Why did Socrates not escape from jail when he had the opportunity with Crito? This question is very intriguing because of the fact that the people of Athens would have not cared as long as he did not return. But did his reasoning make any sense? This question is important because he seems to somewhat contradict himself in the Apology and the Crito though his reasoning to Crito makes sense of why he should not escape. Interpretation of his action is questionable and confusing. Many things which Socrates told people did not make sense to them anyway. Socrates always made people think about things in ways no else has before. This is just another way of making people use the brains to understand the point he tries to make.Crito tried extremely hard to get Socrates to escape from jail knowing it was possible and that many officials would not mind as long as he did not return to Athens. Still Socrates chooses to stay and await his death. Socrates makes some great points of why he would not escape and I believe with the points he makes that he is justified by not escaping prison. Many people said that he is not justified because they think he contradicts himself in the “Apology” and the “Crito”. One of Socrates’s main arguments is that one must not break the contract which the citizen and state holds. He says by escaping jail he would be causing the injuring of people. The concept of the contract between citizen and state says that because a citizen chooses to live in state then he or she must abide by the rules or laws created. Socrates states by his attempt to spread his word around the city that in actuality he was destroying the laws, and the whole city according to Athens. By this contract you are not allowed to do this. Socrates makes an extremely important comparison with the state or city of Athens and to parents. He says the city of Athens is like parents to each and every citizen. Par...
