What does Crito offer Socrates?
In this document, Crito is making Socrates aware that a ship from Delos is expected to arrive within the day and that the day following its arrival, authorities have made it clear the Socrates will be killed, and consequentially die. As a beloved friend and admirer of Socrates, Crito goes on to persuade Socrates to listen and accept his ideas of escaping Socrates from his acclaimed, upcoming death. Crito explains that the opinion of many and the greater population matters as they could potentially view a himself as someone who could have saved Socrates but was not willing to, completely, as they do not entirely know him as a person. He states that the greatest evil to anyone is the one who looses/has lost his good opinion. Socrates, being the wise and deep man which he is, rebuttals to say that whatever change or action which the greater people make is that of a result of utter chance; no man including himself can change another’s opinions. Now, the two dive into a dispute regarding the reasons for which Socrates is acting and responding the way he is. Is he acting in regards to Crito? In regards to other friends? In regards to the authorities and informers? Socrates reveals that he fears that if he is not able to escape, he may get in trouble with the authorities and loose his property and further evil would be done unto them; he fears that escape is not worth that risk. Then, Crito reveals his master plan, defying all law and rightness to which Socrates feared! His plans are as follows, offering to Socrates that: people will bring him out of prison, and the authorities will be bribed with little amounts of money, satisfying their cheapness. Many people and communities are willing to spend money at great costs for the protection of Socrates as he was such an amazing asset in their eyes. Here’s where law and lawfulness versus unlawfulness (and the concept of justice) comes into play. Both Crito and Socrates understand and are fully aware that these actions are not justified, certainly not by the law. By committing such actions, Socrates would betray his entire life, studies, and individual codes as he strived to abide by the law, moralities, and justice; this is everything opposite of that! Whether or not trial would come in regard to Crito’s plan and Socrates’ eventual actions, it was justified that this was absurd, unlawful, and courageous--but not emerges an incredible debate, held mostly internally of Socrates (and I’m sure or Crito as he thought of it before he approached Socrates so early. What is more important: unlawfulness, injustice, and absurdity when absolutely needed in a life or death situation (which was what Socrates was in), or (just like he had spent his entire life) abiding by morals, the law, justice, and individual drive to do what is right? That’s a real tough one. At this time, with this internal debate, Crito concludes his offer to Socrates, pleading him to be persuaded and to go along with Crito’s plan (he’s a really devoted friend!). Socrates being Socrates, began to go through all the possibilities which could arise if accepting Crito’s invaluable plan. He claims they must be guided by reason; it’s what he honors and knows, and be all means this plan has very little reasonability and justification! Socrates then states that only under certain circumstances must Crito’s plan and reasoning apply and work, rightly so. They go on to explain how law and punishment is instituted to condemn those who break it and commit actions without reason, justification, and rightness. He says that the just man is much more honorable and honored/admired than the non-just as they “deteriorate” the body of government/law which they are immersed in. With this, he concludes that they must not take into account what others say about them, but focus on what the truth of the matter is. One more argument which Socrates hold is that of justice: should they cause suffering to others in the aid of his escape in the sense of righteousness or unrighteousness? The question is left unanswered, as the two continue their discussion to justify Socrates’ escape decision based entirely off of law, justice, morality, and their individual senses of right and wrong--their set of truths that will lead them to the arrival of their final answer to the lawful debate at hand. Finally, in a nutshell, Socrates decides to go with “the will of God”, as if he goes forth he id equally returning evil and injustice for itself, and wronging those who have nothing to be wronged! He must think of justice (and law) before the opinions of others, the future of the children, and the being of Crito/other friends, as that will lead him to a happier, holier, juster life which he longs for.
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