Socrates right vs wrong

Rachel Rudd

Great Books Summer

June 11, 2018

Socrates Talks Right vs Wrong

In “Crito” by Plato, it is clear to readers that Socrates holds the authority and law of the State in the highest regard. Facing a death sentence and wrongful imprisonment, Socrates would rather die with a clean conscience than live with a stained one. Socrates explains that if he tried to escape from prison, the consequences would be significant and far reaching. He describes what he thinks the judges and the State would say about his escape. Socrates proves to his friend Crito that the law should be followed no matter the personal cost or sacrifice required.

This excerpt opens when Socrates has been imprisoned and wrongfully judged. He has received a death penalty, and his friend Crito tries to convince him to escape. Socrates’ refusal, and explanation of his rationale, comprise the story. When Crito comes to Socrates and tells him that “it is still not too late to take my advice and escape”(Plato 56), the reader discovers that not only has Crito come to Socrates already, trying to get him to escape, but Socrates already decided to stay and accept his wrongfully judged sentence. It is quite clear that Socrates believes the law should always be followed. He tells Crito to “stop telling me I ought to leave this place without official permission” (Plato 57). This statement shows he clearly knows it is wrong for him to escape and is willing to stay imprisoned unless the law allows him to be freed.Socrates says that “to do wrong is in every sense bad and dishonorable” (Plato 58), which makes it very clear he refuses to go against his sentence and will not try to escape, even though it means his death. 

Socrates gives us a prime example of standing firm in your beliefs. He cared about his morals and his values so much that, he was willing to die for them. He states that “there is no sense in which wrongdoing is good or honorable” (Plato 58). Socrates makes it clear to Crito that he believes that it is better to obey the law and die unlawfully judged than to break the law and live out his last days as a criminal on the run. Dying as a martyr for what he believes in is better than divorcing himself from his country till he dies. If he had ran away, he would not be able to communicate with others as he would like, making his life pointless. He proved his point by making the ultimate sacrifice and by proving that he was not a criminal.  

While reading this story, I realized how much Socrates was similar to Paul from the Bible. Both Socrates and Paul were imprisoned and had chances to escape; however, they both refused. Socrates and Paul both decided that they would rather die innocent, with clear consciences, than live the rest of their lives on the run. They both demonstrated that despite having opportunity to escape and break the rules, simply to live a longer life, it is vital to stand on your moral values, and to always do what is right. We need to accept authority that is higher than our own, even if some people may not like the outcome or advise us to go against it. Socrates accepted the inevitability of his death, either by natural law or flawed State law. He knew that the law said he would be killed and accepting that sentence was the only option he had as a result of his views. He says that “one must not even do wrong when one is wronged” (Plato 58). His statement shows he knew to escape would be wrong in the eyes of the law, and therefore, he refuses to consider it. Socrates says that “law which enacts judgments once pronounced, shall be binding”(Plato 60), which clearly shows us he knows that whatever judgment the law passes must be accepted. Socrates knew the importance of the State and the law, and he knew that people need to have laws and rules to guide us and lead us. We should accept these rules and uphold them the best way we can. Socrates set an example for all of us to follow, saying that “your country is something far more precious, more venerable, and more sacred both among gods and among all reasonable men” (Plato 61). He was telling us that our country, and our laws, are more important and necessary than just our lives. He says that “if you cannot persuade your country you must do whatever it orders and you must submit to any punishment that it imposes” (Plato 61). Socrates is telling both Crito, and us, to follow whatever our government declares as law and accept its decisions. Furthermore, we can also see that Socrates believes divorcing himself from the city, and the law is undesirable.

Socrates gives us an extraordinary example of character and virtue, even to his death. Socrates shows us that we are not the most important part of the world, that we are simply a small part of a much larger plan. He shows that standing firm in truth is important, and that while we all should value our lives, we need to realize we do not control everything that happens to us. We all need to accept an authority that is higher than our own, both the country’s laws and God's plan for us. Socrates showed us exactly what it means to hold the law above everything else in our lives, living in complete submission.

Works cited 

               

Plato. “Crito”,  Introduction to Great Books. Great Books Foundation, 1990

Works cited 
               
Plato. “Crito”,  Introduction to Great Books. Great Books Foundation, 1990

Works cited

              

Plato. “Crito”,  Introduction to Great Books. Great Books Foundation, 1990