This picture is used with permission by: The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Collection

The Last Days of Socrates

Socrates was often criticizing Athenian leaders and some assumptions of the democratic system. At the age of 70, Socrates was charged with “not believing in gods that the state believed in, and introducing different new divine powers; and also for corrupting the young.”

Socrates was then convicted and sentenced to death. He chose to fulfill the death sentence instead of escaping (which he could have done) because even though he felt the conviction was unjust, It was the law and he would obey it. He arguments throughout the trial are in Crito by Plato. Phaedo also by Plato describes the calm of Socrates even when facing death. Another book by Plato, Euthyphro tells us that part of the accusations were true, because Socrates would not except stories that included immortality of gods. Later, Socrates drank poison, hemlock, which was the means of the death penalty in Ancient Greece.

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