文档介绍：CRITO
CRITO
by Plato
Translated by Benjamin Jowett
1
CRITO
INTRODUCTION.
The Crito seems intended to exhibit the character of Socrates in one
light only, not as the philosopher, fulfilling a divine mission and trusting in
the will of heaven, but simply as the good citizen, who having been
unjustly condemned is willing to give up his life in obedience to the laws
of the state...
The days of Socrates are drawing to a close; the fatal ship has been
seen off Sunium, as he is informed by his aged friend and contemporary
Crito, who visits him before the dawn has broken; he himself has been
warned in a dream that on the third day he must depart. Time is precious,
and Crito e early in order to gain his consent to a plan of escape.
This can be easily plished by his friends, who will incur no danger
in making the attempt to save him, but will be disgraced for ever if they
allow him to perish. He should think of his duty to his children, and not
play into the hands of his enemies. Money is already provided by Crito
as well as by Simmias and others, and he will have no difficulty in finding
friends in Thessaly and other places.
Socrates is afraid that Crito is but pressing upon him the opinions of
the many: whereas, all his life long he has followed the dictates of
reason only and the opinion of the one wise or skilled man. There was a
time when Crito himself had allowed the propriety of this. And although
some one will say 'the many can kill us,' that makes no difference; but a
good life, in other words, a just and honourable life, is alone to be valued.
All considerations of loss of reputation or injury to his children should be
dismissed: the only question is whether he would be right in attempting
to escape. Crito, who is a disinterested person not having the fear of
death before his eyes, shall answer this for him. Before he was
condemned they had often held discussions, in which they agreed that no
man should either do evil, or ret