"Today, on the sixth day of the month of "M unition" of the first year of the sixty-fourth Olympiad, we shall now begin to demolish the walls according to the surrender terms we imposed on the city of Athens" "by order of Lisandro of Sparta, our valorous "poliarcete"" "in our presence and that of you Lacedaemonians." "Go ahead." "Ermete." "Alcibiade was just a good for nothing" "What are you saying?" "He was one of our greatest leaders, if our strategists had listened to him he would have forced the Spartans to fight on dry land where he would have defeated them." "at sea, we were lost from the start." "You're talking nonsense." "No, I 'm not at all." "On dry land, Alcibiade had the archers and cavalry of Trace, and with those more numerous soldiers he would have defeated the Spartans and followed them as far as the sea." "Ah , how easy it is to talk." "I n the way I 'm telling you..." "... hewouldhavecrushedthem." "And it would have been easier to capture their fleet." "Yes, whatever you like, but you're letting you're imagination run away." "Look, look at the bitter truth instead, if you can , the sea battle cost us the loss of our fleet." "I was told that only several triremes led by Canon managed to escape." "Lisandro captured 200 ships and destroyed them." "He killed three thousand of our soldiers by sword." "Ah yes, the Spartans tricked us, and we couldn't do anything else but surrender" "In this way, the naval blockade forced Athens to surrender from hunger." "A good job Teoclasto was a cautious friend." "Yes, and you merchants full of wisdom." "D on't joke." "Here, we're talking about the end of our power and democracy." "And are we surprised?" "Acumen and proportion are virtues the young scorn today." "And yet these are the qualities that made Athens great." "Today greed and having no scruples rule, these have now become the symbols of virility and courage." "I just hope that the Trenta Government forced on us by Lisandro doesn't make us pay too dearly for our mistakes." "Alcibiade made the mistakes you're talking about, as if his Sicilian campaign wasn't madness." "At the time we banished Alcibiade and then it was he who saved Athens." "This time again , he will free us from tyranny." "He won't put up either with the outrages the Spartans make us suffer, or the cruelty the tyrants have set on us." "I know that one of the "Trenta" has told Lisandro that now" "Athens is no longer governed by its own citizens," "Sparta could finally dominate all of Greece." "Who said that?" "One of the "Trenta"." "I t's Crizia." "And added:" ""Listen to me well , the people of Athens are prepared to put up with the tyranny of the "Trenta", but Alcibiade, who you un justly scorn , will do everything to get rid of this tyranny"." "Alcibiade was a pupil of S ocrates." "Like Crizia?" "Yes, like Crizia, but Alcibiade distinguished himself more than Crizia and so he will certainly try to get his own back out of jealousy." "You're right there." "Crizia only wants Alcibiade's death." "Teoplasto will soon be the father of a boy if the Gods so wish." "M ay Aphrodite protect Teoplasto." "Our votes are with you." "Thank you , thank you." "Aren't we going to C ocione's house." "I 'm not following you , I 'm tired." "As you like." "Efelide, Arnito, Ermete." "Ah friends..." "Welcome, make yourselves at home, make yourselves at home, lunch will soon be served." "Take your seats." "And the flute players are not coming." "No, they're not coming." "By order of Lisandro all the flute players have been gathered before the walls to celebrate their demolition , that is what the Spartans are doing now." "And this great party hasn't finished?" " No." " But will they send them?" "Yes, C orifeo will send them as soon as possible." "We will wait for them to banquet, the demolition of our walls should not get us down , you'll see that it marks the start of an extremely beautiful era." "I admire your optimism , but the citizens of Athens are now very much more worried by their intrigues, rather than any great future, and profit from the defeat to settle all old scores." "That's how it is." "Everyone says that the Trenta have already received hundreds of reports, on the other hand, our city has always been one of spies." "Here it is a profession , lucrative and easy." "We are full of examples to cite." "And it would be terribly monotonous to list them all." "I t's jealously above all that pushes our fellow citizens to destroy each other." "As you see, the Athenians who pretend to be wise, are nothing but big rogues." "Now you're exaggerating." "Today, we've good reasons for hope." "D on't you think so?" "What do you mean?" "I mean to say that in a certain way the Spartans are protecting us." "When Lisandro asked the C ouncil of C onfederates what was to be done with defeated Athens, a Theban suggested raising it to the ground to become pasture." "And selling us as slaves." "The whole meeting approved this idea, but they couldn't agree on the best method to adopt." "A great discussion followed until the banquet in honour of the victorious chief." "Everyone sat down to the table and the discussion was postponed for later." "At the end of the banquet a "focese" singer, accompanying himself with a lyre, sang the chorus of Electra by Euripides and all the enthusiastic guests forgot the decision." "How could they think, even for just a moment, of perpetrating such an abominable crime like the destruction of such a famous city, the mother of such great artists." "If that meeting had been an Athenian Council, it would have expected" "Euripides to be condemned to death , instead of feeling admiration , jealousy would have been felt." "We must therefore drink to the health of the Spartans." "as lunch is served." "Well , in any case, I 've heard that the Spartans" "Will distribute provisions to everyone tomorrow." "They are distributing victuals, the provisions." "C ome." "Can someone shut this crow's mouth." "Flea-ridden , scoundrel." "Ah S ocrates, they treated you like a flea-ridden animal." "Well I 'm not really dressed like prince." "You've got a face like a satyr." "Ah , that true and I 've got the stomach." "I should start dancing to keep in shape." "The first who comes along , beats you and you cannot drag him into court." "What do want. I f l get kicked by a mule I can't get angry, it's difficult to drag mules into court." "I f you had listened to me, and remembered what for many years I have been pushing you to acknowledge, you would know that there is only one good, knowledge, and only one evil , the presumption to know." "I t is good to have ideas about what one knows, but you Athenians only have opinions, opinions about everything." "Out of pride, and weakness, you always talk about things you do not know or about things you know badly." " S coundrels." " But leave Critone alone." "We consider all opinions, even if we disagree with them." "What is important to me is to agree with myself, and to try to never do the opposite of what I think." "And what do you think, what do you know more than the others?" "What more do I know than the others?" "I know that I don't know anything." "Look at these scoundrels who want to re-make the world, by being to too punctilious." "The Athenians are very strange M leto." "They do not like the truth." "The case is much more serious than you think, Ermete." "S ocrates was a soldier and an exemplary citizen , and he too has become a monster of pride." "Remember that when he was at Plitanno, he was the only one who wanted to stop the case against those generals who had abandoned 2000 of our bodies in the sea without burial , directly before the meeting of the people." "But to judge this horrendous crime, I don't know what S ocrates wanted, interpreting the law in his own way." "I remember that among those generals, there was a son of Pericles of Estasia." "They returned to port in triumph as if they had brought back a great victory." "Yes, but the next day, many Athenians found themselves grieving." "and when they called for their son's bodies they found out that they hadn't even been buried, condemned to wander for ever without rest." "What kind of a man is this S ocrates who can remain cold, formal before such a monstrous crime." "I don't know how he could seduce the young." "Anitio's son , for example, left his father to follow him , and what great result today is