All language subtitles for [DivX-Ita].R.Rossellini.1970.Socrate - ENG

Today, on the sixth day of the month
of ''M unition'' of the first year

of the sixty-fourth Olympiad,

we shall now begin to
demolish the walls

according to the surrender terms

we imposed on the city of Athens

by order of Lisandro of Sparta,

our valorous ''poliarcete''

in our presence and that
of you Lacedaemonians.

Go ahead.

Ermete.

Alcibiade was just
a good for nothing

What are you saying?

He was one of our
greatest leaders,

if our strategists had listened
to him he would have forced

the Spartans to fight on dry land
where he would have defeated them.

at sea, we were lost
from the start.

You're talking nonsense.

No, l 'm not at all.

On dry land, Alcibiade had the
archers and cavalry of Trace,

and with those more numerous
soldiers he would have defeated

the Spartans and followed
them as far as the sea.

Ah , how easy it is to talk.

l n the way l 'm telling you. . .

. . . he would have crushed them.

And it would have been easier
to capture their fleet.

Yes, whatever you like, but you're
letting you're imagination run away.

Look, look at the bitter
truth instead, if you can ,

the sea battle cost us
the loss of our fleet.

l was told that only
several triremes

led by Canon managed
to escape.

Lisandro captured 200 ships
and destroyed them.

He killed three thousand
of our soldiers by sword.

Ah yes, the Spartans
tricked us,

and we couldn't do anything
else but surrender

ln this way, the naval blockade forced
Athens to surrender from hunger.

A good job Teoclasto
was a cautious friend.

Yes, and you merchants
full of wisdom.

D on't joke.

Here, we're talking about the end
of our power and democracy.

And are we surprised?

Acumen and proportion are
virtues the young scorn today.

And yet these are the qualities
that made Athens great.

Today greed and having
no scruples rule,

these have now become the
symbols of virility and courage.

l just hope that the Trenta
Government forced on us by Lisandro

doesn't make us pay too
dearly for our mistakes.

Alcibiade made the mistakes
you're talking about,

as if his Sicilian
campaign wasn't madness.

At the time we banished Alcibiade
and then it was he who saved Athens.

This time again , he will
free us from tyranny.

He won't put up either with the
outrages the Spartans make us suffer,

or the cruelty the
tyrants have set on us.

l know that one of the ''Trenta''
has told Lisandro that now

Athens is no longer
governed by its own citizens,

Sparta could finally
dominate all of Greece.

Who said that?

One of the ''Trenta''.

l t's Crizia. And added:
''Listen to me well ,

the people of Athens are prepared to
put up with the tyranny of the ''Trenta'',

but Alcibiade, who you
un justly scorn ,

will do everything to
get rid of this tyranny''.

Alcibiade was a
pupil of S ocrates.

Like Crizia?

Yes, like Crizia, but Alcibiade
distinguished himself more than Crizia

and so he will certainly try to
get his own back out of jealousy.

You're right there. Crizia
only wants Alcibiade's death.

Teoplasto will soon be the father
of a boy if the Gods so wish.

M ay Aphrodite
protect Teoplasto.

Our votes are with you.

Thank you , thank you.

Aren't we going
to C ocione's house.

l 'm not following you , l 'm tired.

As you like.

Efelide, Arnito, Ermete.

Ah friends... Welcome, make yourselves
at home, make yourselves at home,

lunch will soon be served.
Take your seats.

And the flute players
are not coming.

No, they're not coming.

By order of Lisandro all
the flute players have been

gathered before the walls to
celebrate their demolition ,

that is what the
Spartans are doing now.

And this great party
hasn't finished?

- No.
- But will they send them?

Yes, C orifeo will send
them as soon as possible.

We will wait for them to banquet,

the demolition of our walls
should not get us down ,

you'll see that it marks the start
of an extremely beautiful era.

l admire your optimism , but the
citizens of Athens are now

very much more worried
by their intrigues,

rather than any
great future,

and profit from the defeat
to settle all old scores.

That's how it is.

Everyone says that the Trenta have
already received hundreds of reports,

on the other hand, our city
has always been one of spies.

Here it is a profession ,
lucrative and easy.

We are full of
examples to cite.

And it would be terribly
monotonous to list them all.

l t's jealously above all that
pushes our fellow citizens

to destroy each other.

