As I continue through a long series of “Classics” via The Strenuous Life, I’ve come upon the works of Plato. This great philosopher, of course, writes a great deal about the teachings of his own mentor, Socrates (whom I lovingly refer to as “SO-CRATES”, out of respect for the dudes who once had an Excellent Adventure).

The first dialogue I’ve found, Apology, actually appears to be Soctrates’ final speech as recorded by Plato, for in it he’s condemned to death. Whether it’s wise or not to begin at the end of Socrates’ life, I’m not yet sure, but the meat of his own defense has given me more insight into his teachings and purpose than I think I would have gathered from, say, a Wikipedia post. In his own words (via Plato’s recollection), he tells of how “the god” had called him (31a-c) to spend his life freely convincing anyone who might listen—young and old, rich and poor—to pursue virtue instead of power and truth instead of wealth. It’s likely his penchant for giving such unwanted advice that has turned his accusers (like Meletus and Anytus) against him! For he says early on of his own unpopularity: “I go around seeking out anyone, citizen or stranger, whom I think wise. Then if I do not think he is, I come to the assistance of the god and show him that he is not wise.” (23b) Perhaps like many-a-scholar before me, I scribbled into the margins of my paperback, simply, “Jerk :-)”

During this trial, Socrates acknowledges the true accusation which the men had made against him, men who wanted to see him ultimately executed: “Socrates is guilty of corrupting the young and of not believing in the gods in whom the city believes, but in other new spiritual things.” (24b) He later counters these accusations by first acknowledging that the unwilling corruption of the young should be dealt with via private instruction, not the courts (26a), and second by admitting that if he believes in spirits (the children of the gods), then he must also believe in gods, for to do otherwise would be akin to believing in foals and mules but not in horses and asses. (27e) Despite his apology, Socrates faces boldly the decisions of the jury, not only that he is guilty (35d) but also that he deserves execution (38b).

Three aspects I found most interesting from this Apology by Socrates via Plato was the philosopher’s perceptions of both wisdom and death and his nearness to the Truth of the only Creator God. First, concerning wisdom, he says the following:

I am wiser than this man; it is likely that neither of us knows anything worthwhile, but he thinks he knows something when he does not, whereas when I do not know, neither do I think I know; so I am likely to be wiser than he to this small extent, that I do not think I know what I do not know. (21d)

Poets do not compose their poems with knowledge, but by some inborn talent and by inspiration, like seers and prophets who also say many fine things without any understanding of what they say. (22c)

Second, concerning death and the afterlife, he transitions from his “wisdom in admitting he doesn’t know” by describing why he doesn’t fear death:

It is perhaps on this point and in this respect, gentlemen, that I differ from the majority of men, and if I were to claim that I am wiser than anyone in anything, it would be in this, as I have no knowledge of the things in the underworld, so I do not think I have. (29b)

Then in almost colloquial language, he foreshadows the teachings of an even greater Teacher, Jesus, and men like Paul and other martyrs who would follow, by describing his attitude toward his own impending death and why it means so little to him in the face of his unjust trial:

Death is something I couldn’t care less about, but that my whole concern is not to anything unjust or impious. (32d)

It is not difficult to avoid death, gentlemen; it is much more difficult to avoid wickedness, for it runs faster than death. Slow and elderly as I am, I have been caught by the slower pursuer, whereas my accusers, being clever and sharp, have been caught by the quicker, wickedness. (39b)

You are wrong if you believe that by killing people you will prevent anyone from reproaching you for not living in the right way. (39d)

Finally, Socrates matches these near-Christian views with other statements that remind me of Acts 17 and “the times of ignorance [about the Truth of the One True God which] God overlooked.” Could it be that despite his ignorance of our Creator God, Socrates’ wisdom and pursuit of piety and truth brought him to “the unknown god”, a full four hundred years before that same God revealed Himself to the world through His Son Jesus?

For I go around doing nothing but persuading both young and old among you not to care for your body or your wealth in preference to or as strongly as for the best possible state of your soul, as I say to you: “Wealth does not bring about excellence, but excellence makes wealth and everything else good for men, both individually and collectively.” (30b)

And like the laments of David the psalmist before him, he recognizes a justice in the universe, a justice that God Almighty had long ago ordained and will, in the end, see come to final fruition:

Neither Meletus nor Anytus can harm me in any way; he could not harm me, for I do not think it is permitted that a better man be harmed by a worse; certainly he might kill me, or perhaps banish or disfranchise me, which he and maybe others think to be great harm, but I do not think so. I think he is doing himself much greater harm doing what he is doing now, attempting to have a man executed unjustly. (30d)

After my first taste of Plato in the form of Socrates’ final Apology, I am all the more intrigued to study what these great philosophers had to say several centuries before Christ. When the Apostle Paul traveled to Athens, he met the philosophers and visited their holy places and quoted their poets. He had most certainly read the teachings of their greatest thinkers (Plato being among them), and it was in this context that he declared how God once overlooked the ignorance of men. Perhaps Plato, Socrates, and their followers had been gifted with God’s grace up to that point, perhaps not. No matter what, such times of ignorance are over, for God has finally revealed His Truth in all its glory through His Son Jesus, for “now He commands that all people everywhere repent, because He has fixed a day on which He will judge the whole world in righteousness by a Man [Jesus] Whom He has appointed; and of this He has given assurance by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:22-34, specifically vv.30-31).

I can’t wait to read more from these philosophers as I continue my study through the Classics. I know that I must accept their teachings within the context of the “ignorance” Paul described, and thankfully (as quoted above in 21d) Socrates himself suggests the same.

Next up, Plato’s Crito.

©2019 E.T.