Even acting in retaliation to an injustice would be causinginjury to the soul because one would be consciously committing a wrong doing. Whatever the popular view is, and whether the consequence is pleasanter than this oreven tougher, the fact remains that to commit injustice is in every case bad anddishonorable for the person who does it. 49b Socrates has accepted by tacticagreement the laws of Athens. He has not left the city in his seventy years and hasbenefited by the laws and customs of the state such as marriage and education. Byfailing to convince the jury of his innocence he is now obligated to obey the laws ruling.Socrates accepted that verdicts must be carried out, regardless of the fact that theywere not reached correctly. By accepting the laws he obliged himself to accept theverdict even if it is unjust, it was not the laws at fault, but the judgment of the citizens. Escaping prison is acting in retaliation towards the laws of justice. Do you imaginethat a city can continue to exist and not be turned upside down, if the legal judgmentswhich are pronounced in it have no force but are nullified and destroyed by privatepersons? 50b Breaking of the laws creates the destruction of the legal system, it is aunjust and morally unacceptable act. Therefore he chose to accept his death penalty. Escape would mean an end to Socrates life in the only sense that mattered to him. Hewould be betraying his sense of justice.If Socrates escapes he will be breaking out of justice into a life ofinjustice. This to him would be the ultimate prison. He does not fear death, in fact hefeels his soul will be freed by it. Socrates answers Critos arguments by reassessing hisissues from a moral standpoint instead of one of physical advantage and reputation. Crito tells Socrates you might of saved yourself but Socrates feels he has chosen tosave himself. He has chosen to save his soul which is more important than physical life. Critos ...
