Introduction to Western Philosophy The Apology—6
And so, gentlemen of the jury, what I said is clearly true: Meletus has never been at all
concerned with these matters. Nonetheless tell us, Meletus, how you say that I corrupt the young;
or is it obvious from your deposition that it is by teaching them not to believe in the gods in whom
the city believes but in other new spiritual things? Is this not what you say I teach and so corrupt
them? —That is most certainly what I do say.
Then by those very gods about whom we are talking, Meletus, make this clearer to me and to
the jury: I cannot be sure whether you mean that I teach the belief that there are some gods—and
therefore I myself believe that there are gods and am not altogether an atheist, nor am I guilty of
that—not, however, the gods in whom the city believes, but others, and that this is the charge
against me, that they are others. Or whether you mean that I do not believe in gods at all, and that
this is what I teach to others. —This is what I mean, that you do not believe in gods at all.
You are a strange fellow, Meletus. Why do you say this? Do I not believe, as other men do,
that the sun and the moon are gods?—No, by Zeus, jurymen, for he says that the sun is stone, and
the moon earth.
My dear Meletus, do you think you are prosecuting Anaxagoras? Are you so contemptuous
of the jury and think them so ignorant of letters as not to know that the books of Anaxagoras of
Clazomenae are full of those theories, and further, that the young men learn from me what they
can buy from time to time for a drachma, at most, in the bookshops, and ridicule Socrates if he
pretends that these theories are his own, especially as they are so absurd? Is that, by Zeus, what
you think of me, Meletus, that I do not believe that there are any gods? —That is what I say, that
you do not believe in the gods at all.
You cannot be believed, Meletus, even, I think, by yourself. The man appears to me,
gentlemen of the jury, highly insolent and uncontrolled. He seems to have made this deposition
out of insolence, violence and youthful zeal. He is like one who composed a riddle and is trying
it out: "Will the wise Socrates realize that I am jesting and contradicting myself, or shall I deceive
him and others?" I think he contradicts himself in the affidavit, as if he said: "Socrates is guilty of
not believing in gods but believing in gods," and surely that is the part of a jester!
Examine with me, gentlemen, how he appears to contradict himself, and you, Meletus, answer
us. Remember, gentlemen, what I asked you when I began, not to create a disturbance if I proceed
in my usual manner.
Does any man, Meletus, believe in human activities who does not believe in humans? Make
him answer, and not again and again create a disturbance. Does any man who does not believe in
horses believe in horsemen's activities? Or in flute-playing activities but not in flute-players? No,
my good sir, no man could. If you are not willing to answer, I will tell you and the jury. Answer
the next question, however. Does any man believe in spiritual activities who does not believe in
spirits?—No one.
Thank you for answering, if reluctantly, when the jury made you. Now you say that I believe
in spiritual things and teach about them, whether new or old, but at any rate spiritual things
according to what you say, and to this you have sworn in your deposition. But if I believe in
spiritual things I must quite inevitably believe in spirits. Is that not so? It is indeed. I shall assume
that you agree, as you do not answer. Do we not believe spirits to be either gods or the children
of gods? Yes or no?—Of course.
Then since I do believe in spirits, as you admit, if spirits are gods, this is what I mean when
I say you speak in riddles and in jest, as you state that I do not believe in gods and then again that
I do, since I do believe in spirits. If on the other hand the spirits are children of the gods, bastard
children of the gods by nymphs or some other mothers, as they are said to be, what man would
believe children of the gods to exist, but not gods? That would be just as absurd as to believe the
young of horses and asses, namely mules, to exist, but not to believe in the existence of horses and
asses. You must have made this deposition, Meletus, either to test us or because you were at a loss
b
c
d
e
27
b
c
d
e