 2.djvu/111 ​Page:The Dialogues of Plato v. 2.djvu/112 ​Page:The Dialogues of Plato v. 2.djvu/113 ​Page:The Dialogues of Plato v. 2.djvu/114