a drunkard." "And Alcibiade, his favourite pupil." "Yes, with him things couldn't have gone worse." "It is precisely this pupil of Socrates to whom we owe our ruin." "To his ambitions campaigns, to his expedition in Sicily," "now we'll see what Crizia does, our new tyrant, he too was a pupil of S ocrates." "B e quiet, it's not prudent." "Shouldn't you buy something else for your family to eat?" "Ah yes, you're right." "Yes, I 've been going round the city for two days and have completely forgotten that I left home to buy the bread, it's true that there was nothing to buy and the events, completely disturbed me." "What could I take." "Ah , give me that octopus, it looks good." "S ee you soon Critone, see you soon you others, bye." "What are you doing?" "I 'm coming with you." "Ah , good." "I 've brought you something to eat" "Two days..." "Two days of an xiety." "With the Spartans every where, the city full of dangers and you go home so they will make you something to eat, you don't care if your children are hungry, all you care about is going around chatting with your feet in the dust." "I 've been alone for two days, two days without anything to eat, perhaps you think you can eat your own words." "Listen Santippe." "I know your discourses by heart." "But how, if you never let me speak." "Athens, your city is conquered, the Athenians let themselves be massacred, and he strolls around with the buffoons and little scoundrels that listen to him." "C ome on Santippe." "You've bored everyone with your speeches and instead of mocking the claimed ignorance of the people you'd be better off looking at yourself." "But look at you." "Look at him , this flea-ridden animal." "Now that Athens is beaten , you'll finally have the excuse to no longer go to the meetings and in this way you can earn the bread for your family." "Talk for talk's sake, at least get paid by those who listen to you." "D o like I ppls, get yourself asked for by the sons of the rich , they're stupid enough to give you money." "But I know nothing , Santippe." "And this knowledge does not sell." "Knowledge, Knowledge." "But bread is what you buy and you think you can live on these crusts alone." "I beg you." "Observe well how when Santippe thunders it always ends in rain." "I beg you S ocrates." "The downfall is upon us" "And hatred is every where, be careful you've been creating enemies for years," "and in justice comes to strike so soon." "What are you doing?" "You've no right to pass here." "Go away." "What can be done, they've been in agony for days and no one can approach to help them or alleviate their suffering , perhaps with a single blow." "The tyrants have already put 1 500 Athenians under torture and no one has yet rebelled and Crizia is the worst of all." "Crizia, S ocrates, one of your old disciples" "Yes, but if a shepherd slit the throats of half his herd and let the other half die of hunger, he couldn't pretend to be a good shepherd, instead they kill and believe that they are good judges." "Let's pray to the Gods that Socrates doesn't abandon us because of these two." "They pray to the Gods for their destiny to be favoured, whilst it would be better for them to ask them to help us navigate towards good, for divine breath to fill our sails, and for us to be invaded by the exhilaration of sailor" "when landfall is seen." "Why, but why haven't Alcibiade and Crizia cultivated reason , why haven't they been quiet inside to hear what the Gods inspired in them." "M edicine cures the body, politics should watch over souls." "Art shouldn't dominate" "Art should show justice to all." "C ome on S ocrates, let's get away from here." "Let's stop here and cool down." "A short time ago, talking of Crizia and other tyrants you used the word madness, but our tyrants are not mad S ocrates, they are criminals." "I t's the same thing." "D o you know the song that says that the greatest asset is health first of all , then beauty and then being rich?" "Yes, I know it." "Well , that song lies." "The greatest happiness is being good." "I t is such a great asset that those who do bad are the mad ones." "That is why I used the word madness." "I t is a madness they draw profit from though , S ocrates." "What profit?" "Wealth?" "Power over other men?" "But when they lose the power, what will remain of them?" "The memory of the crimes they committed." "And what else?" "Not knowing good?" "An ignorance that only the illusions of power prevented them from seeing." "And what is the reason for their crimes, if not knowing good?" "That it keeps them in a perpetual state of an xiety." "In reality powerful people have the force and use it because they are only weak, and their weakness comes from the fear that dominates them." "You can see them every where and always surrounded by enemies, and isn't this perhaps really madness?" "But we shall content ourselves to ignore them." "Can a tyrant submit a city to his will?" "To what pleases him , there's no doubt, but not what he wants." "M an in fact, can only want good for himself, and those who commit in justices harm themselves above all." "A little at a time, the memory of the badness he has committed will drive him mad." "I s virtue knowledge of one's own good then?" "Knowledge and practice." "Therefore to govern a city without wronging himself, a powerful man must possess virtue?" "Yes, because if a man is valorous, he will serve as an example to everyone." "To survive, states do not need arsenals, or even empires." "I f they are worth something and possess virtue, the citizens will give their lives to defend them." "S ocrates, here's your wife." "I 've been looking for you for two hours, and you, you stay here saying beautiful and completely useless sentences." "What's the matter dear?" "Why are you looking for me so an xiously?" "You are summoned to Toros, by Crizia in person." "What do they want from you?" "D on't worry." "We'll see." "While you chat, the others are doing." "Why, what are they doing?" "C ome forwards, S ocrates." "We accuse you of breaking the law that prohibits the teaching of oratory loopholes." "But I have decided to obey the laws." "This one just like the others, in order to obey it better, I would like you to explain to me what you mean by oratory loopholes." "D oes it mean that I teach the art of convincing with cunning , or the natural search for the truth?" "Why do you ask this question, seeing that you already know the answer?" "You're wrong, I ask you the question because I'm looking for the truth, for you and for me." "I n fact, if you think that I , S ocrates, use a Greek word to guarantee myself some kind of power over other men ," "then in this case, I approve your interdiction, but perhaps you do not know that I, I limit myself to making the other others think by asking them questions, and the ensuing dialogue is only intended to create understanding." "What I know matters little." "We'll content ourselves with giving you a very clear order:" "never direct yourself ever again to the young." "OK , but so that I can respect this order as faithfully as possible," " tell me Callico - in your opinion , up to what age are men young?" "Those who have not reached thirty." "Therefore, if I have to buy olives from a merchant" "Who is younger than thirty, I cannot ask him the price." "D on't joke with us S ocrates, you've understood us perfectly well." "I see that you want to stop me from talking about justice." "Respect the guardians of the herd, if you want the sheep to stay in peace." "You all know Cleone of Salamina." "We have condemned him to death." "You citizens, and you S ocrates, have been assigned to capture him." "Arrest him." "I n this way you can prove your loyalty to the country" "And your loyalty to the new government of Athens." "Go, and don't waste time." "And to think that I admired Crizia." "Now I 'm ashamed to have admired him." "I will become a misanthrope." "Look what point we've got to. I hate these tyrants with all my soul." "You hate them , but you're ready to obey them because you are afraid." "I have no hatred for them , but I will not follow their orders." "I 'm going home." "But that's madness, S ocrates" "S ometimes it is necessary to know how to be mad." "Why don't we attack?" "By good luck, they have destroyed the walls of Athens." "We'll wait for the signal." "Traspiro wants us to take over the guard posts." "I