Good afternoon Athenians. Today, we are being asked to determine the fate of Socrates, a fellow citizen. Some here today want Socrates to be brought to trial. They believe he is guilty of hubris. They claim that he is corrupting the minds of the Athenian youth and has failed to recognize the gods of the state.
Well, we Athenians are an understanding people. Three assemblies ago, did we not pardon those who assisted the Thirty Tyrants? The same Thirty Tyrants who abused their political power and executed over a thousand of our Athenian citizens and exiled thousands more. These crimes simply cannot be compared. The Thirty Tyrants killed our people and their actions forced us to flee our homes in fear. We pardoned those Tyrants with the hopes of bringing restoration to our city and seeing a brighter future. We gave them a second chance. Socrates is not a bully or a tormentor; he is only a teacher and a man of knowledge. I am only asking that we show Socrates the same mercy that we have shown others.
In a previous assembly, the security of us Athenian men had been questioned. It was asked of us, were we so insecure in ourselves that we will not allow our slaves to vote for fear that they take over? Well, we voted. Our slaves now have the right to vote and have a voice in our Athenian democracy. I will ask you the same question. Are we so insecure in ourselves that we must convict and execute a single Athenian citizen for using his voice and simply speaking his mind? Do we want to be part of a democracy in which our voices can be silenced? If we bring Socrates to trial and find him guilty, we will be answering yes.
Well, we Athenians are an understanding people. Three assemblies ago, did we not pardon those who assisted the Thirty Tyrants? The same Thirty Tyrants who abused their political power and executed over a thousand of our Athenian citizens and exiled thousands more. These crimes simply cannot be compared. The Thirty Tyrants killed our people and their actions forced us to flee our homes in fear. We pardoned those Tyrants with the hopes of bringing restoration to our city and seeing a brighter future. We gave them a second chance. Socrates is not a bully or a tormentor; he is only a teacher and a man of knowledge. I am only asking that we show Socrates the same mercy that we have shown others.
In a previous assembly, the security of us Athenian men had been questioned. It was asked of us, were we so insecure in ourselves that we will not allow our slaves to vote for fear that they take over? Well, we voted. Our slaves now have the right to vote and have a voice in our Athenian democracy. I will ask you the same question. Are we so insecure in ourselves that we must convict and execute a single Athenian citizen for using his voice and simply speaking his mind? Do we want to be part of a democracy in which our voices can be silenced? If we bring Socrates to trial and find him guilty, we will be answering yes.
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