428-404 BC formative yrs Peloponnesian War in full throttle Came from a high-aristocratic fam wealthy fam and upbringing very distinguished family Aristocracy would have been drawn to democracy as it provides an arena for which they could attempt to prove themselves Plato was highly critical of democracy Participated briefly in gov (direct democracy) Went to Siracusa for a short while and acted as a mentor/tutor to Dionysus II [the Tyrant] and put his ideas of the philosopher kings theory into practice. Became disillusioned and went back to Athens to estab his school, the Academy named as a result of being estabd in a grove sacred to the god Academus. Had a very jaundiced (sickly/tinted/biased/unfavourable/prejudiced) view of democracy. He was an admirer and follower of Socrates, perhaps even had sexual relations w/ him given that adolescent boys were taken under the wing of an older man and it was common and accepted for the two to have a relationship. A proto-fascist Plato hates rhetoricians and therefore rhetoric he sees it as s.t which promotes individual concern/arguments regardless of the truth Context of the Trial Process: A jury of 501 jurors A judge presides over the court, to ensure that all laws and rules are adhered to, and finally delivers the sentence The jury hears both sides of the story and makes an informed decision about whether the indiv is guilty or not. Jurors job in Ancient Greece were diff to todays they are also the judge, whether or not s.o is guilty of a crime, but they also vote and decide on the punishment as put forward by the prosecution and the defence. The prosecutors were the ppl/person who brought forth the charges makes sense in a direct democracy for e.o in that instance is the State, but wouldnt make sense today given that we are separate to the state today. The jury are both judge and jury to a degree, s.t which we dont have today. This was for serious crimes magistrates courts dont hear rape and murder cases, they hear theft, assault, etc. The Areopagus (Crag of Ares) is where the court was held E.t was public, who you were was public Participation in duties of the state, including court participation, was an obligation for it not only showed that they were actively participating in state affairs, but it also showed who they were We dont partic. In soc like they did Only males in society for women werent allowed to be involved in state affairs. Fit perfectly w/ the way Athenians saw society and the state as a public space where a.o could partic.
BOTH SIDES PUT THEIR CASE FORWARD UING ARGUMENTS TO PERSUADE
THE JURY OF THE MERITS OF RIGHT OR WRONG rhetoric (Plato thinks rhetoric doesnt lead to the absolute truth and therefore is a neutral thing, but not s.t worthwhile to use) and logic and evidence are methods of making ppl believe in their arguments. SHC Set in 399 BC Pelops war Athens defeated by Sparta brief tyrannical rule under the Thirty Tyrants democracy restored This is the fall/decline of Athens the end of the Golden/Periclean Age Decline in both Athens milit power (decline of empire), economics, stability, and politically Sees his w/ Thucydides says it wouldnt have happened 30-40 yrs ago democracy cant function properly if there arent any edud ppl who can control the nation, allowing demagogues and pol tyrants to take control of the state An element of truth in nostalgising the past life generally isnt the way ppl describe it. Platos experience about Athen and hate of the Athenian sys may very well have had some justification to it Plague killed thousands, the war was destroying them, etc
Paragraph one of the introduction: tells us the charges
Plato has this right in the way he presents Socrates to us The gist is correct, but the actual presentation of Socrates varies. Text much like Thucydides acknowledges that speeches cant be remembered and writes his speeches based on what a persons character might allow them to say. We dont know if this was written for private or public consumption For Plato, persuasion was based on truth. rather he sneers at his opponent treatment of Meletus Socrates highlights the contradiction of ppls thoughts Socrates makes no real attempt to defend h.s The charge against him of corrupting the young is for Charmides, Critias, and Alcibades He accused e.o of being ignorant SOCRATES GIVES US THE PROBLEM OF THIS SYSTEM THE AREOPAGUS His aim was to belittle the great thinkers and poets of the time Both sides have right on their side, just like the Eumenides
Charges: impiety Prosecution: 3 Meletus was the main one