t's Spartans in charge of them , not confederates, do you know that?" "Yes, I do." "I n any case I don't fear death , better to die for Athens than to live in exile." "I f the Thebans hadn't welcomed us as they did, we wouldn't be here this evening." "They could have captured us and handed us over to the "Trenta" Tyrants" "Who would have condemned us to death." "You're right, I still don't understand why the Thebans first allied" "With the Spartans to defeat us and then gave us exile after the ruin." "B ecause they too now fear the hegemony of Sparta." "This is where their generosity is born from." "Their complicity . ." "Silence!" "That's the signal." "Let's go." "Can you see anything?" "No, nothing , but acclamations from the crowd can be heard." "Trasibulo is the new hero of the day." "Yes, Crizia died during the battle of Piraeus, I know from Erocle, my neighbour, who took part in the battle." "He returned before the others because his mother is dying." "He was present at the taking of the Fort of Philae." "And also at the battle of Piraeus." "I t was there where he saw the bodies of Crizia and Castore." "The taking of the Fort of Philae was a master stroke, in the middle of the night and by surprise." "When I heard that the Spartan fleet was blocking the port of Piraeus I really feared sacking." "By good luck, Pausania ordered Lisandro to evacuate all the Spartan garrisons." "The king of Sparta is a wise man." "He knows that they cannot keep the Athenians" "Subjugated by their enemies for too long." "And therefore, he saved the life of our S ocrates without knowing it." "I f he hadn't given that order and if Trasibulo hadn't attacked" "Crizia would have put S ocrates to death that night" "B ecause he had refused to obey his orders." "Here they are, they're coming." "C ome, let's go." "People of Athens, the tyranny is dead, democratic constitution is restored." "We will watch over everyone together so that all the citizens of Athens obey the law." "I n my opinion , I propose granting political amnesty to everyone so as to celebrate our re-conquered freedom fittingly." "All those of us who served the tyrants will be exiled." "We will not stain our land with their blood." "Look how happy they are." "We've finally got our laws back." "But where are they going?" "To the Pritaneo." "They are the 50 councillors" elected in the various tribes, or expressed better, the different peoples of Athens." "They now govern the city with the "arconti" and everyday the "Epistato" , or better the head of state, is chosen from their ranks, and this takes place by drawing lots." "From among them all , everyone has the chance of assuming the supreme power." "But only for one day?" "Only for one day, from one sunset to the next." "The "Epistato" keeps the State seal , and the key to the temple where the public treasury is safeguarded." "I t would be imprudent to hand over the supreme power to one man , even if a very wise one, for any longer time." "Even I could be elected for a day?" "Why not!" "I f the Gods so desire and if luck is on your side." "It may also happen, if you give proof of worth, that you will be invited to the Pritaneo, in your old age, like other illustrious citizens, with absolutely no other worries other than teaching children respect and love for our traditions." "A-then-s." "Look, everyone leaves" "Athen's marks in the ground," "Dracone." "White bean." "The Gods have chosen you." "Aceo." "Black bean." "The citizens will see how mad I am , they will see it well when the facts come to light." "The snow falls from the cloud and the hailstones in fury and the thunder explodes from the lighting flash." "I n the city, this is how ruin comes from the powerful and the people become the slaves of one man just through their own foolishness." "I t is difficult to apply a brake to a man who has been too exalted." "I t's therefore better right from the start to have. ." "S ocrates, listen." "D o you remember Aristofane?" "Wait." "And you others come, we'll have some fun." "Do you remember the comedy he wrote about you?" "I'll recite it to you." "Oh holy trinity, oh rain clouds, oh emptiness, and you my capable tongue, holy trinity who crushed weak Zeus with your turbine." "Listen to my prayer:" "I adore you!" "Ah , ah , ah." "Ah , ah , ha." "Zeus the Olympian , is perhaps no longer the God of Gods?" "You." "Perhaps you don't even exist." "And who makes it rain?" "You." "The clouds." "Have you ever seen rain in fine weather?" "And who pushes the clouds in the sk y if not divine Zeus?" "A turbine, I'm telling you, a vast turbine, but tell me, what do you really want from me?" "Oh S ocrates, I would like you to teach me how to get rid of my creditors." "Now, S ocrates, I am the creditor, give my money back to me." "Ah, ah." "My poor friend, you must have banged your head, you're repeating yourself in vain." "I 'm repeating myself?" "You , Yes, you're repeating yourself, but answer my question." "When it rains, does new water fall each time or is it the same water that the sun has pumped back?" "I don't care." "C ome on give my money back." "What, you want your money, while ignoring all celestial things?" "Pay me only the interest, I ask only this." "You." "The interest, but what on earth is that?" "It is the money that you add to the rest in proportion to the time that passes." "You." "Good answer, but tell me, when it rains does the sea level rise?" "No. I t always remains the same as itself." "You." "The sea doesn't rise by a drop and you want to increase your money?" "Ah , ah , ah." "Blasphemer." "Blasphemer!" "What do you think about it, S ocrates." "The actor is good, but his S ocrates does not exist." "That's true. I had forgotten that you think you are a master of virtue." "You're wrong. I simply practice the same trade as my mother she was an obstetrician , but its not children I deliver, but the truth and thanks to this to an art that I and several Gods know." "S ee, he brings us new Gods." "No. I simply believe in my inner voice, like you believe in the omens of the birds." "The Athenians are the sons of the earth." "If they have been hit by destiny, it is precisely because chatterers like you have twisted their traditions and because of this." "Stop!" "Leave him alone!" "Those who want to see the sun burn their eyes if they look at it in the face." "They should study by watching it reflected in the water." "The soul becomes blind if we want to see discover the truth of details." "I t must take refuge in the world of reason." "I f you cannot even feed a slave, S ocrates, how do manage not to die of hunger?" "I 've learned to get by on the minimum." "You see, it is because I settle for little, that I am always closer to the Gods." "You're luck y S ocrates." "I need everything in continuation." "I t's only wealth that counts S ocrates, without it you're not worth anything , even in the eyes of the Gods." "You are wrong , compared to a rich and dishonest man the Gods prefer a poor and virtuous man." "I f being poor is enough to possess virtue, then there's no doubt that you are a model of it." "But if you don't make your pupils pay you is this perhaps to attract them to you more securely?" "M aybe he's paid by the Spartans." "The one they don't like, they send here to us." "Leave him alone." "They treated even Homer as a madman." "They are faithful to their country, just like any one of us." "Nevertheless Alcibiade was you're favourite pupil ," "The one who brought us to ruin." "Alcibiade the mutilator of the hermae, who you taught scorn for tradition to." "No. I just made him understand that he had to know how to recognise what life continually brings us that is new." "And this is how you want to talk about his betrayal and our ruin." "And Crizia?" "Didn't he, like you , say that the Gods are just the invention of politicians?" "And Plato?" "Another of your pupils." "I heard that youngster proclaim precisely here that until philosophers aren't heads of state or the heads of state are philosophers, things at Athens will go from bad to worse." "Too bad if ignorant people laugh at us, but tell me, who would you turn to manage affairs of state?" "The citizens." "And how are the citizens who will become the city leaders to be chosen?" "By drawing lots?" "With beans?" "You know well." "Directing affairs of state perhaps isn't so difficult?" "Yes." "I f you had to