Virtue In Plato's Apology Of Socrates

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In Plato’s Apology of Socrates, a man whom seeks to show the citizens of Athens that virtue isn’t differed by rich or poor and tries to identify himself as the wisest. Socrates attempts to defend himself to the jury for his false accusations by examining his lifework to the citizens of Athens. He exclaims that he has heard the Oracle’s claim and sets out to seek the truth, though he does it in a very selfish manner. I believe that he is rightfully justified in claiming that he is wiser but incorrectly interpreting the Oracle’s claim though he is benefiting the citizens while seeking that justification.
Socrates proceeds with the knowledge that he is wiser than the other citizens of Athens because of a claim that the Oracle told Socrates’ late-friend Chaerephon. The Pythia told Chaerephon “that no one was wiser [than Socrates]”(21a); the claim could be taken a multitude of ways because of the expansive terminology of the word “wise”. He believes he is wiser than the other citizens of Athens because he brings along politicians, artisans, and poets to the Oracle …show more content…
Whenever he talks to the citizens of Athens, friends, and his own students he talks in a decrypt type of fashion. This decrypt type of fashion is known to today as the Socratic Method. An example of this in the apology is when Socrates is being questioned by Meletus and he turns the question back onto Meletus in attempt to seek out the truth. He does it so methodically that it actually turns into Socrates favor and showing the inaccuracies in Meletus’ convictions of Socrates. Socrates outclassing Meletus shows that this trial is not because of the accusations that were set yet the mere hatred some of the men of Athens have accrued for Socrates. This systematic way of having a conversation and ‘getting to the bottom of it’ is a strong sign of wisdom and is used throughout time still present

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