At all times, the authorities did not like dissenting people, such was the great philosopher of antiquity - Socrates. He was accused of molesting young people and believing in new deities. In this article we will talk about how Socrates lived and how he died.
The philosopher lived in 470-399. BC e. He was a free citizen of Athens. The family in which he was born was not poor. Mother was a “midwife”, today she would be called a midwife. My father worked a lot and hard as a masons. The son did not want to continue his business. He himself chose his path. Socrates became a philosopher and gave people the truth, conducting lengthy discussions with them about the meaning of life, and taught the people of morality. In conversations with his opponents, he tried to find a path to excellence.
In the views of Socrates, the city of Athens is a lazy horse, strong but fat from plentiful food, which needs to be constantly teased and haunted. With such a gadfly, teasing an animal, he saw himself. He believed that the Lord assigned him to the inhabitants of Athens in order to travel and communicate with them constantly, to persuade them to live a full life, to strengthen in each of them the faith in themselves and the Lord. He was ready to talk about moral philosophy with any passerby and at any time.
Appearance of Socrates
There is evidence that one physiognomist known in those days, when he met the philosopher, read on his face not very flattering signs at that time. He told Socrates that he had a sensual nature and a penchant for vices. The appearance of the philosopher really was such that in those days was considered a sign of a tendency to adultery. He was short, but broad in the shoulders, slightly overweight, had a bull neck, bulging eyes, full lips. All this, according to the physiognomist, was a sign of low-lying nature. When he told Socrates about this, those around him condemned the physiognomy specialist. Socrates, on the contrary, stood up for the man and said that he is a real professional, because he really has a naturally developed sensory beginning, but he did not manage to curb him. Socrates told people that he had sculpted his image and developed tremendous fortitude.
Socrates is an honest citizen
Having, like all citizens, certain obligations to his family, city, country, Socrates always fulfilled them conscientiously. It respected social law, but tried to act responsibly and was distinguished by the fact that it always expressed its own opinion. For example, when he was on the jury, where there were about 500 people, he alone did not agree with the death sentence of the strategists who won the battle of Arginus. They were accused of not burying the bodies of soldiers killed in the battle.
Fighting in the Peloponnesian War, he proved himself to be a very courageous warrior. Twice he risked his life to save his comrades. Socrates had many such feats, but he never boasted of them. He believed that it was called "living with conscience."
Caring for the soul
The primary purity for Socrates was mental purity; he was dismissive of everything mundane. He did not need wealth, power, he thought little about physical health and the opinions of others. Socrates believed that all these things are secondary. His soul always came to the fore.
Accusation of Socrates
Unfortunately, he ended his days tragically. Next, we talk about what are the causes and circumstances of the death of Socrates. Three citizens of Athens accused him of teaching young people not to recognize the gods worshiped in Athens and telling the young generation about some new geniuses. The people who blamed Socrates were called:
- Melet (sings);
- Anit (owner of tanneries);
- Lycon (speaker).
Citizens demanded the death penalty for him. This is not to say that the accusation was groundless. Socrates really taught young people to use their own minds and not rely completely on the will of the gods, as was customary then. But in this way he deprived his parents and teachers of authority, undermined the foundations of the traditional education of the Athenians.
Who did Socrates believe in?
Before we find out how Socrates died after his sentence, we still need to figure out who he believed in. According to him, there was a demon inside of him, who told him how to live, protected him from committing wrong actions. Therefore, the behavior of Socrates often went beyond moral principles, he had his own morality, which did no harm to anyone, but went against what the inhabitants of Athens were used to. In short, the cause of Socrates' death was dissent, although it did not bring grief to anyone, the authorities and residents of the city did not like it.
The philosopher treated his accusers, judges and all the townspeople who did not support him, as to small children. He considered himself right, although he understood that his values were very different from those of his contemporaries. He lovingly treated people, considering them unreasonable children. He identified himself with his elder brother or father. He was not angry at those who had sentenced him to death, but until the last moment he tried to tell the judges the truth.
Socrates in court
In the courtroom, he did not behave as usual. He himself was surprised to note unusual behavior. He was tried by more than 500 people. The so-called branch of political and state crimes. Here they were supposed to confirm his guilt and pronounce the verdict. Socrates was found guilty of 253 people. This was not a prerequisite for the death penalty, but Socrates himself spoiled everything. According to the rules of refereeing, before the sentencing, the defendant received the word to admit his guilt and repent. This softened the sentence. As a rule, the accused himself had to speak out in court that he was terribly guilty and deserved capital punishment. This was supposed to ruin the court, and usually in such cases the defendants were released.