undertake a sea voyage, would you choose a pilot by drawing lots?" "No." "And your shoemaker, your farrier, your doctor, would you choose them by drawing lots?" "No." "S ee then." "You wouldn't trust your life to a doctor chosen by fortune, but you a good citizen are ready to place the affairs of the city in the hands of anyone, perhaps even a pauper, and now you have admitted that politics is the most difficult of the sciences." "Are you not contradicting yourself then?" "S eeing as you know politics so well , why don't you get involved?" "B ecause at the time of the trial of the generals I understood, that the place for someone who wants to fight injustice is in the middle of everyone, in the mass and not in public office." "On the other hand, I am more useful teaching correct political practice to a large number of citizens, rather than practising it myself." "B e careful." "You're talking like one of those foreign philosophers who tempest us with their doctrines, and remember that they have condemned Pythagoras." "I t's sad to see the courts of Athens putting themselves at the service of of jealousy and fear." "You talk of justice, while the others talk of country." "Where is your country then , S ocrates?" "Athens is my country. I 've demonstrated this on the battlefield, but followed by believing that the earth is immense and that many other peoples are scattered around the sea, like frogs around a pond." "Wisdom isn't just Athenian , strength is not just Spartan or prudence C orinthian." "Other peoples posses these virtues." "I am Athenian, but I'm also a man, just like all the other men on the earth." "B e careful what you're saying." "They could accuse you of offending our Gods" "And of scorning our traditions." "Traditions only make sense if we can assess their meaning." "We must be distrustful of habits." "The leaders of our democracy, chosen by chance out of habit, almost all ignorant with the presumption of knowledge, can be the easy prey of the first who comes along and can commit in justices." "This is why every day we can measure the force of defamation." "Esculapio, you who care and heal , remember that Teodoro, who offers you this cock, has always been scrupulously faithful and has never neglected you." "Grant him the healing of his son." "S end illness and death far from his family." "M ay your intervention preserve him from the anger of Hades and from the hostility of infernal divinities." "There is no doubt that everything man possesses comes to him from the Gods, but I wonder if the Gods need our gifts." "Teodoro I offer you this thigh and this meat so that you can smell the aroma." "Esculapio, fulfil His request." "By offering a cock, a pigeon , a lamb, or any way something very small , in exchange for the protection and love of the gods, man asks for his desires to be satisfied." "I n other words: a lot." "We even hope to be spared from death with a cock." "There I can understand, S ocrates." "D eath is horrible and certainly more painful than birth." "That maybe, but it may also be sweeter, if we approach the truth." "We are all mortals, S ocrates, and we will all die one day." "I f death is sweet and means liberation , we will joyfully sacrifice a cock to Escalapio." "Critone, you promised, in the meantime I believe that death is a liberation." "I f l cannot have any certainty while I live in my body, one of the two things must be true:" "either there can be no knowledge for me or I will have such knowledge through death... and you know how curious I am." "Esculapio, may I die surrounded by my friends, steeped I n the hope of finding the rest of knowledge on the other side." "M eleto, son of M eleto, accuses S ocrates, son of Sufronico of the following crimes:" "S ocrates does not believe in the Gods of Athens;" "S ocrates preaches new beliefs;" "S ocrates corrupts the young." "The accuser demands the death penalty." "S ocrates." "S ocrates." "S o, what makes you run so early in the morning?" "An accusation against you has been posted to the door of the "arconte" palace." "You must see it as soon as possible." "But it is a serious accusation." "A certain M eleto has made it against you." "Sit down." "Look S ocrates." "Goodbye, S ocrates" "Look, it's the good-looking I ppia." "I t's a good while we haven't had the pleasure of seeing you in the city." "Where are you going , so well equipped?" "I'm going to the gymnasium to give a speech about the genealogy of heroes." "Would you like to hear it?" "I've got things to do and unfortunately I cannot accompany you." "It's a speech I've already done, and everyone tells me that it is very beautiful." "I 'd be pleased to have your opinion as well." "You said it's very beautiful." "S o you know what beauty is." "Yes, of course." "And you could explain it to me?" "Very easily!" "A beautiful virgin, Socrates, there's something beautiful." "A good reply." "But tell me I ppia, can you say that a she-ass is beautiful?" "Yes. I n my town there are some really beautiful she-asses." "And a nice pan , I ppia, can you say that a pan is beautiful thing?" "M y dear S ocrates, I don't understand how you can use such a prosaic object to talk of so elevated things." "What do you want, I 'm just a boor." "Any way, even you must admit that a beautiful pan is beautiful." "Yes, that may be, but the most beautiful pan , compared to a beautiful virgin is ugly." "I n the same way that the most beautiful is ugly compared to a God." " l s that not what you're saying?" " E xactly." "And yet just before, you said: "a beautiful virgin, there's something beautiful"" "and now you're telling me when compared to a God she's ugly, but cannot be beautiful and ugly at the same time." "You see, you still haven't told me what beauty is." "I 'll explain it another day, whenever you like." "Goodbye." "S ocrates." "I 've never seen you walk with your head down." "What's the matter?" "I was thinking of a story they tell in Egypt." "A demon called Teute went to visit king Tamus to bring him up to date about the arts he had invented, and to invite him to let the Egyptians participate." "He talked about numbering , calculation , geometry, astronomy, trick track and dice to finally arrive at writing." "The practice of writing said the demon , will develop knowledge and strengthen the memory of your citizens." "This is my most beautiful invention and it will lead you to science." "Very good said the king , but can you create new arts Teute, I can foresee what will happen if it is practised I can therefore tell you that writing will give a result completely different from what you imagine." "I n confiding in writing , men will no longer search for their memories deep down inside them , they will forget to trust their memories and in so doing will lose much of their knowledge," "and instead of trying to express themselves with trouble and warmth , they will cite texts with elegance." "But what can you reply to citations?" "You therefore contrast a living , vibrant literal speech to the word, to writing that are the image of speech." "Yes, that's right." "You could believe that writings speak intelligently, but when you try to question them , they only repeat themselves." "When written , speeches pass from one hand to the next, without knowing how to distinguish the weakest one from an intelligent one, and if the writings attack you , if they accuse you un justly, you cannot make them see reason in any way." "What's behind all these thoughts S ocrates?" "A written accusation against me has been posted to the door of "arconte"." "Against you?" "And have you seen it?" "No." "Let's go then , I 'll come with you." "What are you doing here S ocrates?" "Have you too started to frequent the portico of "arconte"?" "I 'm here because I 've just posted an accusation." "And I 'm here because they want to drag me to court for reasons of state." "Who accuses you?" "M eleto." "He doesn't seem so hostile to me." "They tell me he accuses me of having introduced the cult of some new divinity to the detriment of our old Gods." "I t's certainly because of that supernatural voice you claim to hear inside and which inspires you." "An innovator in the religious field is a kind of defamation to which almost everyone is very sensitive." "Athenians cannot bear one of them having the slightest personal knowledge about the Gods." "When I for example predict the future