The Charges against Socarates

I cannot tell how you Athenians have been affected by my accusers.

They have told so many lies.

I have had many accusers who have accused me falsely for so many years.

I do not know and cannot tell the names of my accusers; unless in the chance case of a Comic poet.

My opponents are of two kinds:

• recent
• ancient

Meletus has made this charge against me:

“Socrates is an evil-doer, and a curious person, who searches into things under the earth and in heaven, and he makes the worse appear the better cause; and he teaches the aforesaid doctrines to others.”

As little foundation is there for the report that I am a teacher, and take money. This accusation has no more truth in it than the other.

Although, if a man were really able to instruct mankind, to receive money for giving instruction would, in my opinion, be an honour to him.

There is Gorgias of Leontium, and Prodicus of Ceos, and Hippias of Elis, who go the round of the cities, and are able to persuade the young men to leave their own citizens by whom they might be taught for nothing, and come to them whom they not only pay, but are thankful if they may be allowed to pay them. There is at this time a Parian philosopher residing in Athens, of whom I have heard.

I came to hear of him in this way:

I came across a man who has spent a world of money on the Sophists, Callias, the son of Hipponicus. I knew that he had sons, so I asked him:

Happy is Evenus, I said to myself, if he really has this wisdom, and teaches at such a moderate charge. Had I the same, I should have been very proud and conceited; but the truth is that I have no knowledge of the kind.

Some among you will reply: “Yes, Socrates, but what is the origin of these accusations against you? You must have been doing something strange?"

Although some of you may think that I am joking, I am telling the entire truth. I am called wise and have such an evil fame because of my human wisdom.

I have a witness who is worthy of credit–the God of Delphi.

He will tell you about my wisdom and of what sort it is.

Chaerephon was early a friend of mine, and also a friend of yours. He:

• shared in the recent exile of the people, and returned with you.
• was very impetuous in all his doings.
• went to Delphi and boldly asked the oracle to tell him whether anyone was wiser than I was.

The Pythian prophetess answered, that there was no man wiser.

Chaerephon is dead, but his brother, who is in court, will confirm the truth of what I am saying.

When I heard the answer, I said to myself, What can the god mean?

• Yet he is a god, and cannot lie.

I reflected that if I could only find a man wiser than myself, then I can refute the god.

So I went to a wise man, a politician.

When I began to talk with him, I realized that he was not really wise, although he was thought wise by many, and still wiser by himself.

Then I tried to explain to him that he thought himself wise, but was not really wise. And so he hated me.

• His enmity was shared by several who were present and heard me.

Then I went to another who had still higher pretensions to wisdom, and my conclusion was exactly the same.

• Whereupon I made another enemy of him, and of many others besides him.