ly harmthemselves is true, then (1) must be false (since Socrates cannot becorrupting the youth intentionally). If that is the case, then the court is notthe proper place to discuss it. The second section of the Apology is the speech that Socrates gives afterhe is found guilty. In this speech, he is to propose a penalty for his“crimes." Socrates gives, at first, what he believes that he should receivefor his the actions, and he proposes that he should receive free room andboard. This remark shows Socrates still believes in his mission. Had heproposed anything else, it would have been to indirectly admit that hisbeliefs were wrong. For punishment, Socrates explores the idea of exile.However, Socrates admits that, if exiled, he would continue to questionmen about themselves. Socrates could have escaped death here bysubmitting to exile and promising to change his ways, yet again, thatwould undermine his beliefs. He then proposes a fine. In all thepunishments that he proposes, he never admits to being wrong orpromises to reconsider his ideas. Had he agreed to exile and silence, hewould not have stayed true to himself and his beliefs. Socrates’ philosophy of using reason to find the truth prevents him fromtelling the jury what they would like to hear. Each time Socrates proposesa punishment, he reasons himself out of it and into a worse punishment. The last section of the Apology deals with Socrates’ speech after he hasbeen sentenced to death. Though Socrates becomes indignant, he doesnot become angry. Socrates does not do any of the “weeping andwailing...[or the] many other things which [he] maintains are unworthy of[himself].” Socrates believes that if he did, it would bring shame onhimself and his beliefs and that it would be much worse than death.Socrates claims that he, unlike many others who appear before the jury,will not appeal to their pity by having his family brought before them.However, he does de...