before the people's assembly, the laugh at me as if I were mad," "and believe me, all my predictions come true." "You'll see, you'll get away with your trial , but I 'll get satisfaction from mine." "Who have you registered your accusation against." "Against my father." "Your father?" "Alas, yes, S ocrates." "And what do you accuse him of?" "Of homicide." "Did he kill one of the family perhaps?" "No." "Why do you ask me that?" "Well, you wouldn't drag your father before the courts for killing someone unrelated." "And why not?" "I t's strange S ocrates that you distinguish" "Between the death of someone unrelated and that of a family member." "The filthiness is the same and if one is aware of a crime, one must purif y one's self by pursuing the assassin whoever the criminal is and whoever the victim is." "But what happened?" "The dead man was a labourer on one of our farms." "He had been drinking , had hit a companion and killed him." "M y father had him thrown in a ditch" "And sent someone to Athens to find out how to deal with the matter." "In the meantime, he didn't worry about the man who was dying in the ditch." "People reproach me, saying that it is impious, for a son to accuse his father." "But they, S ocrates, don't know what compassion is. I do." "There wouldn't be any difference between the common people and myself if I didn't know." "S o, dear friend, explain it to me, I beg you." "this will be very useful to me for my trial." "What I 'm doing is compassionate." "Legally pursuing anyone guilty of a crime, even if father, mother or son." "Zeus, the most just of the Gods, enchained his father Uranus to punish him because he had devoured his own children." "C onsidering the accusations made against me, I 'm frankly not willing to talk about divinity but, between us two, do you really think that things between Zeus and his father went like that?" "C ertainly." "And I know details more curious than those the common people know." "You therefore believe that there are conflicts between the Gods." "Yes, and I could tell you some things about the history of the Gods." "which even you S ocrates would be amazed at." "Tell me instead, again for my trial , what compassion is?" "What the Gods like, that what compassion is." "What they don't like is piety." "But you just told me that the Gods fight against each other." "Yes indeed." "S o, they argue like men" "About what is good or bad." "That's clear." "S o, according to you , the same thing" "M ay please one God and displease another." "C ertainly." "The fact that you want to punish your father may anyway please Zeus and displease Uranus, please Efesto and displease Era." "Yes." "S o, I f l understand well , the same action , can please or displease the Gods at the same time, in other words compassion and piety at the same time." "But that's impossible Eutifrone." "I beg you , tell me what compassion is." "Another time, S ocrates, I 've got things to do, goodbye." "And now, let's worry about our trial." "C ome on Santippe calm down." "D on't cry." "Our poor children." "I knew that your mania for bothering people would have brought all the misfortunes on us. I knew it." "You must defend yourself How do you think you'll do that?" "All my life I 've avoided in justice." "That's my defence." "But how will you reply to all the accusations." "You must contest them." "No, no, no, no, don't cry Santippe, no, don't cry." "S ocrates, I beg you to call an orator to defend you. I beg you." "C ome on , don't cry." "And to make you happy, we'll call one." "C ontact Lisia, S ocrates, he's the best orator of Athens." "Go and call Lisia, explain to him , tell him that S ocrates in danger, that he must defend him." "Well , first of all the preamble, the ritual information , then praise for your judges, of noble birth , Athenian race, keepers of an entirely divine wisdom , heirs of the heroes of Homeric Greece, of such majesty that just on seeing them evil powers retreat," "and the enemies of Athens are defeated." "What do you think?" "I n second place the narration." "I could say for example:" "the accusers of S ocrates, well-intentioned persons, but of weak judgement, excited souls without critical spirit before this divine assembly, propose the case of a man who in some manner merits your judgement." "Who is concerned?" "I t's S ocrates." "A person known for years for being an original , full of gentleness." "What is it about?" "About doctrines that are supposed to be new and aimed at disturbing youngsters, is that OK to you?" "M y reasoning will be simple and limited to being the illustration of my preamble." "I f new doctrines existed, capable of corrupting youngsters, could you , the holders of Athenian wisdom be unaware of them?" "No." "M uch before our accusers you would have known these doctrines and refused them forcibly." "And as for the charge that S ocrates can corrupt youngsters do you know what this means?" "That at the most this concerns a few kids too weak to play our games," "consoling their weakness, by interesting themselves in the originality of an old man. I C ontinue." "Now, for the normal digression , I will develop the main point of my oration." "What a wonderful paradox to see just an old man in S ocrates who we can laugh at and forget his past, that past, which you are the living memory of." "Shall I remind you of it?" "S ocrates was a soldier full of courage, ready to give his life to defend our Gods he was an athlete hardened to all the rigours of winter, he was a judge, respectful to the point of obsession" "of the laws you yourselves enact." "And who can criticise the devotion of simple minds." "Then , in my defence, I will request your reprieve." "No, no, Athenians, do not accuse S ocrates of an offence to you." "Since you have known him you have always been very indulgent of his strangeness." "Respect the old age of one of your life's companions." "D on't tarnish the last years of a man whose death will alas tear him from us in any event." "Absolve him!" "What kind of good do you think you'll do to the Judges with that speech?" "But it's your good that I want S ocrates, not your Judges'." "You are therefore ready to harm them for my good?" "C ertainly." "And how can you good for me if you do harm to them?" "D o you believe that without a doubt, the most precious good is life?" "Yes." "Life in a lie, or life in the truth?" "Life in the truth." "But if you reply to the lies of my accusers, with other lies, if you persuade them by pleasing them , wouldn't the life coming to me from your eloquence be tarnished by this cunning?" "No Lisia, life only deserves to be conserved in joy, and the only joy for man is the search for the truth without deviations." "Life is worth something if you hope to find the truth one day" "And the truth , like the stars, is very difficult to reach." "From the plain and on mountain tops we look at the stars without the sensation of having gone near them." "I t's the same with the truth." "You don't have to go close to see it." "D o you want to get yourself condemned then?" "I f democracy wants my death , it must have its reasons." "You're mad." "We shouldn't fear M eleto who is a poor thing." "Think instead of Anito, who is a demagogue, or of Licone who is a rhetorician." "You shouldn't forget that above all ," "Athenians are sensitive to eloquence." "I 'll tell the truth in my way and we'll see if they understand." "At my age I 've got no use for fair words." "As you think fit." "I hope you're right." "Lisia." "I 'll defend myself alone." "M ore madness." "You'll end up losing." "You've ruined our life, but think at least about our children." "I t's for them and for you that I 'll talk in my way." "They'll condemn you , I know, they hate you." "D on't leave me alone S ocrates." "D on't leave us." "993, 99 4, 995, ..." "... 996,997,998 ,..." "... 