At all times, the authorities did not like dissident people, such was the great philosopher of antiquity - Socrates. He was accused of corrupting the youth and believing in new deities. In this article, we will talk about how Socrates lived and 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. The mother was a "midwife", today she would be called a midwife. My father worked hard and hard as a stonemason. The son did not want to continue his work. He chose his own path. Socrates became a philosopher and gave people the truth, having long conversations with them about the meaning of life, taught people morality. In conversations with his opponents, he tried to find a way to perfection.
In the views of Socrates, the city of Athens is a lazy, strong, but fat from abundant food horse, which needs to be teased all the time, not to give rest. He saw himself as such a gadfly teasing an animal. 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 faith in themselves and the Lord. He was ready to talk about moral philosophy with any passer-by and at any time.time.
Socrates' Appearance
There is information that a well-known physiognomist at that time, when he met the philosopher, read signs on his face that were not very flattering at that time. He told Socrates that he had a sensual nature and a penchant for vice. The appearance of the philosopher really was such, which in those days was considered a sign of a propensity for 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 base nature. When he told Socrates about this, those around him condemned the specialist in physiognomy. Socrates, on the contrary, stood up for a person and said that he is a real professional, because he really has a naturally developed sensual principle, but he was unable to curb it. Socrates told people that he himself sculpted his image and developed tremendous fortitude.
Socrates is an honest citizen
Having, like all citizens, certain obligations to the family, city, country, Socrates always fulfilled them in good faith. It respected the public law, but tried to act responsibly and was distinguished by the fact that it always expressed its own opinion. For example, when he was in the court, where there were about 500 jurors, he alone did not agree with the imposition of the death sentence on the strategists who won the battle of Arginus. They were accused of not burying the bodies of soldiers who died in battle.
Fighting in the Peloponnesian War, heproved to be a very courageous warrior. Twice he risked his life to save his comrades. Socrates has many such feats, but he never boasted of them. He believed that this was called "living in good conscience."
Caring for the Soul
Primary for Socrates was spiritual purity, he disdainfully treated everything worldly. He did not need we alth, power, he thought little about physical he alth and the opinions of others. Socrates believed that all these things are secondary. His soul always came to the fore.
The Accusation of Socrates
Unfortunately, he ended his days tragically. Next, let's talk about what are the causes and circumstances of the death of Socrates. Three citizens of Athens accused him of teaching the youth not to recognize the gods worshiped in Athens and telling the younger generation about some new geniuses. The people who accused Socrates were called:
- Melet (singing);
- Anit (owner of leather workshops);
- Lykon (speaker).
Citizens demanded the death pen alty for him. It cannot be said that the accusation was without foundation. Socrates really taught young people to use their own minds and not to rely completely on the will of the gods, as was customary then. But in this way he deprived parents and teachers of authority, undermined the foundations of the traditional education of the Athenians.
Who did Socrates believe in?
Before we know how Socrates died after his sentence, we must figure everything outwho he believed in. According to him, a demon lived inside him, which told him how to live, protected him from doing wrong things. Therefore, the behavior of Socrates often went beyond moral principles, he had his own morality, which did not harm anyone, but went against what the inhabitants of Athens were used to. In short, the reason for the death of Socrates was dissent, although it did not bring grief to anyone, this did not suit the authorities and the inhabitants of the city.
The philosopher treated his accusers, judges and all the townspeople who did not support him as small children. He considered himself right, although he understood that his values differed greatly from those of his contemporaries. He treated people with love, considering them foolish children. He identified himself with his older brother or father. He was not angry at those who sentenced him to death, but until the last moment he tried to tell the judges the truth.
Socrates in court
He behaved differently in the courtroom than usual. He himself noted with surprise unusual behavior. It was judged by more than 500 people. The so-called department of political and state crimes. Here they were supposed to confirm his guilt and pronounce a verdict. Socrates was found guilty by 253 people. This was not a prerequisite for the death pen alty, but Socrates messed it up himself. According to the rules of judging, before sentencing, the defendant received a word to admit his guilt and repent. This softened the sentence. As a rule, the defendant himself had to state in court that heterribly guilty and deserving of capital punishment. This was supposed to soften the court, and usually in such cases the defendants were released.
So why did Socrates die? He made a speech that all his deeds are good for the Athenians. And that he should be rewarded, not judged. He told the judges that this was his life's work, and when he was released, he would continue his educational work. The philosopher greatly angered the judges with his impudence. For the second time, another 80 people voted for his execution.
This behavior was strange even for the philosopher himself, who studied himself well. He was characterized by humanism and philanthropy. In life, he was very sociable, but always proved his case. He did it very carefully so as not to offend anyone. Although he was uncompromising in regard to morality and morality, he expressed his own opinion modestly. He was gentle with his interlocutors and treated them respectfully, in every possible way emphasizing their dignity and taking his own into the shadows.
At the trial, the philosopher behaved quite differently. He carried himself proudly, his eyes were stern, like those of a teacher. He spoke of his mission as something of the utmost importance. The philosopher critically assessed the moral principles and way of life of the Athenians.
What is the heroism of Socrates' death? In the courtroom, the Athenian philosopher does not give the judges the opportunity to give him an indulgence because of his age and peacefulness in general, because he did not commit terrible crimes. He brushes aside all possible extenuating circumstances, wanting to be judged fairly. Socrates was afraid that peoplethey will say that he himself is not bad, but his teachings are bad. He was inextricably linked to his beliefs. The philosopher himself does not leave any escape routes for judging, and he is given a terrible sentence - the death pen alty.
The story of the death of Socrates
Socrates had to die from the "state poison" - hemlock, a plant with the Latin name Conium maculatum, that is, spotted hemlock. Poisonous in it is the alkaloid horse. Some historians are of the opinion that this is not hemlock, but Cicuta Virosa, that is, poisonous milestones. In this plant, the poisonous substance is the alkaloid cicutotoxin. In principle, it did not affect how Socrates died.
Before the sentence was put into effect, Socrates was in prison for another 30 days. To many, it is the expectation that will seem the most terrible, but Socrates endured it steadfastly, believing that there is nothing terrible in death.
Why did you have to wait so long?
The fact is that the court made a decision 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.
Refusing to escape
Since the waiting period dragged on, the philosopher's friends were looking for a way out of this situation, because they loved Socrates and considered the sentence a terrible mistake. More than once during this month they offered him to organize an escape, but he categorically refused. This is the heroism of the death of Socrates. He thought that since it happened, then it was the will of God.
On the last day, Plato - a friend and student of Socrates - was allowed to have a conversation with him. These weretalk about the immortality of the soul. The discussion was so emotional that the jailer asked the opponents to be quiet several times. He explained that Socrates should not excite himself before his execution, that is, "get excited." 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 entire execution process. Until now, the behavior of Socrates in the face of death is considered the canon of courage. While the philosopher was biding his time in prison, he asked the gatekeeper how to behave. When he was presented with a goblet of poison, he calmly drank it.
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 his dying hour, he turned to his friend Crito. Socrates reminded him that he owed Asclepius a rooster and asked him not to forget to give it back.
Conclusions after the death of Socrates
So you learned about how Socrates died. His death shattered 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 Plato, for example, began to wonder how imperfect the world that killed such a righteous man as Socrates was. It was Plato who concluded that there should be a more perfect heavenly world in which such virtues asAbbreviated
Conclusion
In this article, you learned how Socrates died. He is a symbol of fortitude and his own convictions. When the philosopher was told that the Athenians condemned him to death, he replied that nature itself had long sentenced them to death.
