Trial and Death of Socrates: What Happened
In 399 BC, the philosopher Socrates was put on trial in Athens, charged with impiety for not recognizing the city's gods and introducing new ones, and with corrupting the youth. His accusers were Meletus, Anytus and Lycon. Socrates had spent decades questioning his fellow citizens in the streets and marketplace, exposing false claims to wisdom, which won him devoted followers and many enemies. The political climate also mattered. Some of his former associates, including Alcibiades and Critias, the leader of the Thirty Tyrants, had done great harm to Athens, and many citizens held Socrates partly responsible. At his trial, before a jury of about 500 citizens, Socrates defended himself without apology, and he was found guilty by a narrow margin. When asked to propose a penalty, he suggested free meals at public expense as a reward, which angered the jury, and a larger majority voted for death. Socrates refused his friends' plans for escape and drank poison hemlock. His student Plato described the trial and death, and Socrates became a symbol of free thought.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Socrates put on trial?
Socrates was charged in 399 BC with impiety, for not recognizing the city's gods and introducing new ones, and with corrupting the youth of Athens.
Who accused Socrates?
His accusers were Meletus, Anytus and Lycon. Anytus was an influential democratic politician, and political resentment over Socrates' former associates also played a role.
How did Socrates die?
After being sentenced to death, Socrates drank a cup of poison hemlock in prison. He refused his friends' plans to help him escape, believing he should obey the laws of Athens.
How do we know about the trial of Socrates?
His students Plato and Xenophon wrote accounts. Plato's Apology presents Socrates' defense speech, while his dialogues Crito and Phaedo describe his last days and death.
Why is the death of Socrates important?
Socrates became a lasting symbol of free thought and of standing by one's principles. His death shaped the work of Plato and the whole tradition of Western philosophy.
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