Crito – A Simplified Excerpt

(This conversation between Crito and Socrates happens in the prison where Socrates is being held. Socrates has been sentenced to death by the Athenian democracy. Crito is trying to convince Socrates to escape. We are jumping into the middle of the conversation.)

Soc. Tell me, then, whether I am right in saying that some opinions, and the opinions of some men only, are to be valued, and other opinions, and the opinions of other men, are not to be valued. I ask you whether I was right in maintaining this?

Cr. Certainly.

Soc. The good are to be listened to, and not the bad?

Cr. Yes.

Soc. And the opinions of the wise are good, and the opinions of the unwise are evil?

Cr. Certainly.

(In your own words, explain what premise Socrates is presenting to Crito.)

Soc. And someone training in gymnastics should follow the opinion of every man, or of one man only, his coach or trainer, whoever that was?

Cr. Of one man only.

Soc. And he should fear the censure and welcome the praise of his coach, and not of the many?

Cr. That is clear.

Soc. And he should live and train, and eat and drink in the way which seems good to his coach who has understanding, rather than according to the opinion of all other men put together?

Cr. True.

Soc. And if he disobeys and disregards the opinion and approval of his coach, and regards the opinion of the many who have no understanding, will he not suffer evil?

Cr. Certainly he will.

Soc. And what will the evil be?

Cr. Clearly, affecting the body; that is what is destroyed by the evil.

(In your own words, explain what point Socrates is making about an athlete. Whose advice should the athlete follow?)

Soc. Very good; and is not this true, Crito, of other things also? In the matter of just and unjust, fair and foul, good and evil, should we follow the opinion of the many and to fear them; or the opinion of the one man who has understanding? Should we follow the one for whom we feel reverence more than all the rest of the world: and whom deserting we shall destroy and injure that principle in us which may be assumed to be improved by justice and deteriorated by injustice?

(How does Socrates connect the athlete listening to the coach to all of us listening to a wise man?)

Cr. Certainly, Socrates.

Soc. Take a parallel instance; if, acting under the advice of men who have no understanding, we destroy that which is improvable by health and deteriorated by disease- when that has been destroyed, I say, would life be worth having? And that is- the body? Could we live, having an evil and corrupted body?

Cr. Certainly not.

Soc. And will life be worth having, if that higher part of man be depraved, which is improved by justice and deteriorated by injustice? Do we suppose that principle, whatever it may be in man, which has to do with justice and injustice, to be inferior to the body?

Cr. Certainly not.

Soc. More honored, then?

Cr. Far more honored.

Soc. Then, my friend, we must not pay attention to what the many say of us: but what he, the one man who has understanding of just and unjust, will say, and what the truth will say.

Well, someone will say, "But the many can kill us."

Cr. Yes, Socrates; that will clearly be the answer.

Soc. That is true; but still I find that the old argument is true. And I should like to know Whether I may say the same of another proposition- that not life, but a good life, is to be valued the most?

Cr. Yes, that also remains.

Soc. And a good life is equivalent to a just and honorable one- that is also true?

Cr. Yes, that is true.

(What premise has Socrates made about listening to the masses versus listening to a man who knows the truth?

What makes life worth living?)

Soc. From these premises I proceed to argue the question whether I should or should not to try to escape without the consent of the Athenians: and if I am clearly right in escaping, then I will make the attempt; but if not, I will abstain.

The question is not what the masses might think.

The only question which remains to be considered is, whether we are right to escape or to allow others to help us escape.