Two counts for which the Athenians condemn Socrates to death, § 1.List some arguments against the first charge: Socrates often offered sacrifices to the gods, §2.Socrates Divination, His Patronus Not New, §2-5.He exhorts men to call upon God in their troubles, verses 6-9; he is not guilty of impiety, he avoids vain inferences about God, and says that the business of philosophy is the study of virtue, verses 10-17.His life conforms to the code of ethics, pp. 18-20. I have often wondered what arguments the prosecutors against Socrates used to convince the Athenians that he should be condemned to death by the city.The gist of their indictment against him was this: Socrates violated the law in that he disrespected the gods honored by the city and introduced new ones;

In the first place, what arguments do they give for saying that he does not honor the gods whom the city honors?It is well known that he often offered sacrifices at home and on the public altars of the city; it was not unknown that he practiced divination; for, "Socrates often said that the gods taught him," This phrase has become a common phrase of the people; in fact, they charged him with introducing new gods, which was largely inferred from this circumstance.Yet he introduced no newer gods than those who practiced divination, and consulted for signs, sounds, omens, and sacrifices; It is beneficial to those who are not, but believe that the gods use them as a medium to reveal those things that foretell good and bad; such is the view embraced by Socrates.Most people superficially say that they avoid or tend to a certain thing because they are inspired by birds or people who meet them, but Socrates speaks from the thoughts in his heart, because he says , the gods are his counselors.He also frequently advised many of his friends to do certain things and not others, and implied that the gods had forewarned him; Everyone regrets it.

Who can deny that Socrates did not want to appear to his friends a fool or a boaster?But if, after he says he was instructed by God, he turns out to be a liar, he will appear both a fool and a boaster.So, obviously, if he didn't believe his words would be proven, he wouldn't have spoken up front.But who would trust anyone but God in such matters?How can a person who trusts in God think that there is no God?He also acted according to his own beliefs in dealing with his friends, for he always advised them to do those necessary and fruitful things in the way he thought best; They go to divination to decide where to go.He said that anyone who wants to manage a family or a city well needs divination; as for those who want to be proficient in architecture, metalwork, agriculture, or personnel management, or want to be a critic in this kind of art, or be a master of fine arts. For reasoning, being a good housekeeper, or wanting to be a capable general, all these kinds of things, he believes, are entirely learning problems that can be mastered by human intelligence.But he said that the gods kept for themselves the most important keys in matters of this kind, which were invisible to man; As a result, not everyone who builds a house well must live in it; it is not necessarily beneficial for a person who is good at soldiers to become a general; It may not be good; those who marry a beautiful wife and want to be happy because of her may not be immune to misfortune because of her;He calls those who think that these things are not transferred by the will of the gods, but everything is determined by the human intellect, just as he calls those who have to use their faculties to discover things that the gods have allowed. For example, a person asks: Is it better to hire a coachman who knows how to drive a cart, or a coachman who does not know how to drive a cart?Is it better to have a ship run by a man who knows how to steer a ship, or to run a ship by a man who doesn't know how to steer a ship?For another example, it is the same to ask God for things that can be figured out through calculation, measurement, and weighing.Socrates believed that anyone who asked God about such matters was guilty of impiety.He said that the duty of man is to learn what the gods have taught him to learn through learning, and at the same time try to ask the gods to show him those things that are hidden from people through the method of divination. will point things out to them.

Socrates is often seen in public places.He used to go there in the morning for a walk and exercise; when the market place was crowded, he could always be seen there; Give a speech, and anyone who likes it is free to listen to him.But Socrates was never seen to do ungodly things, or say blasphemous words; for he did not, like most other philosophers, debate the nature of things, and speculate how what the sophists call the universe came into being. Yes, all objects in the sky are formed by some necessary law.On the contrary, he always seeks to prove the foolishness of those who would rather ponder such subjects.First, he often asked them whether it was because they thought they knew enough about human affairs to pursue such subjects further, or whether it was because they thought that, although they had completely neglected human affairs and studied celestial ones, they It's a good thing to do yourself.He was still more amazed that they could not see that it is impossible for human beings to satisfy themselves with such things, since even those who pride themselves on studying them do not agree with each other, Instead, they argued with each other like crazy.For some crazy people are not afraid of what they should be afraid of, and others are afraid of things they should not be afraid of; some are not ashamed of doing or saying anything in front of people, while others think One should not come among men at all; some have no respect for temples, altars, or anything dedicated to the gods, others worship stone, wood, and beasts; Some think that all existence is one, while others think that there are infinite worlds; some think that everything is in perpetual motion, while others think that nothing moves; some think that everything is in motion Happening and decaying, others think that nothing is happening or decaying.

He also asks about philosophers of this class whether, like those who have learned the art that men use, they wish to give it to them for themselves, or for those they will. Practices, likewise, those who study heavenly things, when they have discovered the laws by which they are brought about, wish to be able to make winds, rains, seasons, and whatever else they themselves may wish, or do they not Have no such hopes, but be content with knowing how such things happen?This is what he said of those who were engaged in such studies; What is proper and what is inappropriate; what is just and what is unjust; what is sane and what is unsound; what is stoic and what is cowardice; what is a state and what is a statesman what is government over the people, and what is the character of a man who governs well; there are other questions which he considers worthy and respectable to those who are well versed in them, and those who do not understand them problematic people, they may rightly be regarded as not much better than slaves.

It is not surprising, therefore, that the judges should have misjudged Socrates on questions on which he had not expressed an opinion, but it is strange that they should have failed to take into account what is well known.When he was a member of Parliament, he took an oath of office as a member, in which he stated that he would vote according to law.He was the president of the assembly of the people when the people demanded that he execute only one illegal vote to execute Therasulos, Erasinides, and their associates, though the crowd was angry with him, and many powerful men spoke to intimidate him. , asked him to put it to a vote, he refused, thinking it more important to obey the oath than to violate justice to meet the demands of the masses, or to compromise under threat.For he thought that the gods did not regard men as some imagine, who think they know some things and not others; Missed in silence.The gods are omnipresent and point out to man all things concerning man.

I wonder, therefore, how the Athenians could think Socrates' view of the gods was unsound.He never said or did anything ungodly to God, and what he said and did about the gods were such things that if any others said and did the same, they would be thought, And indeed it was once considered very pious.