ice, fairness, and the ultimate good. Having established thatthe good life is equal to a just and honorable life, the justice or injustice ofescaping the law’s judgment is the only issue to be considered, and all ofCrito’s personal arguments for escape are set aside. Socrates states thatmaking a conscious choice to remain under the influence of a society, isan unconscious agreement with that society to live one’s life by itsstandards and virtues. We see throughout the dialogue that Socratesemphasizes that the law should be either followed or challenged, butnever ignored; on the other hand, his contempt for public opinion andinjustice is evident. At the end of the dialogue Socrates states that, if herefuses to die, he will be disobeying the law; but it is not the law that isunjust, it is the men. Socrates reinforces the importance of respecting thelaws as the foundation of society, otherwise our system of values andjustice is subject to collapse. PHAEDO Persons of the Dialogue: Socrates, Phaedo, Simmias, Cebes, Crito andApollodorus Scene: The Prison of Socrates SUMMARY The dialogue is narrated by Phaedo to Echecrates, some time afterSocrates’ death. The setting is early on the last morning of Socrates’ life.Phaedo lists those present, and notes that Plato was not there. Phaedomakes a point of describing Socrates’ attitude on this day: he appearedcalm and fearless. When they have taken off Socrates’ chains, he remarksthat pain and pleasure are two opposites that follow one another. Cebes notes that Evenus the poet had remarked at Socrates’ composingpoetry: translating Aesop into verse, and composing a hymn to Apollo.Socrates explains that he has had a dream all his life to “make music”(poetry). Before, he had assumed that this meant his practice ofphilosophy, but he wanted to be safe that it did not mean actual poetry. Cebes asks why suicide is considered wrong. The implication...