As you see, the Athenians
who pretend to be wise,

are nothing but
big rogues.

Now you're exaggerating.

Today, we've good reasons for
hope. D on't you think so?

What do you mean?

l mean to say that in a certain way
the Spartans are protecting us.

When Lisandro asked the
C ouncil of C onfederates

what was to be done
with defeated Athens,

a Theban suggested raising it to
the ground to become pasture.

And selling us as slaves.

The whole meeting
approved this idea,

but they couldn't agree on
the best method to adopt.

A great discussion followed

until the banquet in honour
of the victorious chief.

Everyone sat down to the table and the
discussion was postponed for later.

At the end of the banquet a ''focese''
singer, accompanying himself with a lyre,

sang the chorus of
Electra by Euripides

and all the enthusiastic
guests forgot the decision.

How could they think,
even for just a moment,

of perpetrating such an abominable
crime like the destruction

of such a famous city,
the mother of such great artists.

lf that meeting had been an Athenian
Council, it would have expected

Euripides to be
condemned to death ,

instead of feeling admiration ,
jealousy would have been felt.

We must therefore drink to
the health of the Spartans.

as lunch is served.

Well , in any case, l 've
heard that the Spartans

Will distribute provisions
to everyone tomorrow.

They are distributing victuals,
the provisions. C ome.

Can someone shut
this crow's mouth.

Flea-ridden , scoundrel.

Ah S ocrates, they treated you
like a flea-ridden animal.

Well l 'm not really
dressed like prince.

You've got a face like a satyr.

Ah , that true and
l 've got the stomach.

l should start dancing
to keep in shape.

The first who comes
along , beats you

and you cannot drag
him into court.

What do want. l f l get kicked
by a mule l can't get angry,

it's difficult to drag
mules into court.

l f you had listened to me, and
remembered what for many years

l have been pushing you to acknowledge,
you would know that there is only one good,

knowledge, and only one evil ,
the presumption to know.

l t is good to have ideas
about what one knows,

but you Athenians only have
opinions, opinions about everything.

Out of pride, and weakness,
you always talk about things

you do not know or about
things you know badly.

- S coundrels.
- But leave Critone alone.

We consider all opinions,
even if we disagree with them.

What is important to me
is to agree with myself,

and to try to never do the
opposite of what l think.

And what do you think, what do
you know more than the others?

What more do l know than the others?
l know that l don't know anything.

Look at these scoundrels who
want to re-make the world,

by being to too punctilious.

The Athenians are very strange
M ieto. They do not like the truth.

The case is much more serious
than you think, Ermete.

S ocrates was a soldier
and an exemplary citizen ,

and he too has become
a monster of pride.

Remember that when he was at Plitanno,
he was the only one who wanted to stop

the case against those generals
who had abandoned 2000

of our bodies in the
sea without burial ,

directly before the
meeting of the people.

But to judge this
horrendous crime,

l don't know what S ocrates wanted,
interpreting the law in his own way.

l remember that among those generals,
there was a son of Pericles of Estasia.

They returned to
port in triumph

as if they had brought
back a great victory.

Yes, but the next day, many
Athenians found themselves grieving.

and when they called
for their son's bodies

they found out that they
hadn't even been buried,

condemned to wander
for ever without rest.

What kind of a man is this
S ocrates who can remain cold,

formal before such a
monstrous crime.

l don't know how he
could seduce the young.

Anitio's son , for example,
left his father to follow him ,

and what great result
today is a drunkard.

And Alcibiade, his
favourite pupil.

Yes, with him things
couldn't have gone worse.

lt is precisely this pupil of Socrates
to whom we owe our ruin.

To his ambitions campaigns,
to his expedition in Sicily,

now we'll see what Crizia does,
our new tyrant,

he too was a
pupil of S ocrates.

B e quiet, it's not prudent.

Shouldn't you buy something
else for your family to eat?

Ah yes, you're right.

Yes, l 've been going round the city
for two days and have completely

forgotten that l left
home to buy the bread,

it's true that there was
nothing to buy and the events,

completely disturbed me.

What could l take. Ah , give me
that octopus, it looks good.

S ee you soon Critone, see
you soon you others, bye.

What are you doing?

l 'm coming with you.

Ah , good.

l 've brought you something to eat

Two days. . .

Two days of an xiety.

