Apology (Plato)
Plato's account of Socrates' trial defence against impiety and corruption.
The *Apology of Socrates* is a Socratic dialogue written by Plato that presents the speech of legal self-defence delivered by Socrates at his trial in 399 BC. Socrates faced two formal charges: corrupting the youth of Athens and not believing in the city’s gods, instead introducing novel spiritual beings. The dialogue is one of four works—alongside *Euthyphro*, *Phaedo*, and *Crito*—through which Plato chronicles the final days of the philosopher. While it serves as a primary historical source for the trial, scholars continue to debate the accuracy of its account.
The text opens with Socrates addressing a jury of perhaps 500 Athenian men, asking whether they have been persuaded by his accusers—the orators Lycon, Anytus, and Meletus. Socrates immediately protests that his opponents have warned the audience to guard against his eloquence, but he insists he will speak extemporaneously, in his ordinary manner of questioning respected citizens, and that he is unfamiliar with the formalities of court. He later claims that his only wisdom lies in knowing that he knows nothing. During the trial, Socrates imitates, parodies, and corrects his accusers, urging the jury to judge him by the truth of his statements rather than his rhetorical skill. He refuses to use ornate language, instead speaking in the common idiom he used in the agora and at money tables. Despite the opportunity to appease the jury with minimal concessions, Socrates does not compromise his integrity to avoid the death penalty, and the jury condemns him.
The three accusers represented different interest groups: Anytus, a wealthy and prominent Athenian, opposed the Sophists and was vexed on behalf of craftsmen and politicians; Meletus, the only accuser to speak during the defence, was a young man who acted as Anytus’s tool and was vexed on behalf of the poets; and Lycon, who represented the rhetoricians, was vexed on behalf of his profession. Socrates cross-examines Meletus, leading him into a semantic contradiction: Meletus accuses Socrates of atheism while also claiming he believes in demigods. The dialogue is largely in the first-person voice of Socrates, except for two exchanges with Meletus, and Socrates twice notes that Plato is present at the trial.
- author
- Plato
- field
- Philosophy, Socratic dialogue
- nationality
- Ancient Greek (Athenian)
- known_for
- Defence speech of Socrates against charges of impiety and corruption
- language
- Ancient Greek
Lore & Background
Socrates protests that his accusers warned the audience against his eloquence, but he claims his language will be extemporaneous and in his common manner of interrogating respected Athenians. He argues that whatever wisdom he possesses comes from knowing that he knows nothing. During the trial, Socrates imitates, parodies, and corrects his accusers, asking the jury to judge him by the truth of his statements, not by oratorical skill. He says he will not use sophisticated language but will speak in the common idiom used in the agora. Although offered the opportunity to appease the jury's prejudices with a minimal concession, Socrates does not yield his integrity to avoid death. The jury condemns him to death. Socrates faced two sets of accusations: impiety against the pantheon of Athens by introducing new gods, and corruption of Athenian youth. He argues that old accusations arise from years of gossip and prejudice, and that the comic poet Aristophanes had lampooned him years earlier in the play The Clouds. Socrates also explains that young, rich men follow him about the city, observing his questioning, and then imitate his method, leading to resentment from those exposed as ignorant.
Reader's Guide
The Apology of Socrates is significant as one of the primary sources for understanding the trial and death of the philosopher Socrates, offering a detailed depiction of his legal self-defence. Written by Plato, it is an early philosophic defence of Socrates, presented in the form of a Socratic dialogue. Although Aristotle later classified it as a genre of fiction, it remains a useful historical source about Socrates. The work preserves the arguments Socrates used against charges of impiety and corruption, including his famous claim that his wisdom comes from knowing that he knows nothing. The dialogue also provides insight into the accusers—Anytus, Meletus, and Lycon—who represented the interests of politicians, craftsmen, poets, and rhetoricians. The Apology's legacy lies in its portrayal of Socrates' integrity: he refused to yield his principles even to avoid the death penalty. Scholars continue to debate the reliability of the account, but the dialogue remains central to Western philosophy and the historical understanding of Socrates' trial.
Did You Know?
- The Apology of Socrates is one of four Socratic dialogues—along with Euthyphro, Phaedo, and Crito—through which Plato details the final days of Socrates.
- During the trial, Socrates twice mentions that Plato is present at the trial (34a and 38b).
- Aristotle believed the dialogue, particularly the scene where Socrates questions Meletus, represented a good use of interrogation.
- The accusers of Socrates were Anytus, Meletus, and Lycon, who represented the interests of politicians, craftsmen, poets, and rhetoricians.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Plato's Apology?
It is a Socratic dialogue in which Plato recounts the defense speech Socrates delivered at his trial in Athens. It is one of four dialogues—alongside Euthyphro, Crito, and Phaedo—that trace the final days of Socrates' life.
What charges was Socrates defending himself against in the Apology?
He faced two main accusations: impiety (failing to honor the gods recognized by the city and introducing new divine beings) and corrupting the young people of Athens. Socrates argues in his speech that he has done neither, insisting his only crime is an uncompromising pursuit of truth.
How does the Apology end?
The jury convicts Socrates and sentences him to death by hemlock. Rather than beg for mercy or flee, he accepts the verdict with composure, telling his fellow citizens that they will suffer the greater harm by killing a man devoted to the examined life.
Who wrote the Apology and in what language was it composed?
The work was written by Plato, the ancient Athenian philosopher, in Ancient Greek. It belongs to the Socratic-dialogue genre and serves as one of the earliest surviving written records of Socrates' own words and reasoning.
Why is the Apology considered important in philosophy?
It is the principal primary source for Socrates' trial, his self-conception as a philosophical midwife, and his famous insistence that an unexamined life is not worth living. Scholars also debate how faithfully Plato's literary rendering matches the historical event, making it a key text for both ethics and the study of ancient Greek thought.
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