The Apology Quotes

Quote 1: "'can make the weaker argument defeat the stronger.'" Line 18c

Quote 2: "one simply has to conduct one's defense and argue one's case against and invisible opponent...." Line 18d

Quote 3: "proclaiming that he is walking on air, and uttering a great deal of other nonsense about things of which I know nothing whatsoever." Line 19c

Quote 4: "the very fact that they were poets made them think that they had a perfect understanding of all other subjects, of which they were totally ignorant." Line 22c

Quote 5: "on the strength of their technical proficiency they claimed a perfect understanding of every other subject...." Line 22d

Quote 6: "whenever I succeed in disproving another person's claim to wisdom in a given subject, the bystanders assume that I know everything about that subject myself." Line 23a

Quote 7: "summons people to stand their trial on frivolous grounds, and professes concern and keen anxiety in matters about which he has never had the slightest interest." Line 24c

Quote 8: "The heroes who died at Troy would be poor creatures, especially the son of Thetis. He, if you remember, made so light of danger in comparison with incurring dishonor that when his goddess mother warned him, eager as he was to kill Hector, in some such words as these, I fancy, 'My son, if you avenge your comrade Patroclus's death and kill Hector, you will die yourself; Next after Hector is thy fate prepared,'--when he heard this warning, he made light of his death and danger, being much more afraid of an ignoble life and of failing to avenge his friends. 'Let me die forthwith,' said he, 'when I have requited the villain, rather than remain here by the beaked ships to be mocked, a burden on the ground.'" Line 28c

Quote 9: "'Wealth does not bring goodness, but goodness brings wealth and every other blessing, both to the individual and to the State.'" Line 30b

Quote 10: "as though it were a large thoroughbred horse which because of its great size is inclined to be lazy and needs the stimulation of some stinging fly." Line 30e

Quote 11: "No man on earth who conscientiously opposes either you or any other organized democracy, and flatly prevents a great many wrongs and illegalities from taking place in the state to which he belongs, can possibly escape with his life." Line 31e

Quote 12: "life without this sort of examination is not worth living...." Line 38a

Quote 13: "Well, gentlemen, for the sake of a very small gain in time you are going to earn the reputation - and the blame from those who wish to disparage our city - of having put Socrates to death." Line 38c

Quote 14: "When I leave this court I shall go away condemned by you to death, but they will go away convicted by Truth herself of depravity and wickedness. And they accept their sentence even as I accept mine." Line 39b

Quote 15: "above all I should like to spend my time there, as here, in examining and searching people's minds, to find out who is really wise among them, and who only thinks that he is." Line 41b

Quote 16: "Now it is time that we were going, I to die and you to live; but which of us has the happier prospect is unknown to anyone but God." Line 42a