With the Spartans every where,
the city full of dangers

and you go home so they will
make you something to eat,

you don't care if your
children are hungry,

all you care about is going around
chatting with your feet in the dust.

l 've been alone for two days,

two days without
anything to eat,

perhaps you think you
can eat your own words.

Listen Santippe.

l know your discourses
by heart.

But how, if you never
let me speak.

Athens, your city is conquered, the
Athenians let themselves be massacred,

and he strolls around with the buffoons
and little scoundrels that listen to him.

C ome on Santippe.

You've bored everyone with your
speeches and instead of mocking

the claimed ignorance of the people
you'd be better off looking at yourself.

But look at you. Look at him ,
this flea-ridden animal.

Now that Athens is beaten , you'll
finally have the excuse to no longer

go to the meetings and in this way you
can earn the bread for your family.

Talk for talk's sake, at least get
paid by those who listen to you.

D o like l ppis, get yourself asked
for by the sons of the rich ,

they're stupid enough
to give you money.

But l know nothing , Santippe.

And this knowledge does not sell.

Knowledge, Knowledge.
But bread is what you buy

and you think you can
live on these crusts alone.

l beg you.

Observe well how when Santippe
thunders it always ends in rain.

l beg you S ocrates.
The downfall is upon us

And hatred is every where,
be careful

you've been creating
enemies for years,

and in justice comes
to strike so soon.

What are you doing?

You've no right to
pass here. Go away.

What can be done, they've
been in agony for days

and no one can
approach to help them

or alleviate their suffering ,
perhaps with a single blow.

The tyrants have already put
1 500 Athenians under torture

and no one has yet rebelled
and Crizia is the worst of all.

Crizia, S ocrates, one
of your old disciples

Yes, but if a shepherd slit
the throats of half his herd

and let the other
half die of hunger,

he couldn't pretend to
be a good shepherd,

instead they kill and believe
that they are good judges.

Let's pray to the Gods that Socrates
doesn't abandon us because of these two.

They pray to the Gods for
their destiny to be favoured,

whilst it would be better for them
to ask them to help us navigate

towards good, for divine
breath to fill our sails,

and for us to be invaded by
the exhilaration of sailor

when landfall is seen.

Why, but why haven't Alcibiade
and Crizia cultivated reason ,

why haven't they been
quiet inside to hear

what the Gods inspired in them.

M edicine cures the body,
politics should watch over souls.

Art shouldn't dominate

Art should show justice to all.

C ome on S ocrates, let's
get away from here.

Let's stop here
and cool down.

A short time ago, talking
of Crizia and other tyrants

you used the word madness,

but our tyrants are not mad
S ocrates, they are criminals.

l t's the same thing.

D o you know the song that
says that the greatest asset

is health first of all , then
beauty and then being rich?

Yes, l know it.

Well , that song lies. The greatest
happiness is being good.

l t is such a great asset that those
who do bad are the mad ones.

That is why l used
the word madness.

l t is a madness they draw
profit from though , S ocrates.

What profit?

Wealth? Power over other men?

But when they lose the power,
what will remain of them?

The memory of the crimes they
committed. And what else?

Not knowing good?

An ignorance that only the illusions
of power prevented them from seeing.

And what is the reason for their
crimes, if not knowing good?

That it keeps them in a
perpetual state of an xiety.

ln reality powerful people have the force
and use it because they are only weak,

and their weakness comes from
the fear that dominates them.

You can see them every where and
always surrounded by enemies,

and isn't this perhaps
really madness?

But we shall content
ourselves to ignore them.

Can a tyrant submit
a city to his will?

To what pleases him , there's no
doubt, but not what he wants.

M an in fact, can only
want good for himself,

and those who commit in justices
harm themselves above all.

A little at a time, the memory of the badness
he has committed will drive him mad.

l s virtue knowledge of
one's own good then?

Knowledge and practice.

Therefore to govern a city
without wronging himself,

a powerful man must
possess virtue?

Yes, because if a man is valorous, he
will serve as an example to everyone.

To survive, states do not
need arsenals, or even empires.

l f they are worth something
and possess virtue,

the citizens will give their
lives to defend them.

S ocrates, here's your wife.

l 've been looking for
you for two hours,

and you, you stay here saying beautiful
and completely useless sentences.

