The first time I read Crito, I could not understand how Socrates could choose to die when he had a chance to escape. Plato’s stylistic choice to personify the Laws of Athens gave more validity to the arguments that Socrates was making to justify his decision. Many ethical questions arise through Socrates arguments. At the end it makes me wonder if Socrates is actually indirectly committing suicide, like some would say, or if there is an underlying purpose to his death?
Socrates argues that citizens are bound to the laws of Athens, therefore Plato makes the audience wonder if arranging an escape to save Socrates life is “honorable and just?” Socrates tells Crito that “the really important thing is not to live, but to live well.” Socrates feels that he has lived well “and that to live well means the same thing as to live honorably or rightly.” If Socrates decides to escape he will be acting unjustly towards one individual, the law of Athens. Plato gives the laws a voice, and has them show Socrates that the only right path is to obey the laws. The personified laws state, “We have brought you into the world and reared you and given you and all your fellow citizens a share in all the good things at our disposal” Socrates and the people of Athens owe everything they have to the rule of law, and escaping illegally would be a complete abdication of this important aspect of Athenian society. Socrates has a duty as a citizen of Athens to obey the laws. The laws tell Socrates, “You have undertaken, in deed if not in word, to live your life as a citizen in obedience to us.” By choosing to live in Athens, Socrates has decided that he agrees with the rule of law. His whole life he had the opportunity to leave, but he never did; therefore now he has to obey the sentencing of the law.
Why should Socrates obey the law if he was wrongly accused and sentenced? Shouldn’t it be fair for someone to escape when they are innocent, if there is no other way out? According to Socrates the only right way is to accept the punishment given by the law, regardless of what it is. The laws tell Socrates, “Do you imagine that a city can continue to exist and not be turned upside down, if the legal judgments which are pronounced in it have no force but are nullified and destroyed by private persons?” These laws have a supreme power, and individuals should not be able to ignore which ever law they feel can harm them. The laws continue, “Do you expect to have such license against your country and its laws that if we try to put you to death in the belief that it is right to do so, you on your part will try your hardest to destroy your country and us its laws in return.” Plato at this point makes the laws have a powerful voice that Socrates or Crito can not fight against. If Socrates were to choose to escape he would be destroying all the power and worth of the laws. Even if Socrates death sentence was unjust, he has to accept it because Athenian laws work and the one?s who are unjust are the people.
Socrates says that he doesn’t blame the laws which sentenced him, he blames the people. If the judgment of the people is unjust how can Socrates change this? Why doesn’t Socrates feel the need to retaliate against his enemies? The laws tell Socrates, “Both in war and in law courts and everywhere else you must do whatever your city and your country command, or else persuade them in accordance with universal justice, but violence is a sin even against your parents, and it is a far greater sin against your country.” The only solution that Socrates has, is to convince the people that he is innocent; escaping and ignoring the law will only be damaging. Socrates as a citizen of Athens has a duty to sacrifice himself for his city, just as some make this sacrifice at war. Again the voice of the law says, “if you cannot persuade your country you must do whatever it orders, and patiently submit to any punishment that it imposes” Socrates is willing to give up his life to Athens as an example of obedience to the law. Socrates teachings revolved around the validity of the legal system, and in dying he becomes a martyr for a cause rather than escaping and becoming a criminal who hates the legal system. If he betrayed the laws he would be betraying himself. Socrates feels that logical argument and persuasion should be the only way to change things. Socrates refuses to allow a personal motive of retaliation dictate his behavior. He feels that in a society that governs by laws, revenge is immoral. Since he can’t convince those who ruled against him, he believes that he has no other choice but to obey their sentence. If he escapes, it would only lead to more corruption within the system that found him guilty, and the change he hopes will occur would not be good.
One of Socrates teachings is that, “Goodness and integrity, institutions and laws, are the most precious possessions of man.” Plato made this dialogue appear as merely a conversation between Socrates and Crito, but at the same time it can be said that Socrates is sending a message to the Athenian people. Socrates life was based on teaching the people how to be better individuals. Because of Plato, even in his last conversations before his death he was able to continue his teachings. Socrates shows that it would be wrong for him to escape, “I cannot abandon the principle which I used to hold in the past simply because this accident happened to me.” Socrates is actually further teaching through his decision to die, by helping the Athenian citizens understand what is wrong and right in life. Socrates is not committing suicide, he chooses to die for an ideal; the rule of law, something that needs to be followed by all.
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