While reading the Apology it was frustrating and confusing
at times. There were times I wanted to stop reading because I disagreed with Socrates.
When I first read Socrates does not apologize for anything, right then and
there I form an opinion about him. It was very shocking to me that this man is
seventy years old and is being indicted for breaking the law. He is guilty of
corrupting the young and for not believing in the gods in whom the city
believes. I think he should be able to believe in what gods he pleases but, I know
during this time it was not expectable. I understand he broke the law and
everything but he’s already old. Socrates was a very smart man he talked to
very educated people in the society. He was also very clever. At the end when
he’s in court and he is being sentences to the death penalty, he is very brave
and shows the jurors that he does not care if he dies. I think it was funny
when he told the jurors how he would sentences him and told them all their
wrong doings. Overall I did enjoy the Apology I have worked with parts of this
pieces and previous classes, but I have never looked this far into it and I now
have a better understanding for the reading. I can see the humor he was trying
to have in the court. I suppose he was just trying to have fun with it since he
was old and was going to be sentences to death anyways.
I agree i also got frustrated while reading the Apology. I also don't like how Socrates refused to apologize. It made me feel like he was very arrogant.
ReplyDeleteI agree that his humor is good in The Apology because it is always good to have comic relief in something that can be so serious. On the other hand I think that Socrates not apologizing was the right thing to do, he has a right to stand up for what he believes in.
ReplyDeleteI also wanted to stop reading and formed an opinion on Socrates early on. He seemed like a a jerk to me for being so outspoken. I thought it was funny when he tried to tell the jurors a lesson as well. I enjoyed reading your post.
ReplyDeleteApology is the literal translation. What they meant by apology is actually what we would call a testimony. He's not apologizing for anything, he is telling his side of the story.
ReplyDeleteSomething I hadn't thought of that you brought up was Socrates' age. I knew he was old but I never thought about how odd it was that they were trying to sentence to death an old man. I mean, he was really old for his time! He would have died sooner or later.
I can see how people view Socrates as being arrogant. But personally I feel you have to give the man credit for standing for what he believes in and not giving in and apologizing.
ReplyDeleteI agree with most of what you said Kelsie. I would just like to add that I feel Socrates did not want to be a hypocrite so he continued to defy the court because he believed he did no wrong. Socrates did not offer an apology because he did not think he was wrong for his actions; rather Socrates thinks the court and his persecutors were the ones' that were corrupted and wrong. Socrates probably thought that the court owed him an apology but, being a smart man, Socrates knew the court was never going to apologize to him so instead he made a mockery of the court with his escapades!
ReplyDeleteGood job putting the situation itself into its historical context! Excellent post.
ReplyDelete