What's the matter dear? Why are
you looking for me so an xiously?

You are summoned to Toros, by Crizia in
person. What do they want from you?

D on't worry.
We'll see.

While you chat,
the others are doing.

Why, what are they doing?

C ome forwards, S ocrates.

We accuse you of
breaking the law

that prohibits the teaching
of oratory loopholes.

But l have decided
to obey the laws.

This one just like the others,
in order to obey it better,

l would like you to explain to me
what you mean by oratory loopholes.

D oes it mean that l teach the
art of convincing with cunning ,

or the natural search
for the truth?

Why do you ask this question, seeing
that you already know the answer?

You're wrong, l ask you the question because
l'm looking for the truth, for you and for me.

l n fact, if you think that l ,
S ocrates, use a Greek word

to guarantee myself some kind
of power over other men ,

then in this case, l approve your interdiction,
but perhaps you do not know that l,

l limit myself to making the other
others think by asking them questions,

and the ensuing dialogue is only
intended to create understanding.

What l know matters little.

We'll content ourselves with
giving you a very clear order:

never direct yourself
ever again to the young.

OK , but so that l can respect this
order as faithfully as possible,

- tell me Callico - in your opinion ,
up to what age are men young?

Those who have not
reached thirty.

Therefore, if l have to
buy olives from a merchant

Who is younger than thirty,
l cannot ask him the price.

D on't joke with us S ocrates,
you've understood us perfectly well.

l see that you want to stop
me from talking about justice.

Respect the guardians of the herd, if
you want the sheep to stay in peace.

You all know Cleone of Salamina.
We have condemned him to death.

You citizens, and you S ocrates,

have been assigned
to capture him.

Arrest him.

l n this way you can prove
your loyalty to the country

And your loyalty to the
new government of Athens.

Go, and don't waste time.

And to think that l admired Crizia.

Now l 'm ashamed to
have admired him.

l will become a misanthrope.

Look what point we've got to. l hate
these tyrants with all my soul.

You hate them , but you're ready to
obey them because you are afraid.

l have no hatred for them , but l
will not follow their orders.

l 'm going home.

But that's madness, S ocrates

S ometimes it is necessary
to know how to be mad.

Why don't we attack?

By good luck, they have
destroyed the walls of Athens.

We'll wait for the signal. Traspiro
wants us to take over the guard posts.

l t's Spartans in charge of them ,
not confederates, do you know that?

Yes, l do.

l n any case l don't
fear death ,

better to die for Athens
than to live in exile.

l f the Thebans hadn't
welcomed us as they did,

we wouldn't be here this evening.

They could have captured us and handed
us over to the ''Trenta'' Tyrants

Who would have
condemned us to death.

You're right, l still don't understand
why the Thebans first allied

With the Spartans to defeat us and
then gave us exile after the ruin.

B ecause they too now fear
the hegemony of Sparta.

This is where their
generosity is born from.

Their complicity . .

Silence!

That's the signal. Let's go.

Can you see anything?

No, nothing , but acclamations
from the crowd can be heard.

Trasibulo is the new
hero of the day.

Yes, Crizia died during
the battle of Piraeus,

l know from Erocle, my neighbour,
who took part in the battle.

He returned before the others
because his mother is dying.

He was present at the
taking of the Fort of Philae.

And also at the battle of Piraeus.

l t was there where he saw the
bodies of Crizia and Castore.

The taking of the Fort of
Philae was a master stroke,

in the middle of the night
and by surprise.

When l heard that the Spartan fleet
was blocking the port of Piraeus

l really feared sacking.

By good luck, Pausania
ordered Lisandro

to evacuate all the
Spartan garrisons.

The king of Sparta is a wise man.

He knows that they cannot
keep the Athenians

Subjugated by their
enemies for too long.

And therefore, he saved the life
of our S ocrates without knowing it.

l f he hadn't given that order
and if Trasibulo hadn't attacked

Crizia would have put
S ocrates to death that night

B ecause he had refused
to obey his orders.

Here they are, they're coming.

C ome, let's go.

People of Athens,
the tyranny is dead,

democratic constitution
is restored.

We will watch over everyone together so
that all the citizens of Athens obey the law.

l n my opinion , l propose granting
political amnesty to everyone

so as to celebrate our
re-conquered freedom fittingly.

All those of us who served
the tyrants will be exiled.