So why did Socrates die? He gave a speech that all his affairs are good for the Athenians. And that he needs to be awarded, not judged. He told the judges that it was a matter of his life, and when he was released into the wild, he would continue his educational work. The philosopher greatly angered the assessors with his insolence. The second time, another 80 people voted for his execution.
Such behavior was strange even for the philosopher himself, who had studied himself well. Humanity and humanity were inherent in him. In life, he was very sociable, but always proved his case. He did this very carefully so as not to hurt anyone. Although he was uncompromising in terms of morality, he expressed his own opinion modestly. He was gentle with his interlocutors and treated them with respect, in every way emphasizing their dignity and taking their own into the shadows.
At the trial, the philosopher behaved very differently. He held proudly, his gaze was stern, like that of a teacher. He spoke of his mission as something of utmost importance. The philosopher criticized the moral principles and lifestyle of the Athenians.
What is the heroism of the death of Socrates? In the courtroom, the Athenian philosopher does not give judges the opportunity to indulge him because of his age and peace in general, because he did not commit terrible crimes. He dismisses all possible extenuating circumstances, wishing to be judged fairly. Socrates was afraid that people would say that he himself was not bad, but his teachings are bad. He inextricably linked himself to his beliefs. The philosopher himself does not leave any escape routes for refereeing, and he is sentenced to a terrible sentence - the death penalty.
The story of the death of Socrates
Socrates was supposed to die from the “state poison” —cycuts, plants with the Latin name Conium maculatum, that is, spotted hemlock. Poisonous in it is the alkaloid horse meat. Some historians are of the opinion that this is not hemlock, but Cicuta Virosa, that is, a milestone poisonous. In this plant, the toxic substance is the alkaloid cycutotoxin. In principle, how Socrates died, this had no effect.
Before the sentence was brought into effect, Socrates remained in prison for another 30 days. To many, the most terrifying is the expectation, but Socrates endured it steadily, believing that there was nothing to worry about in death.
Why did you have to wait so long?
The fact is that the court ruled when the inhabitants of Athens sent a ship with ritual gifts to the island of Delos. Until the ship returned to their hometown, they could not execute anyone.
Refusal to escape
Since the waiting period was delayed, the friends of the philosopher were looking for a way out of this situation, because they loved Socrates and considered the verdict a terrible mistake. More than once during this month they suggested he organize an escape, but he categorically refused. That is the heroism of the death of Socrates. He thought that if this happened, then this is God's will.
On the last day, Plato - a friend and pupil of Socrates - was allowed to talk with him. It was talk of the immortality of the soul. The discussion was so emotional that the jailer several times asked opponents to be quiet. He explained that Socrates should not be disturbed before the execution, that is, "to provoke". It was believed that everything that was "hot" could prevent the poison from acting on the condemned, and he would die in terrible agony. In addition, the poison will have to drink two, or even three times.
Description of the death of Socrates
Socrates was sentenced to death at the age of 70. He steadfastly endured the whole process of execution. Until now, the behavior of Socrates in the face of death is considered the canon of courage. While the philosopher was waiting in prison for his time, he asked the gatekeeper how to behave. When he was presented with a goblet with poison, he drank it calmly.
After that, he walked around the cell until his hips began to numb, then he had to lie down. What were the words of Socrates before his death? In the dying hour, he turned to his friend Criton. Socrates reminded him that he owed the Asclepius a rooster, and asked him not to forget to give it back.
Conclusions made after the death of Socrates
So you found out how Socrates died. His death crippled the European spirit. For thinking Europeans, it has become a sign of misfortune and the triumph of injustice. The greatest minds of that time, such as, for example, Plato, began to wonder how imperfect is the world that killed such a righteous man as Socrates. It was Plato who concluded that there should be a more perfect non-heaven world, in which virtues such as Socrates should live.
Conclusion
In this article, you learned how Socrates died. It is a symbol of fortitude and one's own convictions. When the philosopher was told that the Athenians condemned him to death, he replied that nature itself had long condemned them to death.