Studieveiledning til Xenophon's Apology

Socrates

Socrates defends his piety and teaching while facing a death sentence, making his conduct as important as his defense. His acceptance of death and refusal to plead or escape show his commitment to dignity rather than survival.

Hermogenes

Hermogenes, the son of Hipponicus, supplies an account of Socrates' reasons for his conduct in court. His role points readers toward the reasoning behind that conduct, rather than the courtroom actions alone.

Meletus

Meletus accuses Socrates and objects that young people follow their teacher rather than their fathers. His objection shows that the dispute concerns authority over the young as well as the conduct of their teacher.

Chaerephon

Chaerephon asks Apollo about Socrates at Delphi, with witnesses present for the inquiry. His role connects the account of Socrates with divine judgment, while the witnesses give that inquiry a setting beyond private experience.

Apollodorus

Apollodorus is an ardent admirer of Socrates who grieves that an innocent man faces death. His distress shows the emotional force of the sentence and makes innocence central to his response.

Anytus

Anytus assigns his son tannery work, and Socrates connects his hostility with criticism of his treatment of the young man. His son's drinking fulfills Socrates' prediction of moral decline, linking their disagreement to the consequences of parental decisions.

Dignity before death

Socrates refuses pleading, punishment proposals, and escape, treating survival as something other than his overriding goal. His acceptance of death, set beside his companions' grief, suggests that dignity can demand a choice that remains painful for those who care about him.

Piety and judgment

Divine guidance, worship, and favor support Socrates' defense and his acceptance of death, but his claims anger the judges. This contrast shows that what sustains his confidence does not secure their approval, suggesting a gap between religious conviction and courtroom persuasion.

Educational authority

Meletus' objection places teachers and fathers in competition for the allegiance of the young. Socrates' criticism of Anytus, followed by the son's drinking, suggests that parental authority alone does not guarantee sound guidance or protect a young person from moral decline.

Innocence and punishment

Apollodorus sees innocence as a reason to grieve more deeply, while Socrates asks whether a just reason for his death would be preferable. His comfort in Palamedes' unjust death suggests that punishment cannot by itself establish the moral worth of the person punished.

Socrates, Part 1. Socrates answers Apollodorus' grief over his undeserved death by questioning whether deserved punishment would be better. The question suggests that innocence remains valuable even when it cannot prevent death.