Aristophanes Charge And Socrates - 1876 Words

Aristophanes’ Charge and Socrates’ apologia Aristophanes’ Clouds , a satirical comedy, presents the conflict between politics and philosophy, considering philosophy as a destructive influence upon the life of the polis and harmful to the civic virtue which is significant in maintaining the stability in political order. In the play, Aristophanes depicted Socrates as an investigator of the thing aloft, as a teacher of how to make the weaker speech the stronger, and as a disbeliever in Zeus and the traditional gods. Almost a quarter century after Aristophanes’ Clouds was first performed, in 399 BCE, Socrates was brought to trial with the indictment that he was guilty of corrupting the young and of not believing in the gods in whom the city believes, but in other new spiritual things. As for the accusation, Socrates himself in the defense speech Apology believed that Aristophanes’ play led directly to the charges brought against him. To understand why Socrates confirmed that Aristophanes was one of the accuser s who put him on the trial, one possible way is to look at the Aristophanes’ charge against Socrates in the Clouds. 1. Socrates taught people to do injustice with unjust speech and corrupted the young. In the play, Socrates did not act as the traditional Athenians did, and did not distinguish good from bad and behave justly according to the rule of the city. Instead, Socrates would like to teach anyone, good or bad, the skills of just and unjust speech, if the person wasShow MoreRelated Socrates Essay1087 Words   |  5 PagesThe problem remains making philosophy friendly to politics. The questioning of authoritative opinions is not easily accomplished nor is that realm of philosophy - the pursuit of wisdom. Socrates was the instigator of the conflict. While the political element takes place within opinions about political life, Socrates asks the question quot;What is the best regime and how should I live?quot; Ancient thought is riddled with unknowns and can make no such statement as quot;how should I live.quot; TheRead MoreAristophanes’ Clouds a Satyr Play Written in 419 BCE1161 Words   |  5 PagesAristophanes’ Clouds, if read hastily, can be interpreted as a mindless satyr play written in 419 BCE. Yet the chorus warns the reader not to expect the play to have farcical ploys like â€Å"a hanging phallus stitched on† the actors to evoke a laugh, but to take note of underlying seriousness as â€Å"she [the play] comes in trusting only her words† (Clouds 538-44). Even if the play does use some low devices, the play’s message is sophisticated and can be read as a warning to Socrates. Aristophanes isRead MoreEssay Clouds vs. The Apology1649 Words   |  7 Pages Clouds vs. The Apology In Aristophanes Clouds and in Platos Apology we see extensive fictional representations of the historical figure, Socrates, who left us no literary works under his own name. When comparing these two representations, readers often assume, as a result of the nature of the comedic genre, that Aristophanes portrayal of Socrates is exaggerated and fallacious. On the other hand, Platos account is often taken more seriously as a result of the philosophical genre and theRead MoreClassical Essay780 Words   |  4 Pages In the books; The Clouds written by Aristophanes, and The Apology, written by Plato, the philosopher Socrates is portrayed in two different ways. Plato, being a loyal follower of Socrates, portrays him as being a very simple man who is always open to learning new wisdom. However, Aristophanes portrays him as an atheist who practices sophistry along with a number of different crimes. People question whether or not Plato exaggerated the character of Socrates in an effort to g ain sympathy for himRead MoreSocrates: A Revolutionary Philosopher Who Posed a Threat to the Government and Society635 Words   |  3 PagesSocrates was a revolutionary thinker. He brought new ideas and processes of thought to Athenian society and his work still has its place in the world today. However during his time, his ideas were not always thought of as a good thing. Many viewed him as a corrupting influence on other people and accused him of forcing his ideas upon others. Perhaps most frequently the center of controversy was his thoughts on theocracy and piety as seen in the Plato’s Euthyphro. Socrates also appears at the buttRead MoreSocrates : The Father Of Western Philosophy747 Words   |  3 PagesSocrates is not only one of the most influential intellectual to have ever lived, but also one of the most controversial. His ideology, teachings, and beliefs are still discussed, debated, and quoted to this day. Using one of his students, Plato and looking at Aristopha nes work, one can draw concluding thoughts on why Socrates brought so much controversy to the table and how both perspectives seem to tell a different story. Socrates was a Greek philosopher between 470BC to 399BC. He is rememberedRead MoreSocrates’ Speech in Apology975 Words   |  4 PagesAristophanes’ Clouds, if read hastily, can be interpreted as a mindless satyr play written in 419 BCE. Yet the chorus warns the reader not to expect the play to have farcical ploys like â€Å"a hanging phallus stitched on† the actors to evoke a laugh, but has underlying seriousness as â€Å"she [the play] comes in trusting only her words† (Clouds 538-44). Even if the play does use some low devices, the play’s message is sophisticated and can be read as a warning to Socrates. Aristophanes is a â€Å"friendlyRead MoreSocrates: The Dichotomy between Aristophanes and Plato’s Depictions1489 Words   |  6 Pages Socrates: The Dichotomy between Aristophanes and Plato’s Depictions Ignorance: the condition of being uninformed or uneducated; this basic definition is crucial to understanding one of the most controversial figures in ancient Athenian society: the philosopher Socrates. The man’s entire life was devoted to proving the fact that no one actually knew what they thought they did; that everyone lived in ignorance. This viewpoint earned Socrates many enemies, so many that even a renowned playwrightRead MoreApology : The Apology Of Apology1399 Words   |  6 PagesThe Apology The Apology is meant to defend Socrates as he stands accused by Athens. Considering how Socrates presents his defense, it is evident that he only uses the title of apology as justification but not as a regret statement or expression of sorrow. The apology was made after Socrates was accused with ungodliness as well as corrupting the youth in Athens by alienating powerful people in the practice of Socratic dialogue. The Socratic dialogue is a process attempting to clarify concepts suchRead MoreSocrates s View On Plato s The And Aristophanes s The Clouds1371 Words   |  6 Pagestruths, Socrates in the Clouds has little interest in either exploring the ethical truth or helping others get out of â€Å"Plato’s cave†. Instead, he is portrayed as a sophist who corrupts people with mysterious and useless knowledge, ignores traditional Athenian education, and debilitates Athenian men. Compared to Plato’s focus on Socrates’s wisdom reflected in the dialogue, the Clouds is a distorted interpretation of Socrates’s elenchus. Rather than justifiably criticizing Socrates, Aristophanes depicts