Study Questions for Plato's Socrates' Apology - Day 2

Read the questions before you read the next portion of the Apology. After you've read this portion of the Apology, answer the questions.

1.  What are the official charges against Socrates? (Underline them in this portion of the text.)

2. To refute the first new charge, Socrates cross-examines Meletus the poet.  What is the essence and result of their dialogue?  What does it tell us about Socrates and Meletus' characters?

3. How do you think the Athenian jury would respond to the way in which Socrates cross-examines Meletus?  Why would they respond in this way?

4. How does Socrates defend himself against the charge of corrupting the youth? (Underline the passage in which he makes his main point.)  Is the defense adequate?

5. What is the second new charge?  Does Socrates give a satisfactory defense against the second new charge?  Why or why not?  What might account for his evasiveness here?

6.Why did many Athenians think Socrates was such a dangerous man?   Socrates says in this second part (at stephanus 30c) that if the Athenians kill him they will be harming themselves more than him. What are his reasons for saying this, do you think?

7. What references does Socrates make to Greek mythology?  (Find at least three of them and underline them.)  What is the reason why he references mythology in the context of his Apology and what would the effect of his references be on the Athenian jury?

8 Why does Socrates refer to himself as a gadfly? (Underline the gadfly passage.) What do you think he means by this metaphor?

9. Why does he take such care to avoid securing his own acquittal? He could have begged for clemency, used his wife and children to get a pity vote, offered a reasonable alternative sentencing, promised to behave differently. Why doesn't he?

10.  To what extent is he guilty of these charges?  Are they trumped up, or is there truth in them?  If there is truth, what aspects of the accusations are true?  If they are trumped up, why are they trumped up?  If both - explain both positions.

Special Thanks to Professors Janice Siegel of Illinois State University, Professor Lew Hinchman of Clarkson College, Dr. Tom Kearnes of North Seattle Community College, Professor John MacFarlane at UC Berkeley, and Andrew Messchaert at Porterville Community College in CA.