entic because within them, it does in fact show that he believes in some gods. As he did with the charge of corrupting the young, Socrates shows that they are a result of the slander and prejudice that have been bestowed on him and not of authentic reasons. You cannot be believed, Meletus, even, I think, by yourself. The man appears to me, gentlemen of the jury, highly insolent and uncontrolled. He seems to have made this deposition out of insolence, violence and youthful zeal. He is like one who composed a riddle and is trying it out: “Will the wise Socrates realize that I am jesting and contradicting myself, or shall I deceive him and others?” I think he contradicts himself in the affidavit, as if he said: “Socrates is guilty of not believing in gods but believing in gods,” and surely that is the part of a jester! (Apology, 27a)This statement is an attempt by Socrates to make a mockery of the charges against him and make Meletus look foolish. Also, Socrates is down playing the severity of these accusations and is attempting to introduce humour into his argument. This can be contributed to his attempt to gain confidence from the jury to have their support and understanding of his way of thinking. In this argument, he shows that he is confident and truthful in everything that he says. Also, he shows that the charges brought against him come from insolence and not of accountable reasons. Socrates continues to challenge Meletus’ motives by saying to him: “You must have made this deposition, Meletus, either to test us or because you were at a loss to find any true wrongdoing of which to accuse me.” (Apology, 27e). This statement is used by Socrates to further his argument that what he believes is true and the charges against him are a result of denial or misunderstanding. This technique of defense is focused on gaining the trust of the jury and removing the skepticism about why he ...
