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Crito

Plato·c. 399 BCE·Greek

About this text

Socrates sits in prison, awaiting execution. His old friend Crito arrives before dawn to urge him to escape. Socrates refuses, arguing that one must never do wrong, even in return for wrong done to oneself.

Then we ought not to retaliate or render evil for evil to anyone, whatever evil we may have suffered from him. Think carefully whether you agree with this and share this principle, or whether you disagree and depart from it. For this has been my opinion in the past and is still my opinion. But if you are of another mind, say so and instruct me. If, however, you remain of the same mind as formerly, I will proceed to the next step.

Imagine that I am about to play truant, and the laws and the government come and interrogate me: Tell us, Socrates, what are you about? Are you going by an act of yours to overturn us, the laws and the whole state, as far as in you lies? Do you imagine that a state can exist and not be overthrown, in which the decisions of law have no power, but are set aside and trampled upon by individuals?

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