999,1000 ." "Oh Erbete, what're you doing here at your age?" "What're you saying?" "At my age, I 'm already thirty and with the approval of the Gods I can very well participate as a juror in court." "I 've already taken the oath." "Zeus." "How time flies." "I thought you much younger." "Black bean." "Antimaco." "Black bean." "Pittaco." "White bean." "Have you seen the batons?" "This time our people bears the colour red." "I t's the colour that brings me luck." "D o you know anything about the trial we'll be jurors in?" "Absolutely nothing." "I n any event, we'll only know the moment we take our places." "Today, the Gods seem to be AGAl NST us." "How many excluded." "I f it's like this also in the other peoples we'll never reach the number of five hundred and one judges." "D on't worry, it's never happened in the past." "We'll perhaps take longer than usual." "But the legal number is always reached." "White bean." "Hey, you're forgetting the badge, without that, you won't get the three obols due to you at the end of the trial." "Oh Athens, daughter of Zeus, mother of wisdom , war and the arts." "You who gave us the olive and the use of the rudder, remember the sacrifices we have offered to you." "M ay your sentence inspire us and may your shield protect us." "Oh you Athens the valorous, oh you Athena, the indomitable goddess." "You who have been chosen by fortune with the goodwill of the gods, know that you must pass sentence on the occasion of this trial brought by M eleto, supported by Anito and Licone, against S ocrates." "M eleto, son of M eleto, accuses S ocrates son of S ofronico" "Of the following crimes." "First, S ocrates does not believe in Gods of Athens;" "second, S ocrates proposed new beliefs;" "third, S ocrates corrupts the young." "The accuser demands the death penalty." "The accuser speaks first, M eleto may speak." "I am not driven by personal interest, by coming before this court to accuse our co-citizen S ocrates of the crime of impiety." "I t is because of love for Athens." "S ocrates wants to replace the worship of our old Gods with the worship of new demons, taking care not to indicate their nature, because he is always more inclined to destroy, rather than to construct." "This crime, now that we've found peace again , threatens to spark off the just anger of the gods" "against our country, against Athens." "With a truly distressed soul , I feel it my duty to request the death penalty for S ocrates." "The existence of Athens itself is in your hands." "And he says that he is not acting out of personal interest" "Anito may speak." "Athenians, you've known me for a long time and you know how much I love our city, it's S ocrates' fault that we have already suffered a great disaster the Gods didn't save us from that terrible punishment we suffered..." "I 've come from the agora." "M eleto made a bad speech." "People didn't take him seriously. ." "And this is why I 'm telling you Athenians, no one here must dictate your conduct." "Now you know what the accusations are." "I know your wisdom , and am certain that you will know how to make the right decision according to conscience." "We have heard the accusers." "The accused may now speak." "S ocrates may speak." "Athenians, they have told you that I was an orator." "I tell you that at my age - l 'm seventy - that it wouldn't be any good for me to practice eloquence." "This is the first time I appear before you on the platform of a court of justice, but many who have heard me talk in the streets, in the public squares can tell you that I speak here as elsewhere, in my way, in other words, I only seek the truth" "without any formal devices." "The law demands me to speak to defend myself" "And I will do that." "However, before replying to my accusers, who I listened to with the greatest attention ," "I must contest the gossips that for twenty years now have insisted in confusing me with a certain S ocrates" "Who is busy analysing The mysteries of the earth , or, even worse, of venerating clouds." "Such a person is just in the spirit of those who have maliciously put me on stage" "An atheist and Aristofane or those who imitate him , do not at all hide the severity of the their accusations behind their prank." "The figure they present to you , who walks in the air or does a thousand silly things, more or less scientific, of which I know nothing of, doesn't remotely resemble me." "I appeal to the witness of those who know me." "When it is said that I concern myself with the education of many young people so as to be paid and to teach them to make an incorrect cause correct, a lie is being told." "I n fact, I myself content myself with searching for the truth." "I f l had the fortune to be wise like I ppia or Giorgia, whom you all certainly know I would not hesitate to be paid." "Unfortunately, I am ignorant and the only thing I know, is that I don't know anything." "This kind of knowledge cannot be sold." "Now, one of you could exclaim:" ""But tell me S ocrates, if, there is nothing extraordinary about you why this defamation and why this trial?"" "and I would reply:" ""because I possess wisdom"." "I beg you , Vi prego." "M y witness is the God of D elfi." "D o you all know Clerofonte." "He was a childhood friend of mine and his death upset me greatly, to you he was a democrat" "a man who was exiled under Spartan domination." "His brother is here and will testif y for me in his place." "At D elfi my brother Clerofonte asked Pizia if there was anyone in the world wiser than S ocrates." "Pizia replied that no one in the world was wiser than him." "This reply from the oracle surprised me because I didn't know that I was wise." "Nevertheless as the oracle couldn't lie I started looking for all those passing themselves off as wise, in the hope of discovering the meaning of the divine word." "After questioning a large number of the most eminent men I suddenly understood what the oracle wanted to say." "I was the wisest, because those politicians, those poets had the presumption of knowing while not knowing anything whilst I , S ocrates, had always been aware of my ignorance." "I have made many, many enemies because often it is the most powerful figures that have the greatest defects, but I have remained at the service of God who obliges me to search for the truth, even if this search has revealed to me, that many who pretend" "to be wise, are not at all in reality." "I now turn to M eleto." "This exemplary citizen , this M eleto I tell you is guilty because he has dragged me into court pretending to interest himself in things he doesn't know anything about." "Reply to my question , M eleto." "Do you not perhaps give great importance to the education of the young?" "Yes, certainly." "Given that you hold that it is I , S ocrates who corrupts the young , you will certainly know who improves them , answer then , your silence may lead the court to believe that you don't know anything , tell me who can improve the young?" "There are the laws." "And who knows the laws the best?" "Look around you S ocrates, your Judges." "All of them , or someone among them?" "All." "By Zeus this is good news." "And those down there listening to us, do they too have a good influence on the young?" "Without a doubt." "And the members of the council?" "The members of the council too." "I n short, do all Athenians have a good influence on the young?" "All except S ocrates who corrupts them. I s that what you want to say?" "Yes, And as forcibly as I can." "Ah , what a poor chap this S ocrates is, what a horrible destiny, and what happiness there would be, if it were true that everyone in the city had a good influence on the young and that just one man , this S ocrates corrupts them." "Meleto, you have demonstrated that you do not have the slightest knowledge of the problems for which you have dragged me into court for." "But tell me again , is it not true that bad people always do bad things to those who approach them, whilst good people always do them some good." "I agree." "And do you know anyone, by chance, who prefers bad ways to good ones?" "Ah , no, certainly not." "Accusing me of corrupting the young , means accusing me of making them bad, do you think I corrupt them voluntarily or involuntarily?" "Voluntarily, this is more than certain." "How is that M eleto?" "You know that bad people do bad things to those who approach them and expect me at my age not to know that." "You therefore believe by making those around me bad I don't know that I 'm exposing myself to being maltreated by them?" "No, or I do not corrupt the youth or if I do so, it is without wanting to, and in this case, my involuntary fault is not the jurisdiction of this court." "Well said S ocrates, you're right!" "And, even imagining that I corrupt the young as you explain , these young persons, now grown up, are not here to criticise me of it?" "They themselves, or at least their fathers