We will not stain our
land with their blood.

Look how happy they are.
We've finally got our laws back.

But where are they going?

To the Pritaneo. They are the 50
councillors'' elected in the various tribes,

or expressed better, the
different peoples of Athens.

They now govern the city with the
''arconti'' and everyday the ''Epistato'' ,

or better the head of state,
is chosen from their ranks,

and this takes place by drawing lots.

From among them all ,
everyone has the chance

of assuming the supreme power.

But only for one day?

Only for one day, from
one sunset to the next.

The ''Epistato'' keeps
the State seal ,

and the key to the temple where
the public treasury is safeguarded.

l t would be imprudent to hand
over the supreme power to one man ,

even if a very wise one,
for any longer time.

Even l could be
elected for a day?

Why not! l f the Gods so desire
and if luck is on your side.

lt may also happen, if you give proof of
worth, that you will be invited to the Pritaneo,

in your old age, like other
illustrious citizens,

with absolutely no other
worries other than

teaching children respect
and love for our traditions.

A-then-s. Look, everyone leaves

Athen's marks in the ground,

Dracone.

White bean.
The Gods have chosen you.

Aceo.

Black bean.

The citizens will
see how mad l am ,

they will see it well when
the facts come to light.

The snow falls from the cloud

and the hailstones in fury

and the thunder explodes
from the lighting flash.

l n the city, this is how ruin
comes from the powerful

and the people become the slaves of one
man just through their own foolishness.

l t is difficult to apply a brake
to a man who has been too exalted.

l t's therefore better right
from the start to have. .

S ocrates, listen.
D o you remember Aristofane?

Wait. And you others come,
we'll have some fun.

Do you remember the comedy he
wrote about you? l'll recite it to you.

Oh holy trinity, oh rain clouds, oh
emptiness, and you my capable tongue,

holy trinity who crushed
weak Zeus with your turbine.

Listen to my prayer: l adore
you! Ah , ah , ah. Ah , ah , ha.

Zeus the Olympian , is perhaps
no longer the God of Gods?

You. Perhaps you don't even exist.

And who makes it rain?

You. The clouds. Have you ever
seen rain in fine weather?

And who pushes the clouds in
the sk y if not divine Zeus?

A turbine, l'm telling you, a vast turbine, but
tell me, what do you really want from me?

Oh S ocrates, l would
like you to teach me

how to get rid
of my creditors.

Now, S ocrates, l am the creditor,
give my money back to me.

Ah, ah. My poor friend, you must have banged
your head, you're repeating yourself in vain.

l 'm repeating myself?

You , Yes, you're repeating yourself,
but answer my question.

When it rains, does new
water fall each time

or is it the same water that
the sun has pumped back?

l don't care. C ome on
give my money back.

What, you want your money, while
ignoring all celestial things?

Pay me only the interest,
l ask only this.

You. The interest, but
what on earth is that?

lt is the money that you add to the rest
in proportion to the time that passes.

You. Good answer, but tell me, when
it rains does the sea level rise?

No. l t always remains
the same as itself.

You. The sea doesn't rise
by a drop and you want

to increase your money?
Ah , ah , ah. Blasphemer. Blasphemer!

What do you think
about it, S ocrates.

The actor is good, but his
S ocrates does not exist.

That's true. l had forgotten that
you think you are a master of virtue.

You're wrong. l simply practice
the same trade as my mother

she was an obstetrician , but
its not children l deliver,

but the truth and thanks to this to
an art that l and several Gods know.

S ee, he brings
us new Gods.

No. l simply believe
in my inner voice,

like you believe in the
omens of the birds.

The Athenians are the
sons of the earth.

lf they have been hit by destiny, it is
precisely because chatterers like you

have twisted their traditions
and because of this.

Stop! Leave him alone!

Those who want
to see the sun

burn their eyes if they
look at it in the face.

They should study by watching
it reflected in the water.

The soul becomes blind if we want
to see discover the truth of details.

l t must take refuge in
the world of reason.

l f you cannot even feed
a slave, S ocrates,

how do manage not
to die of hunger?

l 've learned to get
by on the minimum.

You see, it is because l settle for little,
that l am always closer to the Gods.

You're luck y S ocrates.
l need everything in continuation.

l t's only wealth that
counts S ocrates,

without it you're not worth anything ,
even in the eyes of the Gods.

