Apology of Socrates

This book is in the category for the beginner’s book list for starting philosophy or specifically Platonism. It is very brief, only 44 pages in length. This means that it can be read quickly and if the reader wishes he can re-read it easily. However, even if it is a beginner’s book to Platonism, what is different in this book compared to the other books by Plato is that it lacks the dialogues because Socrates provides both the questions and the answers himself since he is in a trial defending himself in court. But even with this kind of dialogue in indirect speech, Plato succeeds in transporting the reader into the standard style of the Platonic dialogues.

The Apology of Socrates is the defence of Socrates against the accusations and charges of being unfair and corrupting the young and also not believing in the gods in whom the city believes(24.b). The judgement of the court was death for Socrates. What is impressive about this dialogue is the integrity and bravery of Socrates who does not wish to avoid the penalty of death! He mentions several times that he has no fear of death and that he will obey the law and do what the city decides. Socrates supports that death can be a good thing since it might lead to a higher plane of existence. This fact proves the inner freedom of Socrates and that he was a man of no passions. In the text there are teachings about life, death, ethics, virtues, laws, gods, good, evil, honesty as in every part of the book Socrates speaks with clear integrity, using logic in order to reveal the truth with his words.

The Apology of Socrates is a work of Plato which was written shortly after the death of the great philosopher Socrates. This work is the first one written by Plato who was a close student of Socrates.