or their brothers." "I see Critone father of Pritoculo, Adimante father of Plato," "Pausania father Anfistene, and others still." "Why don't they assail me, why didn't you call them to support your accusation." "You say that I corrupt the young , by inciting them not to believe in the city Gods to follow other beliefs." "D o you claim that my Gods are not the city Gods or do you mean that I don't believe in any God?" "I affirm that you do not believe in any God." "Unlike other men , I wouldn't therefore believe that the moon and sun are Gods." "By Zeus, citizens, he doesn't believe, he affirms that the sun is a rock and that the moon is similar to the earth." "M y poor boy, unfortunately, you confuse me with Anassagora, and this confusion cannot please the court which is much better informed than you." "Everyone knows that it is the books of Anassagora that abandon these propositions and wouldn't I be ridiculous to appropriate ideas that are not my own?" "But to return to the question I asked you , is it perhaps true that I don't believe in any God?" "Absolutely true." "Tell me, M eleto, is it possible to believe in the reality of" "Human actions, without believing in the reality of men?" "I s it possible for example, to believe in riding" "Without believing in the existence of horses?" "No." "And again, can you believe in the manifestations of a supernatural power" "Without believing in the same power?" "Can you believe in the acts of the Gods without believing in the Gods?" "No, it's impossible." "Ah , finally You reply correctly." "And so you admit that if I believe in the manifestations of a supernatural power, I implicitly believe in the existence of this power." "Citizens..." "M eleto's accusation is based only on defamation , this defamation can bring my death , but before you I will not behave like a coward." "When at war our generals assigned me a post I remained firm, and if God gives me the task of reasoning, I will not desert." "M en fear death as if they are certain that it is the worst of ills, on the contrary, it is the greatest of goods and wisdom is recognising our ignorance as far as it is concerned." "I love you Athenians, but more than you , it is my God I will obey and because it is he who commands me, I shall not cease to reason" "Until my last breath." "Listen to me." "As far as my personal life goes, I have always been negligent in a different way to that of the common man and if I talk to you like a father or an elder brother it is because the God living in me commands this." "None of my accusers have been able to say that my promptness has ever given me any profit," "my poverty would talk to disprove them." "Now it may seem strange that I keep giving suggestions to everybody, but I do not dare give suggestions to the whole town in a meeting." "This is due to an extraordinary effect, a voice inside me, which prevents me from from playing politics every time I would like to." "This voice on the other hand has saved my life because I f l 'd been involved in politics I would have been dead long ago." "And now Athenian citizens, I have finished my speech." "I will not attempt to instil pity in you , or even to wrench absolution from you ," "simply remember that my God has placed me here to keep the truth on the alert." "I f you let my accusers convince you , you will kill me and after my death the God will not send you anyone else who defends the truth." "An endless torpor will swallow you up, think on it." "And now I place myself in your hands, so that you may judge according to the laws I respect and your decision will be the best for all of us." "We shall now proceed to vote." "I'm certain they will absolve him, it's not possible for them to condemn him." "I on the other hand am worried." "Unfortunately, those people are almost all his enemies." "I n any case, if he is condemned, S ocrates can always propose commutation of the penalty." "That's the law." "What could he propose?" "Who knows." "He is always unpredictable." "Let's hear the result of the ballot." "Following the ballot of the votes" "S ocrates is declared guilty by a majority of sixty votes." "What do you propose to mitigate your penalty?" "You may speak again." "Athenians, I am not shocked by this result, I am rather surprised to be condemned by such a slight majority." "As for the punishment, M eleto proposes death." "I n turn what penalty can I propose to you , what penalty to inflict on a man who has always sacrificed his personal ambition in the interests of his fellow citizens." "To be just, he shouldn't be punished, on the contrary, grant him some reward and do it now as if we were dealing with anyone and not me, S ocrates." "On the one side there is the poor man who must anyway continue his work and where do they put the deserving citizens so that they may grow old, sheltered from need, where do they put the benefactors of the city?" "I n the Pritaneo." "You should therefore put me in the Pritaneo." "Try to reflect , S ocrates, do not provoke the court." "This man debases the court's dignity." "What else could I propose." "A fine?" "I n other words life in prison , seeing I have no money to pay it." "E xile?" "At my age?" "To go off to a foreign land?" "I f my fellow citizens can't stand me, how could foreigners." "No. I f we have to talk according to justice, I claim what is right:" "that I stay and feed myself at the Pritaneo." "The accused proposal has been voted on according to the law." "Your proposal has been rejected." "The assembly asks for the death penalty with a majority of 1 40 votes." "I n normal circumstances, execution should take place within 24 hours but as the city entered its annual purification period yesterday, we order the execution to be stayed, until the Holy Ship commemorating the victory of Theseus over the Minotaur" "with its voyage returns from D elo." "S ocrates, if you like, you may express your last desires." "Citizens of Athens, if you had waited a little more time death would have arrived alone to free you of S ocrates." "We shall leave this assembly, I condemned to death and you , my judges condemned by the truth." "And your lives will be marked by the in justice that you have now committed." "Neither this morning , when I presented myself before this court, nor, before, when I got onto this platform , nor at any moment of this trial , did the divine voice criticise my behaviour or my words." "This is because all the events of this day were desired by the Gods." "As for death , either it is truly eternal sleep, or the soul remains in an eternal house." "Whatever it is, I have no fear." "B efore dying , I simply make this prayer." "When my sons become men , if they should ever demonstrate the presumption , torment them , as I have tormented you , if they prefer money to virtue scold them , as I have scolded you , if you do this," "you will have given me, at the end of the day, what is justly due to me." "But now the time to separate has arrived." "I to die, and you to live." "Which is the better destiny?" "Only the Gods can answer." "I say goodbye." "I can't wait any longer." "I t's useless foreseeing the minimum details, we must execute our plan." "Everything is ready now." "The guides have been paid." "And the guards suffer the influence of S ocrates greatly." "Listening to them , he is a gentle, model prisoner, the most courteous they have ever known." "As for the authorities, it seems they are willing to close an eye." "S ocrates' escape would be received well by public opinion." "You can't say that if they execute the sentence." "But the Gods protect us." "I t's been more than a month that adverse winds prevent the Holy Ship from returning from D elo." "And visiting S ocrates in his prison this month has let me see freedom." "When I think he is sad, not because the assembly condemned him to death but because it committed an in justice in condemning him." "I nstead of mumbling , now his escape is ready, someone should go and tell him." "The winds have changed and the Holy Ship can return to port" "From one minute to the next." "And if he refuses?" "That's impossible." "No, with S ocrates, nothing is impossible." "Efigene is right, Plato should explain things to him." "But Plato is ill." "Critone then." "Yes, Critone." "You'll go to find S ocrates tomorrow at dawn , to talk to him and to get his approval." "You must go