Socrates Is Guilty of Arrogance

Mason (an Indeterminate) writes:
Good day my fellow Athenians, we have come to this assembly today to discuss a very important matter and to make an extremely difficult decision that will affect Athens from this day forward. Our fellow citizen Socrates has been charged with the crime of arrogance. One of the greatest minds within our great city-state of Athens and now we have to decide if he is guilty or not.

Now we all know that Socrates is a very arrogant person that prides himself on arguing with people and proving them wrong, but do we not all learn from his arguments. I believe that we can all agree that Socrates is guilty of arrogance. How severe should our punishment for him be though? Do we really want to banish the greatest mind in Athens? I say that we sentence him to a type of community service, such as educating our children, rather than banishing him from Athens. If we banish him from Athens we will be losing one of the greatest minds in the history of Athens and we will also lose one of our greatest educators. If we sentence him to educating our children for free then we will still benefit from his unique mind. We all know that Socrates never paid for his education so why shouldn’t we sentence him to educating our children. Some people will say that Socrates is not guilty of this crime of arrogance, while others will say that he is guilty and should be banished from Athens as a result of his arrogance. I am just a middling farmer and cannot stand to see our different factions never agreeing on the right thing to do. I believe we should all come to a compromise and come to a result that will make all of the factions happy. We cannot afford to lose such a unique person, but we must also punish him for his crime against Athens. This is a very important decision for us and I ask you, my fellow Athenians, to come to an agreeable compromise in deciding the correct punishment for Socrates.

Socrates Must Be Silenced

Romas (a Moderate Democrat) writes:

My fellow Athenian, We are here to make Athens more magnificent and successful by discussing laws which can make our future splendid, a future which can only be seen from democracy. Democracy helps people think about themselve, in the new ways which cannot be think if they are in control of other.  Athens democracy is alive with ideas on how to understand the world through art and how to make money through trade.

Young people need to learn this truth, the truth of Athens.

But one person in particular has neglected the idea of the democracy. 

He is a little man named Socrates. His ideas and philosophy about democracy are dangerous to Athenian democracy. He is even more dangerous because he has infected mind of our young ones with his ideas. He has formed an idea about one leader government to replace Athenian democracy, that one leader government is ruled by selective elite (whom he named “philosopher kings”). As a result of his attitude toward democracy, he has corrupted the minds of the youth of Athens. Critias, leader of the Thirty Tyrants, was one of his pupils and Alcibiades who helped Spartan in battle of Sicily was also one of his pupils, who shared one idea of utopia society. That idea of utopia has started this situation in Athens.

Socrates must be silenced. As a punishment I say,he must be exiled from Athens for life. But some of my fellow Athenians may say, we should put him death as a punishment. However, history has witness from beginning to end that peace can’t be secure from violence. Moreover, death is just an easy punishment for him destroying Athens. He must live his life knowing that he was one who destroyed peace of our glorious Athens. So I vote for exiling Socrates for our future, for our democracy, for our young ones.

Why Can't We Just Hang Socrates?

Sammantha (an Indeterminate) writes:
On this day we witness a trial that I see as pointless. I have no reason to even go. This man, Socrates, is a philosopher. From what I hear he teaches young men of things like reason and truth. He was born to a stone cutter. He does not believe in democracy. Personally, I don't like that he thinks of us as a herd of sheep. I am perfectly capable of handling my own issues and speaking my own opinion. But maybe we need some one to help guide us not take over things. We should still have a say in matters. I think that I should be able to say what I need to have heard at assembly. I have no respect for the man. He thinks of that knowledge  is not for the ordinary man. His way of thinking drives me crazy. Its like he has no respect for a man's opinion.  But why is he being put on trial? Because he taught more people of his ways and we didn't like it? Why can't we just go back to the old days and just hang him or ostracize him? No we decide to waste a days worth of work to have a t ial for a seventy year old man who has not harmed nor helped me. My sons do not go to this philosopher and listen to him. And I do my best to keep his madness out of their heads. Besides there is no time for them to seek out word from him. My wife and I have fallen into a time of need. Athens is not what it use to be. Regardless of what is done to Socrates, I will still have my own issues to handle. So unless he is going to mess with what little money that I have, this trial concerns me none. 

