Apology (Xenophon)
The Apology of Socrates before the court ( Greek Ἀπολογία Σωκράτους πρὸς τοὺς Δικαστάς , Apologia Sokratūs pros tūs Dikastas ) was written by the ancient historian Xenophon . Xenophon, as a youth a student of the philosopher in Athens, was no longer in the city during the trial of Socrates (he was on the "train of the ten thousand", see Anabasis ). This text in the variant of the Xenophon reproduces the defense speech of Socrates to the accusation that Meletus submitted and which was publicly displayed on Areopagus . The prosecutors called for the death penalty. Socrates had been charged with the introduction of new deities or atheistic blasphemy against the gods of the city-state and the seduction of the youth into disobedience to their parents.
Further apologies
After the condemnation and death of Socrates in 399 BC A large number of literary apologies arose . These texts tried to defend the master against the accusations of godlessness (Greek asebie ) and the seduction of young people (despite the ancient love of boys, not sexually, but pedagogically). Only the stylized defense speech based on Plato and a much shorter version of the Xenophon have survived . Both texts present Socrates from their own point of view, although some structural and content-related similarities can be demonstrated despite certain differences.
construction
A three-part structure is clearly visible, which also defines the structure of the Apology in Plato. In analogy to the structure of the apologies, the process ran in three phases:
- The plea, the actual defense speech on the accusations of the prosecution. The 501 judges then decided democratically on the guilt of the accused. After this decision, Socrates, found guilty, had to speak a second time:
- The counter-motion stood for the duty of the accused to admit guilt by demanding a lighter sentence and at the same time to obtain the grace of the state through this submission. Perhaps the historical Socrates had provoked the judges by suggesting the payment of a ridiculously small fine. Xenophon says that Socrates refused to take this step in the process and did not want the friends present at the process to vouch for an appropriately high sum of money in order to exonerate him. Plato reports somewhat differently, but in the same sense that Socrates is said to have demanded a reward for his selfless philosophical service to the spiritual well-being of the city's citizens. Thereupon the judges decided with an even larger majority for the fulfillment of the maximum punishment demanded by the plaintiffs: death.
- This is followed by further speeches after the conviction that were probably not given in the actual trial itself. Where Plato stylized, Xenophon had Socrates make some comforting and prophetic statements about friends ( Apollodorus ) and enemies ( Anytos ) on leaving the court .
Xenophon wants to show that Socrates went to his death consciously. The misfortune of his death was no accident. Because the philosopher felt that his time had come to complete life and die. This central topic in Xenophon's apology leads to the modern question of euthanasia to a good instead of a painful inhumane death (Greek euthanasia ).
The historical Socrates was convinced that as a 70-year-old man he would soon be plagued by illness and the ailments of old age. That is why he did not resist the death penalty and stayed in prison instead of fleeing. He accepted his apparently tragic end as the will of God, drank the cup of poison in good spirits and died amid grieving friends.
This memory of the sublime role model of Socrates was also the trigger for Xenophon for the literary representation of the circumstances of his death.
literature
expenditure
- Xenophon's Apology of Socrates . German-Greek. Ed., Introduced, translated, with biography (written by M. Mendelssohn) and essay (The Swear of Sokrates "with dogs!") Supplemented by Raphael Baer, Verlag Bär, Niederuzwil 2007. ISBN 978-3-9523212-3-2
- Xenophon: The Socratic Writings . Edited and translated by Ernst Bux , Kröner, Stuttgart 1956.
Secondary literature
- Raphael Baer: Socrates and Jesus in trial and death. Analogies and differences . Verlag Bär, Niederuzwil 2007. ISBN 978-3-9523212-2-5 .
Web links
- Apology of Socrates as an audio book at LibriVox