You are wrong , compared to
a rich and dishonest man

the Gods prefer a poor
and virtuous man.

l f being poor is enough
to possess virtue,

then there's no doubt that
you are a model of it.

But if you don't make
your pupils pay you

is this perhaps to attract
them to you more securely?

M aybe he's paid
by the Spartans.

The one they don't like,
they send here to us.

Leave him alone. They treated
even Homer as a madman.

They are faithful to their country,
just like any one of us.

Nevertheless Alcibiade was
you're favourite pupil ,

The one who brought us to ruin.
Alcibiade the mutilator of the hermae,

who you taught scorn
for tradition to.

No. l just made him understand that
he had to know how to recognise

what life continually
brings us that is new.

And this is how you want to talk
about his betrayal and our ruin.

And Crizia?
Didn't he, like you , say

that the Gods are just the
invention of politicians?

And Plato? Another
of your pupils.

l heard that youngster proclaim
precisely here that

until philosophers aren't heads of state
or the heads of state are philosophers,

things at Athens will
go from bad to worse.

Too bad if ignorant people
laugh at us, but tell me,

who would you turn to
manage affairs of state?

The citizens.

And how are the citizens who will
become the city leaders to be chosen?

By drawing lots?
With beans?

You know well.

Directing affairs of state
perhaps isn't so difficult?

Yes.

l f you had to undertake
a sea voyage,

would you choose a
pilot by drawing lots?

No.

And your shoemaker, your
farrier, your doctor,

would you choose them
by drawing lots?

No.

S ee then. You wouldn't trust your
life to a doctor chosen by fortune,

but you a good citizen are ready
to place the affairs of the city

in the hands of anyone,
perhaps even a pauper,

and now you have admitted that politics
is the most difficult of the sciences.

Are you not contradicting
yourself then?

S eeing as you know politics so well ,
why don't you get involved?

B ecause at the time of the trial
of the generals l understood,

that the place for someone who wants to
fight injustice is in the middle of everyone,

in the mass and not
in public office.

On the other hand, l am more useful
teaching correct political practice

to a large number of citizens,
rather than practising it myself.

B e careful. You're talking like
one of those foreign philosophers

who tempest us with
their doctrines,

and remember that they have
condemned Pythagoras.

l t's sad to see the courts of Athens
putting themselves at the service of

of jealousy and fear.

You talk of justice, while
the others talk of country.

Where is your country
then , S ocrates?

Athens is my country. l 've
demonstrated this on the battlefield,

but followed by believing that the earth
is immense and that many other peoples

are scattered around the sea,
like frogs around a pond.

Wisdom isn't just Athenian ,

strength is not just Spartan
or prudence C orinthian.

Other peoples posses
these virtues.

l am Athenian, but l'm also a man, just
like all the other men on the earth.

B e careful what you're saying.

They could accuse you
of offending our Gods

And of scorning our traditions.

Traditions only make sense
if we can assess their meaning.

We must be distrustful
of habits.

The leaders of our democracy,
chosen by chance out of habit,

almost all ignorant with
the presumption of knowledge,

can be the easy prey of
the first who comes along

and can commit in justices.

This is why every day we can
measure the force of defamation.

Esculapio, you who
care and heal ,

remember that Teodoro,
who offers you this cock,

has always been scrupulously faithful
and has never neglected you.

Grant him the healing
of his son.

S end illness and death
far from his family.

M ay your intervention preserve
him from the anger of Hades

and from the hostility
of infernal divinities.

There is no doubt that everything man
possesses comes to him from the Gods,

but l wonder if the
Gods need our gifts.

Teodoro l offer you this
thigh and this meat

so that you can
smell the aroma.

Esculapio, fulfil
His request.

By offering a cock, a pigeon , a lamb,
or any way something very small ,

in exchange for the protection
and love of the gods,

man asks for his desires
to be satisfied.

l n other words: a lot.

We even hope to be spared
from death with a cock.

There l can understand, S ocrates.

D eath is horrible and certainly
more painful than birth.

That maybe, but it may also be
sweeter, if we approach the truth.

We are all mortals, S ocrates,
and we will all die one day.

l f death is sweet and
means liberation ,

we will joyfully sacrifice
a cock to Escalapio.

