Phaedo

 In Plato’s “Phaedo” is presented a narrative of Socrates’s death. Does Socrates die a noble death? If so, why? If not, why not? Refer to Plato’s texts in your response.

Phaedo is one of the dialogues that were created by Plato; the Phaedo tried to depict the death of Socrates. It was the last dialogue that he wrote in the middle period of Socrates final days. Socrates explored the various theories of immortality of the soul and tried to show that there is life after death in which the soul will live after death. In the dialogue is also narrated that Plato has tried to persuade Socrates to escape prison. According to Oxford dictionary death is “the end of the life of a person or organism,” one day all of us will die, and there is nothing we can do about it; unfortunately, the majority of the population is afraid of it except one “Socrates”. Upon being put on trial for corrupting of the youth of Athens and not believing in the gods of the state, Socrates is sentenced to death for his wrongdoings, he could organize his escape and be a free man, but he refused. Socrates had a noble death because he was strong, showed that he was a servant of gods and was an example for the youth.

To begin, by reading Phaedo dialogues we can see that Socrates was an example for the youth because they saw how Socrates was treated and the fact that he did not escape shows that he is a role model and unique. According to the Apology it said: “there he ought to remain in the hour of danger; he should not think of death or of anything, but of disgrace. And this, O men of Athens, is a true saying.”

This evidence clearly shows how Socrates was humiliated or offended, the youth were there when that horrible situation happened, and Socrates, grandiose as his name remained himself. Once again, Socrates makes the best choice by choosing to die. He fought Athenian Law the best with his words and belittled himself until his death. He does not believe that doing wrong in retaliation to wrongdoing is what any good man does, so he takes the blow Athens deals and asks for more. He continues to mentor the youth of the city when they see how Socrates does not fear death to see it as the end. Socrates believes his martyrdom is the best he can do to teach at this point in his life.

Also, In Plato’s Phaedo Socrates gives examples of courage. Unlike his actions involving his trial for unfaithfulness to the gods and corruption of the youth, he disobeys the orders from power to preserve his morality. Socrates does not view death as the end to his soul; his soul has been and shall be reincarnated once again. He knows that he is not harming himself(Rudebusch,2018).

Rudebusch, G. (2018) explains that based on Phaedo “Now if it be true that the living come from the dead, then our souls must exist in the other world, for if not, how could they have been born again?” To simplify Phaedo indicates Socrates’s conception of courage which on his awareness of the lack of knowledge of death and conviction that nothing will happen for good in life or death.

Finally, Socrates saw himself a servant of the gods, placed on Earth to share his understanding of how life should be lived.

Was Socrates’ submission to the death penalty not doing wrong to Athens by ending his time as a teacher of the good? This was not wrongdoing, because even if he spared his own life, he would no longer be around to educate Athens anyway. He would have fled and must start from square one elsewhere. According to Phaedo, it states: “if I did not think that I should go, first of all, among other deities who are both wise and good, and, next, among men who have departed this life, better than any here, I should be wrong in not grieving at death; but now, be assured, I hope to go among good men, though I would not positively assert it. That, however, I shall go among gods who are perfectly good masters, be assured I can positively assert this if I can do anything of the kind. So that, on this account, I am not so much troubled, but I entertain a good hope that something awaits those who die, and that, as was said long since, it will be far better for good than the evil.” Socrates believes that the gods will welcome him with joy because he was truthful to himself and everyone. He went to the end with his head held high.

To conclude, Socrates does not view death as the end to his soul; his soul has been and shall be reincarnated once again. So, if he agrees to die, he is not harming himself. The basis of any of Socrates’ actions stems from his stern belief in doing what is good under any circumstance. He follows his own set of laws, and he figured his death would start the state down a road of righteous.