Socrates’ Defense: Wisdom and the Oracle of Delphi
Part A
Then, some questions that you, oh Socrates, have in mind: Where are these slanders and your reputation now? Tell and teach us.
Well, we do not want to calumniate. Then I want to teach and say that these men slandered me, and from which arose the slander and reputation. Now listen, and know that you do not want to play with me. Then maybe I look to play, however, well they know nothing other than the truth I want to say.
Well, I happen to, men of Athens, for some wisdom, I have this reputation. Perhaps you want to know what this wisdom is. As a witness, I want to present the god of Delphi, as the god of Delphi will testify to my wisdom. And it is necessary for God to tell the truth. For you know Chaerephon, well that’s my young companion. And now Chaerephon knows how impetuous he is in everything. And thus, Chaerephon once recognized him from himself. “Socrates is wise,” well know. And from knowing that, it is wiser than Socrates, for Socrates is perhaps the wisest of men.
In fact, I must do it. Clearly, I should go to Delphi and consult the Oracle, for it is very necessary that the god tells the truth. It was Chaerephon who went to Delphi and consulted the oracle, that response in the presence of God. And do not disturb it, man. Really, I wonder who is wiser than Socrates, and the priestess answered that no one is wiser.
Part B
So when I heard this, I reflected in this way to myself: What does God mean? Well, certainly I know I’m not the wisest. Then God says I am saying that I am the wisest and that nobody is wiser. Certainly, he does not lie, for it is not lawful to him. For it is necessary for God to tell nothing other than the truth. And for a long time, I was perplexed about what he says. Moreover, then to search just in case, I turned from God, spoke the truth or not, not wanting to be perplexed about the oracle.
So I went to a wise man (at least thought to be wise) because he wanted to refute the oracle and to reveal that on the one hand, you said, “I, Apollo, oh, am the wisest,” and on the other, “this one is wiser.” Then, this wise man being talked to some politicians, and the man I considered seemed to be wise, but not to be. And when I tried to reveal that he thought he was wise without being so, this and many of those present hated me.
In fact, I reasoned with myself, so I am wiser than this one. For this one thinks he knows something, knowing nothing, and knowing nothing, anything I think I know. Thence, some other wise men, and that was also believed to know something without knowing it. And from there too, it and the other of these hated me. Then after that, I directed me to others who thought they knew something about the dog, who thought they knew something, were more stupid, as I thought, but they thought they knew nothing, and were wise.
Then I went after the politicians to the poets. I’m embarrassed to tell the truth, oh men. However, it is necessary for me to say. Well, no wisdom, poets make poems, but by the nature and enthusiasm, as priests and soothsayers. For indeed, these say many beautiful things but do not know what they say in these speeches. And at the same time, poets breed poetry, know something, and not knowing it, to be wiser than men is not. Then I went from there, also I believe to be wiser than the poets.
Part C
And finally, I went to the artisans. He knew that nothing, and artisans know many beautiful things. So knowing many things, artisans were wiser than me. Well, I thought, as I thought, by the technique to be the wisest of all about not being so many others. So that kind had appeared, both poets and artisans suffer. From this research emerged, oh my Athenian men, slander to be serious and my reputation.
But even the young, no doubt being rich and taking particular leisure, enjoyed listening to my speeches and often tried to discuss others like me. For young people were arrogant and enjoyed examining the oldest. And as I consider examining, I discovered a large number of those who know something, believing they know little or nothing. Then from there, those who feel they know and who can not, get angry and say some Socrates is the most abominable and corrupts the young.
“As I want young people, for Socrates corrupts the young, that doing that thing or teaching them, he corrupts them.” So those have nothing to say, but not wanting to seem to be perplexed, by saying that like other philosophers, Socrates teaches things in the air and underground and not growing in the gods, and the weak becomes strong speech. Well, as I think they do not want to tell the truth, would come to believe obviously know something but not knowing anything.
Part D
(Empty)