The polis made decisions for the betterment of the city-state, and the maintenance of its integrity. Socrates would not want to break the law, thus injuring the city-state itself. In Crito (50 a-e), Socrates goes into a self -dialogue of himself with the state itself. He makes mention that breaking the law would be considered an intention of destroying the whole city. He goes on to say that the city gave him birth, since his mother and father married through it. Furthermore, the city provided him with his education in the arts and in physical culture. Being so, Socrates claims to be born, nurtured and educated by the city, and thus is its offspring and servant. Accordingly, the state created him, and thus knows whether or not it is right to put him away. Thus the state is held in an ideal form. Socrates says, "It is impious to bring violence to bear against your mother or father; it is much more so to use it against your country." (51 c) Social obligations, to Socrates, take priority over ethical obligations.
On the contrary, in Antigone, Sophocles portrays an opposite view on law and justice, than that of Plato and Socrates. In the play, King Creon makes a decree prohibiting the burial of Polynices. Creon's mentality is one that places the welfare of the state before any and all personal matters. He does not care whether Polynices is family or not. Creon says he would never call a man a friend if he were hostile to the state. He says, "The city is our lifeboat: we have no friends at all unless we keep her sailing right side up. Such are my laws." (Antigone ln 189) Antigone, Polynices" sister, violates Creon's order and goes forth to bury Polynices. She is loyal to her brother and to the gods. When Creon confronts Antigone as to why she violated his law, she says, "And I never thought your announcements could give you - a mere human being - power to trample the god's unfailing, unwritten laws.