The Trial and Death of Socrates by Plato

'synopsis' may belong to another edition of this title. The four dialogues are presented here in the authoritative translation by the distinguished classical scholar Benjamin Jowett, renowned for his translations of Plato. Yet not for power (power of herself Would come uncall'd for) but to live by law, Acting the law we live by without fear And, because right is right, to follow right Were wisdom in the scorn of consequence. This compilation consists of four dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, and Phaedo. In Euthyphro, Socrates explores the concepts and aims of piety and religion: in Apology, he courageously defends the integrity of his teachings in Crito, he demonstrates his respect for the law in his refusal to flee his death sentence and in Phaedo embraces death and discusses the immortality of the soul. These three alone lead life to sovereign power. The Trial and Death of Socrates, although focused on the indictment that brought Socrates before the Athenian courts, Socratess defense, the unjust conviction, and his final days in prison, also discusses Socratess philosophy in many subjects. None is more exciting and revelatory than the four dialogues - Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, and Phaedo - on themes evoked by the trial and death of Socrates, accused by his enemies and detractors of crimes against the state, among them 'impiety' and 'corruption of the young.' In them Plato cast his teacher Socrates as the central disputant in colloquies that brilliantly probe a vast spectrum of philosophical ideas and issues. The Dialogues of Plato (427–347 B.C.) rank with the writings of Aristotle as the most important and influential philosophical works in Western thought.

The Trial and Death of Socrates by Plato