Christopher Ashkar Dr.

Egan: Section 03 10/01/2012

Crito
Crito, in The Last Days of Socrates by Plato, opens with a scene in which Crito visits Socrates in prison viewing Socrates in his almost worry-free sleep which Crito describes as fortunate for the way he conducts himself. After the main dialogue Crito creates an argument as to why Socrates should neglect death and find it in him to go into exile. Socrates then creates a counter argument based on passed arguments that he and Crito agreed on. Socrates ultimately creates an argument that the city of Athens could use against him as to why it would be wrong to break from prison and I agree with the argument Socrates crafts for the laws of Athens. I believe as logical and commendable as Critos arguments against Socrates original reasoning were, that Socrates left Crito without an objection to his final reasoning therefore prevailing in his argument. I will discuss why and how I believe Socrates was more persuasive in his arguments about the Laws of Athens and how it would be unjust for him to flee from prison and take to a life of exile. In examining the strength of his argument for Athens I will compare them to and reply with counter arguments from Crito along with how Socrates more objections as to why the argument works. Socrates argument as to why he accepted death so peacefully adheres to his argument about the true philosopher. Any person truly interested in wisdom and the answers to lifes questions would never be so attached to material things and would welcome the chance of death. He argues that death is just merely the separation of body and sole, nothing other than dying, and being dead. A true philosopher sets the least value

on the body, accepts and wants death and is just waiting for the gods to allow them. This is the reasoning as to why Crito see Socrates rests so peacefully. He welcomes the thought of death because knowledge cant be acquired till after. Socrates sees this as his time to go as the gods have chosen. Socrates argument comes after Crito visits him at dawn in prison and gives him his reasoning. When Socrates counters Crito he argues in the name of the city of Athens, which is way I believe he had a better argument. He looks at his actions and realizes if they are carried out he may be seen as hypocritical. He observes any objections the city could have, just not necessarily saying they would be able to make the same argument, and argues for them against actions that would benefit him as a human but not a true philosopher. Socrates first argues against why not to worry about what ordinary people may see Crito as they are foolish but worry rather about what the person who knows about the just and unjust will say. Socrates then draws Crito back to previous arguments or even agreements they have had, that its not that living should be our first priority, but living well. Socrates points out that the people Crito is worried about, ordinary people, are the type of people that would be worried about the points Crito made and offhandedly send a man to his death. He then transitions the argument by conveying that if they justly gave money and to the people that will get him out of prison whether in truth they would be acting unjustly. He articulates that not even a person treated unjustly should act unjustly in return and that neither should unfairness be returned nor hurt done to any person. Socrates continues by trying to explain that if everyone felt they were treated unjustly as Socrates was and the private citizens paid no attention to the courts the city would be turned upside down, so there is no reason for him to be hypocritical because he

wouldnt want everyone to do the same. In continuing he persuades Crito that it is similar to him having made a promise to the city of Athens and that he wouldnt want to break his word. Socrates then argues against his exile on behalf of the laws of Athens. He brings up the points that the laws brought him to birth and the laws brought up and educate the children. I agree with these ideas he is putting forth because he is leading toward the fact that he loves Athens and that people are to ready to leave just for their own good while he is seemingly just trying to pay his respects to the city by passively leaving things be. He continues arguing on behalf of the laws of the city of Athens by bringing up his record for unbroken residency in the city. It is highly unlikely that the city itself would bring up a statistic such as this, that he has never left the city, nor for curiosity in another city or trips abroad like the other Athenians. This is Socrates professing his love for Athens revealing that he would die in the city that raised him before he left in exile and tarnished his legacy. Dont you think that what Socrates stands for will appear obscene as a result? Socrates is arguing for the laws of Athens that if he liked the city as much as he does, a point he continues strengthening, he would not commit injustice to it. According to Socrates, it would be paying no respect to the laws by breaking them deliberately when he could have had the citys approval by arguing for exile before death as his penalty in his arguments before the court. He continues building on his argument saying the city was to his liking, as he had three children and if he left, they would be foreigners in another city, or a friend could take care of them in Athens yet a friend could take care of them while Socrates was in Hades, if they were a true friend. He concludes by saying if he took off from prison and shamelessly return injustice for injustice and harm for harm, breaking his own agreement with the city, and doing harm to

those he should have hurt least the city would be angry while he be alive and the laws in Hades would not receive him in a good spirit. Socrates argument later in Crito about the laws of Athens almost completely obliterate Critos initial argument to flee in exile leaving him with nothing to say. Critos argument seems strong as he carries valid points by starting off in saying that the reputation of his friends will be endangered among the ordinary people Crito sites in his argument yet he also says that he doesnt need to about the risk or the money that his friends will run and use in his attempt at escaping. Crito is worried they will be viewed as cowards but Socrates enlightens him that the opinion of those that are foolish in their thoughts are the same ones who put him to death and so Crito need not worry about them. He attempts convincing Socrates that firstly there are other good places to live a virtuous life, that he is not satisfying his commitment with his children, but more extremely that he is acting unjustly by allowing his enemies to fulfill their deeds and succumbing to the easier path of death. Crito asserts all this after he begins his attempt of persuasion with, If you die itll be more than one misfortune apart from being deprived of a friend the like of whom Ill never, ever, find again. Socrates counter to most of Critos points of persuasion is that Socrates readily accepts death as a true philosopher in search for knowledge and yet the rest of the point could be rebutted by Socrates laws of Athens argument. For example, if Socrates leaves his children behind they will be taken care of by his friends, same as if he was executed and in Hades and they may not integrate into the society of another town as foreigners. Also, Crito points out that Socrates will adapt and find another good town to live which is not necessarily true because in his argument, Socrates professes his love for Athens and

was said to have only left the city in 70 years for one festival, the Isthmian Games and military service abroad. Crito is left thumped in his own path and given no other option to succumb to Socrates wishes and leave him be. In conclusion, I agreed more with Socrates argument because he was original by arguing against his own exile over death through the point of view of the laws. Socrates ultimately accepted and welcomed death as many true philosophers according to Socrates would have and should. He understood that death is simply separation of body and sole and it was soon to come for him anyways, so he argued for the laws the city of Athens and reasoned against himself as to why it would be a wiser decision to accept the consequences of the ruling. He makes it seem as if, if it were truly his will to carry on in the world, he could have argued for it better or at least for exile than he had done in the Athenian Court System, where it is the majority ruling of the ordinary people of the city. Socrates argument for the laws of Athens comes down to convincing and understanding what the difference between being just and unjust can be and how it is seen by other people and the gods, and he irrevocably ends the argument by saying, Then let it be, Crito, and lets do as I say, since thats the way the god is leading us.