Critone." "OK , I 'll try." "You've come much earlier than usual." "What's going on?" "I just want to be alone with S ocrates and during the day it's impossible, this prison is always crowded." "C ome in." "What're you doing here, it's still very early." "Yes, I know, it's dawn." "I 'm surprised the guards let you in." "We're good friends." "Have you been here a long time?" "Quite a while." "I watched you sleeping and was surprised to find you so calm." "And why shouldn't I be, I think that sleep and death are alike they both give you peace." "I have to tell you S ocrates, that the ship returning from D elo is off Cape Suneo and will enter port today." "No, it won't come in for two days." "How do you know?" "I n a dream , I saw a woman veiled in white who told me:" ""Socrates, you will return to the fertile land of the dead in three days"." "And I shouldn't perhaps drink hemlock on the day after the arrival of the ship?" "You S ocrates, accept death , but we have prepared your escape, you must escape, the prison guards won't oppose us." "And where will I go?" "To Tessaglia, I have friends down there expecting you." "But in Tessaglia, my dear Critone, like here, like all of us, I would be put to death." "And what will the people say, when they know that we, your friends, let you die, without giving you any help." "Ah , don't worry Critone, people worthy of respect will know how things stand, as for the others, it's not worthwhile paying any attention to them." "You were wrong to disregard them , they are the most numerous and capable of the biggest crimes." "We know well why they condemned you." "You're wrong. I f they were capable of committing the biggest crimes, they would be equally capable of doing the most good." "But you S ocrates must live." "Why?" "Have I not performed my task?" "And wouldn't escaping be to commit an in justice?" "Think of what would happen if when I leave this prison" "The laws of Athens came before me and asked me:" ""Where are you going Socrates?"" " They would Tell me: "Do you want to destroy us?"" "And is it possible for a state to survive, if the resolutions it makes remain without force?" "Until today we were enough for you and you loved us" "Were you not born here?" "Have you not procreated here?" "Haven't you always lived respecting us, even against the opinion of everyone?" "D on't you think it is un just to rebel against us today?" "I know you're right." "And where will Critone go, to another city, to Thebes, to M egara, you would be welcomed as an enemy, a rebel, and of me they would say that the judges of Athens did a good thing to condemn me." "And at my age, with only a short time to live, I think it would be ridiculous to persist in remaining alive." "D on't you think it a madness and that everyone would poke fun at me?" "And my sons, would I have to take them with me into a foreign land?" "I f you leave them here, we will bring them up." "But don't you think it the same if I drink hemlock?" "No, Critone. I f l die, it's not the fault of the law, but only that of men , and if I reply to in justice with in justice, to bad with bad, I am certain that I would commit sacrilege" "I know that arriving in the land of the dead, I will be able to repeat my defence and that the laws on the other side, will welcome me tenderly." "All the words I 'm saying to you now are coming out spontaneously, and I cannot speak any others." "I hear them sing like the sound of a flute and I am like the "conipanti" in their delirium , possessed by heavenly music." "Speak if you have something to say." "I 've nothing to tell you my dear S ocrates." "Then go in peace." "Our friends our waiting for you." "As for me, let me follow the path God indicated to me." "The eleven have come to free him from the chains and have told him to prepare to die." "The ship has entered port." "Santippe is already inside, go, go." "I t hurt me and now I feel pleasure, how strange it is." "Pleasure and pain are so close to each other that when a man wishes one, he must suffer the other and if we think that God, not being able to convince his enemies to make peace, bound them finally" "to one another, this means that when one of them is inside us, the other one accompanies him... ." "what a nice story... . ." "S ocrates..." "S ocrates." "You're frightening the children Santippe." "C ome on , calm down." "C ome on Santippe, calm down." "Go my children , go in peace." "You've written some verses in prison S ocrates, Edenos told me." "I don't want to compete with you." "Tomorrow, you will have to cut them up, as a sign of grief." "How can you be so calm S ocrates, knowing that the time of death is so near." "I t's because I reason and the idea of separating myself from my body does not frighten me, on the contrary, it makes me happy." "A wise man should therefore hurry the hour of his death." "No, because he should respect the will of the Gods." "Why are you speaking in a low voice?" "Why don't you speak aloud what's troubling you?" "Now that the misfortune is upon you S ocrates, we don't dare to talk to you of our worries." "I t's difficult to convince you of this truth , for me, death is not a disaster, so talk any way." "I fear, S ocrates, that once the soul leaves the body, it too looses its life." "But tell me C ebete, what gives life to the body?" "The soul." "And this is always the case?" "C ertainly." "The soul that gives life to the body always brings life?" "Yes." "And does life have an opposite, or is the opposite of life nothing?" "Life does have an opposite which is death." "The soul cannot therefore receive death , and the opposite of this life of which it is the source." "And how do you class those who escape death?" "They are classed as immortals." "As the soul cannot receive death , it is therefore immortal , and therefore it is not foolish to sustain that this soul is immortal , and if it is, it should be looked after throughout all life." "Another idea, if death were the end of everything , it would be a great thing for all bad people because their badness would disappear with them." "When faced with sadness, in justices and the wickedness of life, remember that passage of the Odyssey when Homer says that" "Ulysses, beating his chest to encourage his heart in these terms :" ""Put up with it, heart of mine, you've put up with much more revolting things"" "D on't talk too much S ocrates, you may get heated up and that could make the poison's action slower, making you suffer more." "D on't take it into consideration." "Let the executioner prepare everything necessary." "I 'm going to wash myself now, so that Santippe and the women" "Will be spared from washing my corpse." "And how should we bury you?" "As you like, if you succeed in catching me, and lf l don't escape you." "D on't cry." "Your father's not crying." "Think of the lesson he's giving you." "Of his courage." "When you are men , all the people will have their eyes fixed on you because you are the sons of S ocrates, the most valorous man of Athens." "When he walks on the streets it is not a warriors' noise that precedes him , such noise comes before simulating the fear of those who shake laces and shields." "His courage is still and you have to have the heart to recognise it." "He never lowered himself to please anyone and clearly says what he thinks" "and because he does nor speak for his own good, but for the good of everyone." "D on't cry, You are the children of a hero." "How wise you are Santippe." "Call Santippe and the boys, and you give them a good example, be serene." "C ome, come here." "I 've something to tell you." "Oh no!" "You're dying un justly." "Would you prefer me to die justly?" "Well my friend." "You're the expert in poison." "What must I do?" "After drinking it, walk until your legs feel heavy, then lie down and let the hemlock act." "I drink to the Gods so they may protect my journey." "But why are you crying?" "D o you not know that nature condemned me to death since the day I was born?" "I f we have moved Santippe away, it's only to avoid her cries, be strong then" "Can you feel anything?" "No." "When the poison arrives, the body will depart." "M en slander swans at the time of death." "S wans do not sing of desperation , because they are happy to go to the Gods to serve them." "Here we are, my legs are becoming heavy." "Good Critone, we owe a cock to Esculapio, don't forget."