Critone, you promised, in the meantime
l believe that death is a liberation.

l f l cannot have any certainty
while l live in my body,

one of the two things must be true:
either there can be no knowledge for me

or l will have such knowledge through
death... and you know how curious l am.

Esculapio, may l die surrounded
by my friends, steeped

l n the hope of finding the rest of
knowledge on the other side.

M eleto, son of M eleto,

accuses S ocrates, son of
Sufronico of the following crimes:

S ocrates does not believe
in the Gods of Athens;

S ocrates preaches new beliefs;
S ocrates corrupts the young.

The accuser demands
the death penalty.

S ocrates. S ocrates.

S o, what makes you run so
early in the morning?

An accusation against you has been
posted to the door of the ''arconte'' palace.

You must see it as
soon as possible.

But it is a serious accusation.

A certain M eleto has
made it against you.

Sit down.

Look S ocrates.

Goodbye, S ocrates

Look, it's the good-looking l ppia.

l t's a good while we haven't had the
pleasure of seeing you in the city.

Where are you going ,
so well equipped?

l'm going to the gymnasium to give a
speech about the genealogy of heroes.

Would you like to hear it?

l've got things to do and
unfortunately l cannot accompany you.

lt's a speech l've already done, and
everyone tells me that it is very beautiful.

l 'd be pleased to have
your opinion as well.

You said it's very beautiful.
S o you know what beauty is.

Yes, of course.

And you could
explain it to me?

Very easily! A beautiful virgin,
Socrates, there's something beautiful.

A good reply. But tell me l ppia, can
you say that a she-ass is beautiful?

Yes. l n my town there are some
really beautiful she-asses.

And a nice pan , l ppia, can you say
that a pan is beautiful thing?

M y dear S ocrates, l don't understand
how you can use such a prosaic

object to talk of
so elevated things.

What do you want,
l 'm just a boor.

Any way, even you must admit that
a beautiful pan is beautiful.

Yes, that may be, but
the most beautiful pan ,

compared to a beautiful
virgin is ugly.

l n the same way that the most
beautiful is ugly compared to a God.

- l s that not what you're saying?
- E xactly.

And yet just before, you said: ''a beautiful
virgin, there's something beautiful''

and now you're telling me when
compared to a God she's ugly,

but cannot be beautiful
and ugly at the same time.

You see, you still haven't
told me what beauty is.

l 'll explain it another day,
whenever you like. Goodbye.

S ocrates.

l 've never seen you walk with your
head down. What's the matter?

l was thinking of a story
they tell in Egypt.

A demon called Teute went
to visit king Tamus

to bring him up to date about
the arts he had invented,

and to invite him to let
the Egyptians participate.

He talked about numbering ,
calculation , geometry, astronomy,

trick track and dice to
finally arrive at writing.

The practice of writing
said the demon , will develop

knowledge and strengthen
the memory of your citizens.

This is my most beautiful invention
and it will lead you to science.

Very good said the king , but
can you create new arts Teute,

l can foresee what will
happen if it is practised

l can therefore tell you
that writing will

give a result completely
different from what you imagine.

l n confiding in writing , men
will no longer search for

their memories deep
down inside them ,

they will forget to trust their memories and
in so doing will lose much of their knowledge,

and instead of trying to express
themselves with trouble and warmth ,

they will cite texts
with elegance.

But what can you reply
to citations?

You therefore contrast a living ,
vibrant literal speech to the word,

to writing that are
the image of speech.

Yes, that's right. You could believe
that writings speak intelligently,

but when you try to question them ,
they only repeat themselves.

When written , speeches pass
from one hand to the next,

without knowing how to distinguish the
weakest one from an intelligent one,

and if the writings attack you ,
if they accuse you un justly,

you cannot make them
see reason in any way.

What's behind all these
thoughts S ocrates?

A written accusation against me has
been posted to the door of ''arconte''.

Against you?
And have you seen it?

No.

Let's go then ,
l 'll come with you.

What are you doing
here S ocrates?

Have you too started to frequent
the portico of ''arconte''?

l 'm here because l 've just

posted an accusation.

And l 'm here because they
want to drag me to court

for reasons of state.

Who accuses you?

M eleto. He doesn't seem
so hostile to me.

They tell me he accuses me of
having introduced the cult

of some new divinity to the
detriment of our old Gods.

l t's certainly because of
that supernatural voice

you claim to hear inside
and which inspires you.

