A paraphrase of Socrates’ Apology

What follows is a paraphrased version of Socrates speech in his defence. 

(NB: I have taken huge liberties with the text in these dialogues. They are very different from the actual texts themselves, but I have tried to outline some of the key arguments in the order in which they appear in the text and to maintain the sense of dialogue. My aim was to give you an introduction to the ideas discussed and to use those ideas as a catalyst for your own thoughts.) 

I have to say that I’ve been very impressed with the prosecution’s case against me. They were so persuasive that I almost forgot who I was! I would say, though that they’ve been too nice about me. They’ve warned you that you need to be a bit careful because I can speak very well and persuasively, but I’m pretty certain that now that I’ve opened my mouth, you’ve realised that you’ve nothing to be afraid of. I’m not going to talk from a prepared set of notes or make a fancy speech; I’m just going to say whatever words and arguments pop into my head. And please don’t be upset if I use some of the fruity language of the marketplace or the streets. I’m not used to these posh situations and I’m too old to learn now. So, I don’t know what they were afraid of – unless, if by ‘speak well’ they mean ‘tell the truth’, because that’s exactly what I will do.

The thing is, it’s not just Melitus who is accusing me; there have always been people who don’t like me or what I do. Some people have tried to suggest that I fancy myself as a scientist or a magician – someone who thinks that they have special knowledge, and that thinks that they’re a great teacher. But that’s not true at all. 

Firstly, no disrespect to scientists or magicians, but I’m not interested in those things. I’m interested in virtue, justice, truth and wisdom.

Secondly, I don’t think I’m a great teacher, because I’ve got nothing to teach. I don’t know anything and don’t have any special skills. If I did, then yes, I’d be like Gorgias or someone like that and  get paid for being a teacher. But I’ve never asked for any money for teaching.

So why do people think that I reckon that I’m so clever? I think it all comes from what Chaerephon (who is well known for making bad decisions) did that one time: He asked the Oracle at Delphi whether there was anyone wiser than Socrates. Unfortunately, the Oracle said that there wasn’t. So, people think that I’m arrogant and full of myself, but I was just really confused. So, after hearing about what the Oracle said, I went looking for really clever people who could prove the Oracle wrong. And I certainly found clever people: poets, politicians, artisans. And they all had lots of skills. The problem was that they all thought, that just because they had these skills, that they also knew about the most important stuff – like virtue, truth and all that. But they didn’t. So, I came to the conclusion that the Oracle was right in a funny kind of way: I did know one very important thing that other people didn’t know: that I know I don’t know about these things.

Now, I think the real problem that people have is that when I go around asking people questions about what they know, they don’t like it. In the end, it just becomes pretty obvious that they don’t really know what they think they know. And what made people even madder with me, was the fact that a load of young people saw me asking questions of these well-respected people and then started copying me. It’s fairly easy for someone to ignore me - an old untidy man - but it’s much more embarrassing if a youth starts questioning you. So, people came to the conclusion that I’d taught these young people - but as I say - I’ve got nothing to teach and I’ve never charged anyone for teaching either.

Now that I’ve explained why I’ve got a bad reputation, I’ll deal with my accuser here today, Miletus. –If I have corrupted the youth of the city, then I’ve either done it intentionally, or I’ve done it by accident. If I’ve done it by accident, then it’s not an issue for the court to decide – Miletus should have just spoken to me in private. But Miletus thinks that I’ve done it on purpose. But I know that corrupting the youth of the city will result in me being punished, so why would I do it on purpose?

Secondly, you accuse me of not believing in the Gods. But I don’t think that makes any sense either. As I’ve said, I am only interested in learning about virtue, truth, justice and wisdom, and these are all holy things, they’re divine things, they’re things from God. So how can I believe in these things, but at the same time be accused of not believing in the Gods? 

You see, my whole mission here in Athens has been based on learning about these things, and I totally accept that I’ve been annoying. I have been annoying – and good job too! I’m like a Gadfly that is biting a horse to wake it up. Athens has fallen asleep, it has become arrogant and lazy, and I am here to wake it up by asking questions and by making people realise that they don’t know what they think they know. I think that what I do is important, and very valuable. And it is a cause that I am willing to die for.

My last point is this. If I really have corrupted the young people of the city, surely the people who would be most likely to complain about me would be the families of those young people. But they’re not here to speak against me; they’re here to support me. That should show you something.

Death is one of two things: it’s either like a dreamless sleep of which I won’t be aware, or it’ll be a journey into another place where I will definitely be able to see the God and find out more about those things that I care about – like truth, virtue, wisdom and justice. So, neither option scares me at all. 

One last thing before I go. Please, do me a favour: when my sons grow up, if they seem to care about money or anything more than they care about virtue and being good or if they pretend to be something that they’re not, then please cause a load of bother for them, just as I’ve caused bother for you. If you do this, then I’ll have received some kind of justice at your hands.

The time has come to leave, and we’ll go our own ways – I to die and you to live. Which is better, only God knows.