This is the Pnyx

Schools for Those Who Can Pay; No More Taxes

Jillian (of the Oligarchs) writes:

Good Day my Fellow Athenians! I come to speak to you this day and let our voices be heard in reference to State Funded schooling. This is foolish! We are already paying sums of money to those who sit on the juries! Education should be for those who are able to pay for it themselves and who further have the time to devote to such studies. A portion of those within my faction send their children to be educated for a fee, this is as it should be. Socrates can not be trusted! Look at how he led Critias and Alcibiades astray and ultimately led them to their destruction!! We can understand and appreciate the new learning of mathematics, science, and so forth, however this WILL detract our sons from things that really matter.

Some say that education shouldn’t be limited to those who can afford it. To that I say why not? Why should we have to pay to educate your children? The economy is already struggling is it not? Why place more strain on our mother Athens? If we begin to give away for free an education today, then what comes tomorrow? A free home? Free land? If so why do any of us work? Anything worth having is worth working for, if education is given freely, it wouldn’t be as important as something you had to save and pay for yourself. If there is some monetary merit for the family your more appreciative and work harder to do well. It should not be handed out!

Schools for All Athenians, but No Stipends for Assembly Attendance

Amanda (a Socratic) writes:
Hello and good afternoon to all my fellow Athenians. We are joined today to discuss some important decisions that will effect our city for centuries to come if not forever. Those issues are about our education and social welfare.

I am proposing an education system that will provide all Athenians to go to school. The schooling would give our students the knowledge about our world and help them in the pursuit of truth. Our students would also learn the ethics of what they thrive whether it be a farmer, shoemaker, a blacksmith or so on. Over a period of time we would school our students and those few that excel greatly would be sent on to specialized training. They will be trained in the fields of laws, science, economics, and psychology. They will as well go to the battle fields while fighting and assisting our current leaders to get the feel of becoming a true leader. They need to well balanced and maintained. The question that arises is that how will we pay for those schools. They will be publicly funded by the wealthy and landowners who are thriving. But fear not wealthy and landowners because yes you will have to help pay for the schooling but in the long run it would benefit Athens . Wouldn’t you rather pay for the schools and have well trained knowledge leaders then the chaos that has been happening lately? It is such a small price to pay for the educations of the youth and the future of Athens.

That being said I do not believe that all Athenians should be paid to attend the assembly. We all have a choice to come now and only paying us would increase the chaos. Yes, we would have everyone show up but at what cost. We wouldn’t get as much work done. If we pay every person to come, now that everyone can vote, then we would go bankrupt. If we are going to tax the wealthy and landowners to help pay for the schooling then we shouldn’t make them suffer anymore by making them to pay everyone to come to the assembly.

So, Athenians we need to think long and hard about the decisions coming at us. Most of us aren’t even schooled in knowing what the right way to go is. This could change if we follow this school system and put in place a way of education for the future. So, listen careful and be wise in your decisions. They are the fate of what Athens will be in the future.

Schools for All; Stipends for Those Who Attend Assemblies

Tacey (of the Radical Democrats) writes:
Nine days have passed and we meet again Athenians. Today the issue of education and social welfare need to be discussed. I, being a radical democrat would like to propose a free and equal education. Every child born of a citizen of Athens deserves this chance. How would we accomplish this? The schools could be paid for by the assemblies using funds raised from the wealthy or the ones who can afford it. The people of Athens deserve to know how a democracy works since these same people will be attending the assemblies by choice. This is why I say we provide this wonderful opportunity to the people of Athens. Metics, farmers, blacksmiths and etc. have a right if they so choose to learn how our assemblies work, so why we withhold this from them? If they get a free education this could shape how they vote since they would increase their knowledge. They would be more informed how an assembly operates.

We want democracy to be a part of this public education. Democracy is important in our country and every person living in Athens should understand how a democracy works. This solution would accomplish that.

Another issue that I would like to address is social welfare in Athens. I understand that a lot of our people are without and can’t afford to take time away to attend these assemblies. This is where I propose that we pay them a small sum if they can make it every nine days. I believe that every voice is important in making decisions this I why I feel strongly in giving back to them. We wouldn’t be paying them an arm and leg but it would be enough to encourage everyone in Athens to attend. Surely the wealthy who would be helping us out with this project would understand why this solution would make a difference. Please consider the good of these changes.