Through careful reading of this book, one learns much about the democracy and popular political viewpoints that existed during this time. Athens was a democratic city with much pride in their freedom, especially their freedom of speech. Socrates was a political philosopher who did not agree with these freedoms provided by the Athenic democracy. However, it is his trial in which both the democracy of Athens and Socrates himself show their hypocrisy. It is this hypocrisy that makes the trial and death of Socrates quite ironic.

In order for one to understand the hypocrisy involved, one must first understand the s

The second part of the book begins by exploring ideas as to why there was no trial against Socrates until he was seventy years of age. The first possibility is that of the jokes made by the comic poets. Although initially this seems to be a good possibility, the author believes that it actually only illustrates the popularity of Socrates amongst the Athenians of the time. His trial was not the result of the musings given to him by these comic poets.

Some topics in this essay:
Athens Socrates, Socrates Throughout, Considering Socrates, Socrates Athens, Socrates Athenians, Socrates Socrates, Athens Finally, Xenophon Plato, Meletus Lycon, Athens Athens, death penalty, trial socrates, days thirty, pupils socrates, beliefs held, athens socrates, democracy athens, freedom speech, events leading trial, city athens, free speech, voted death penalty,