Fill the Stage

Socrates, the great ancient Greek philosopher who loved wisdom and strongly influenced Plato and Western Civilization, was accused of impiety and of corrupting the youth of Athens and was condemned to die.

Famed for his obsessive focus on wisdom, the good life, and the soul, he eschewed living merely for economic or material gain and believed that behaving wickedly is worse than dying.

At his trial, Socrates said: “But I suggest, gentlemen, that the difficulty is not so much to escape death; the real difficulty is to escape from wickedness, which is far more fleet of foot.”

Socrates believed human wisdom alone was insufficient for the good life, that wisdom requires being aware of one’s ignorance, and that the unexamined life was not worth living.

The Last Days of Socrates features four well-known dialogues attributed to Plato that take place during Socrates’ trial and death.

• Euthyphro: Socrates is on his way to court; he and Euthyphro discuss the nature of holiness or piety, which Socrates believes is a form of justice.
• Apology is Socrates’ trial defense before an Athenian jury. Certainly, the most famous and read of all the dialogues.
• Crito: A pupil and friend tries to persuade Socrates to escape from prison and execution. Socrates argues that escaping would be unjust, as it would overturn his city’s laws.
• Phaedo concerns Socrates about to die. Among friends, he seeks to prove the immortality of the soul.

These are not dry philosophical treatises; they are enjoyable, literary masterpieces that provoke serious thought about important questions.