Compiled by London swaminathan

Post No.2223

Date: 7   October 2015

Time uploaded in London: 21-34

Thanks for the pictures.

Don’t use pictures. Don’t reblog for at least a week.

Greek philosopher Socrates lived in Athens. He was preaching his philosophy in Athens, which the rulers did not like. Therefore they brought up a false case against him. They accused him of poisoning the youth of Athens with his bad teachings. In the end he was imprisoned and sentenced to death.

Hearing of this, Plato, Creto and his other disciples were deeply grieved. Therefore some of them were planning to get him out of prison secretly. They even made arrangements to this effect. But they feared that Socrates would never agree to their plan. So they sent Creto to persuade him.

One early morning, Creto entered the prison. He saw that Socrates was sleeping soundly on a cot. Socrates knew that he had only forty eight hours to live. He seemed to be absolutely unconcerned about it. Creto did not want to disturb him and so he sat down in a corner.

After sometime Socrates woke a up and Creto conveyed his and other disciples’ wish. He told him that all were bent upon releasing him by breaking open the prison.

But Socrates said no and continued, “The laws of Athens and the people of Athens may have done injustice to me. But for the reason we should also commit an injustice, is not proper. To counter lie with a lie and evil with an evil is not ethically right. Thus have I always held. It is therefore unworthy of me to escape from prison stealthily. I was brought up by the state, married according to her laws; nay, I even joined the army to defend her – all these things I did as part of the duty of a citizen. If I so wished I could have migrated to another state, for nobody can compel me to stay here. But by staying here I have accepted all the rights and responsibilities of a citizen. Today I may be guilty in the eyes of the people and that too, assuming for the sake of argument, unjustly. But I have been sentenced according to the laws of the State. Now if I accept your advice and run away, don’t you think that I shall be shaking the very foundation of laws of the land? And thereby will I not be harming the state and the citizens? Creto to act like this will be to return evil for evil”.

–Subham–