- He lived in Athens which was full of brilliant people
- People started to question the Greek gods because of him. Athena ----> birthed from Zeus' forehead??
- Socrates would get them to think and ask questions that would question their beliefs and teachings
- He was then charged with 2 crimes: corruption of the youth and impiety (not believing in the gods)
- His defense simple was he, "It's my job to be the gadfly to the lazy sluggish horse that is Athens." "I should actually be rewarded with free dinners for life."
- He said that it isn't a crime to get people to think about their own beliefs and feelings
- 500 male citizens found him to be guilty and 221-279 found him not guilty
- Then he was sentenced to death my poison hemlock
- He had an opportunity to escape but refused, proving his loyalty to Athenian democracy
We then learned about the word "idiot" and what it's Greek meaning was:
- Idiot- In Athenian democracy it meant someone who is self-centered
- Idiots were born and citizens were made through education
- Declining to take part in public life, such as democratic government of the polis, was considered dishonorable and idiotic
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