The Trial and Death of Socrates: Linking the Symposium and the Apology

Philosophy, as it is conceived in its classical sense, means love or friendship for wisdom. Although the afore respected conception is the most widely accepted, there is too a nonher eventful conception of philosophy which springs from the Socratic-Platonic Dialogues itself that philosophy is a veritable kind of therapeia that is, the caution of whizzs soul.Socrates himself believes that the care of ones soul should be our finis concern as human beings. Thereby, declaring that the unexamined spiritedness is not worth living. Socrates trial and death as it is recorded by Plato in the Apology is one of the attestations of Socrates commitment to philosophy as the care of the soul and the kind of life which is most appropriate for human beings to live. It is eventful to note that Socrates death could sire been avoided if, after hearing the charges against him by his accusers Anytus and Meletus, have opted to admit that his teachings are wrong and go on a volunteer exile but to do so would mean damaging his let soul and turning his back away from the truth two things that Socrates is deep committed to.This paper seeks to explore how the Symposium parallels the charges against Socrates in the Apology. In the Apology, Plato seeks to provide an sum up of Socrates trial and death the emphasis of which is Socrates defense before the Athenian jurors. It is of utmost importance that we bear in mind that the Greek word apology means defense if we are to arrive at a glutted understanding of the dialogue. The Symposium, on the other hand, deals with two very important topics the record of love and of knowledge.In the Apology, there are three main reasons as to wherefore Socrates was put on trial. These whitethorn be called as the formal charges against Socrates. In Paul Millets book, it is clearly stated Meletos has brought this charge and lodged this affidavit against Socrates Socrates has baffled the law by not acknowledging the gods whom the state ackno wledges and introducing new daimonic things. He has similarly broken the law by subverting the young. The penalty should be death.(34) The foregoing line of achievement lays down the formal charges against Socrates. Although scholars are divided in many issues concerning the purportedly historical account provided by Plato, I think it is unfair ground upon the available data that there is no underlying governmental schedule behind Socrates trial and death. There are a number of reasons as to why Socrates may have many enemies. First of all, there is Socrates gifted activities and reputation.Being the philosopher that he is, speculating, asking questions and probing into other multitudes beliefs, it is not difficult to see that these activities offended a lot of his interlocutors especially people who are considered as knowledgeable and learned during his time. Second, Socrates associations are very frequently dangerous during that time. One may be reminded of Socrates uncle Charmides, and Critias both members of the Thirty Tyrants.Socrates is to a fault associated with Alcibiades, another disreputable figure and also one of the key persons in the Symposium. In point of fact, such personal association with these figures is dangerous because of the political climate of the time. This is because during that time, the pot of power in capital of Greece is very more unstable (Brickhouse and Smith 19). Such being the case, Socrates may be state to be in a very difficult situation.This is because capital of Greece (at least, those who were in power during that time) is very critical of those personalities who can influence another excitation and shift in the balance of power. Socrates intellectual activities made the youth of Athens ask questions. All of a sudden, things that are not questioned in the retiring(a) are now being questioned. For some, such activities are considered dangerous and change as corrupting the youth of Athens. Socrates then, is c onsidered as a threat to Athens and democracy.In the Symposium, we can identify an instance where Socrates questions the gods. As they were discussing love, Socrates presents a view which may be said to run against the Athenian law (and this may be related to the first formal charge against Socrates, that is, of not worshipping the gods). As Socrates makes mention of Diotimas view about love and his agreement to her, one may say that Socrates is open to talking about and even questioning the set apart and profane.It is important to note that in the past, these things are not the type of things that is openly discussed especially in terms of questioning the gods. In the same dialogue, Symposium that is, one may notice that Alcibiades is very much attracted to Socrates and is al slipway making ways to be alone with him. If Platos account is accurate, however, Socrates was able to make manifest his exceptional self-control and discipline not only in conceit but also in bodily pleasur es.In the final analysis, two important aspects offer us a tenable position as to why Socrates was put to trial and death. First, it is plausible to maintain that it is primarily because of his intellectual activities and philosophical teachings/convictions as the gadfly of Athens. Second, it is also plausible to maintain that those in the seat of power became very much in doubt of Socrates because of his personal associations with the infamous political figures of the time associated with or members of the Thirty Tyrants and traitors.The first and the second reasons may be sum up in one idea that Socrates avocation of the truth and his openness to talk about and question even the heavenly and the profane poses a threat to Athens and democracy. Works Cited Brickhouse, Thomas and Nicholas Smith. Socrates on Trial. US Oxford University Press, 1990. Millet, Paul. The Trial of Socrates Revisited. European Review of History 12 (2005) 23-62 Reeve, C. D. C. Socrates in the Apology An Es say on Platos Apology of Socrates. US Hackett Publishing, 1990.