Why Did Socrates Want To Escape

n the Crito, a variety of unfortunate events occur to Socrates; he becomes imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, being framed falsely. While awaiting his execution due to injustice a dear friend of Socrates, Crito, has arranged for his escape. While confined, Socrates has a conversation with Crito, that in order to avoid being executed for unjust reasons he must escape that night. Socrates refuses to take Crito’s advice of escaping from prison and escaping his dying fate. Socrates was always a man who believe there was no such thing as a “coincidence”, that it was all part of fate; that everything that happens, is for a reason… Thus, sees his imprisonment as part of his destiny. Time passes by, and he has now been in prison for about a month, due to the fact that no execution of a criminal could be done until a certain ship shall arrive on its return from the island of Delos. If this ship does not return from the island, Socrates could

not be executed, the ship must condem his execution sentence. To Crito, the escape plan could be easily done and they could very well get away with it without reprocautions if everything goes according to plan; but Socrates is a firm believer in doing right and being just, although injustice is the reason why he is said to be killed. As a good friend would, Crito keeps trying and tries to offers reasoning to Socrates, but Socrates does not listen. Crito believes if he does not help him escape, he will lose a true friend and many others will blame him for failing to save Socrates life. Socrates tells Crito that he should not be worried about the opinion of the majority, for it is capable of neither the greatest evil nor the greatest good.

The offers, begs, and pleas are not sufficient enough to persuade Socrates… Therefore, Crito presents additional reasons in support of what he has been urging Socrates to do. He states that by refusing to escape, he is playing in the hands of his enemies and satisfying their thirst of injustice. That by abiding to the injustice done to him unwrongfully, he is falling in the path his enemies want for him, not the path he must pass through. Additionally, Crito states that he is betraying his family, his loved ones, and especially his children. His kin should be educated by their father and be provided with the great knowledge that Socrates possesses. Crito emphasizes, how if Socrates is away, he will leave his obligations to his children. They would have to survive without a father and without someone to teach them from right and wrong; because of this, it would be likely that unfortunate circumstances would arise and occur to Socrates’ children, which cannot be held blameless if they turn into the evil hands. By refusing to escape, he will be taking the easier way out, the coward way if you might. That by accepting his sentence and staying put, is not the better and manlier way, therefore, people will be ashamed of not only him, but his friends. Socrates replies by admitting that his zeal is invalueable if it used in support of what is right, but if used in support of what is wrong it leads to an even greater evil. That by following the path that is right, his passion and devotion will be irreplaceable, but by escaping, he is only creating evil by cheating the justice system. His entire life, Socrates has made it a point not to be swayed by emotional appeals but to follow through something with reason. Therefore, he will not change the principles he has followed and honored for his whole life but will remain true to the demands. Socrates is still not convinced and rejects once again to the offer that Crito is so desperate to put into play.
In the Apology, Socrates receives unfavorably the sentence that has been given to him by the court, stating that no one else but the gods from above knows what occurs after death strikes, therefore it would be idiotic to be afraid of things that one is not aware of. He also alerts the men of the jury that by voting against him and not taking notice of what he states is true, they are mistreating themselves a lot more than they are mistreating him. This fits in with Crito because once again, Socrates is stating how destiny and fate will avenge his death. How justice will prevail, although no justice is being awarded to him. For example, Socrates is basically trying to express, “How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours” stated by Wayne Dyer. While on the other hand, Gorgias is stating most of the teachings that Socrates learned by his teacher. Most of which have influenced him greatly, causing Socrates to believe in destiny and fate throughout his trial and sentence.
In conclusion, the Crito offers alternate plans for Socrates to escape his death, but ultimately, he denies it, because he does not want to escape his fate.

In the Apology, Socrates is going through the trial and explaining to the people of the court how justice should prevail, but if it does not, the blood that is shed from his body, will be blood on their hands. In Gorgias, we gather a better understanding of why Socrates thinks the way he does, and why he believes justice will always prevail, and that it is always better to accept your destiny than to run from it. Crito fits in with his claims in the Apology and Gorgias within the nature of his punishement and why he should be just, is because Socrates believes what goes around comes around. If he is to run from something, it will only come back and bite him later on. In other words, the law of karma comes in these plays, this universal law states, nothing happens by chance. Every action has a reaction or consequence and as the Bible states, we must “reap what we have

sown.”