An innovator in the religious
field is a kind of defamation

to which almost everyone
is very sensitive.

Athenians cannot bear
one of them having

the slightest personal
knowledge about the Gods.

When l for example
predict the future

before the people's assembly, the
laugh at me as if l were mad,

and believe me, all my
predictions come true.

You'll see, you'll get
away with your trial ,

but l 'll get
satisfaction from mine.

Who have you registered
your accusation against.

Against my father.

Your father?

Alas, yes, S ocrates.

And what do you accuse him of?

Of homicide.

Did he kill one of
the family perhaps?

No. Why do you
ask me that?

Well, you wouldn't drag your father before
the courts for killing someone unrelated.

And why not? l t's strange
S ocrates that you distinguish

Between the death of someone
unrelated and that of a family member.

The filthiness is the same
and if one is aware of a crime,

one must purif y one's self
by pursuing the assassin

whoever the criminal is
and whoever the victim is.

But what happened?

The dead man was a labourer
on one of our farms.

He had been drinking , had hit
a companion and killed him.

M y father had him
thrown in a ditch

And sent someone to Athens to find
out how to deal with the matter.

ln the meantime, he didn't worry about
the man who was dying in the ditch.

People reproach me, saying
that it is impious,

for a son
to accuse his father.

But they, S ocrates, don't know
what compassion is. l do.

There wouldn't be any difference between the
common people and myself if l didn't know.

S o, dear friend, explain
it to me, l beg you.

this will be very useful
to me for my trial.

What l 'm doing is compassionate.

Legally pursuing anyone
guilty of a crime,

even if father,
mother or son.

Zeus, the most just of the Gods,
enchained his father Uranus

to punish him because he had
devoured his own children.

C onsidering the accusations
made against me,

l 'm frankly not willing
to talk about divinity

but, between us two, do you really think that
things between Zeus and his father went like that?

C ertainly.

And l know details more curious
than those the common people know.

You therefore believe that there
are conflicts between the Gods.

Yes, and l could tell you some
things about the history of the Gods.

which even you S ocrates
would be amazed at.

Tell me instead, again for
my trial , what compassion is?

What the Gods like, that
what compassion is.

What they don't like is piety.

But you just told me that the
Gods fight against each other.

Yes indeed.

S o, they argue
like men

About what is
good or bad.

That's clear.

S o, according to you ,
the same thing

M ay please one God and
displease another.

C ertainly.

The fact that you want to punish
your father may anyway please Zeus

and displease Uranus, please
Efesto and displease Era.

Yes.

S o, l f l understand
well , the same action ,

can please or displease
the Gods at the same time,

in other words compassion
and piety at the same time.

But that's impossible Eutifrone.

l beg you , tell me
what compassion is.

Another time, S ocrates, l 've
got things to do, goodbye.

And now, let's worry
about our trial.

C ome on Santippe calm down.
D on't cry.

Our poor children.

l knew that your mania
for bothering people

would have brought all the
misfortunes on us. l knew it.

You must defend yourself
How do you think you'll do that?

All my life l 've avoided
in justice. That's my defence.

But how will you reply to all the
accusations. You must contest them.

No, no, no, no, don't cry
Santippe, no, don't cry.

S ocrates, l beg you to call an
orator to defend you. l beg you.

C ome on , don't cry. And to
make you happy, we'll call one.

C ontact Lisia, S ocrates, he's
the best orator of Athens.

Go and call Lisia, explain to him ,
tell him that S ocrates in danger,

that he must defend him.

Well , first of all the preamble,
the ritual information ,

then praise for your judges,
of noble birth , Athenian race,

keepers of an entirely
divine wisdom ,

heirs of the heroes
of Homeric Greece,

of such majesty that just on
seeing them evil powers retreat,

and the enemies of
Athens are defeated.

What do you think?

l n second place
the narration.

l could say for example:
the accusers of S ocrates,

well-intentioned persons, but of
weak judgement, excited souls

without critical spirit before
this divine assembly, propose

the case of a man who in some
manner merits your judgement.

Who is concerned? l t's S ocrates.

A person known for years for being
an original , full of gentleness.

What is it about? About doctrines
that are supposed to be new

and aimed at disturbing youngsters,
is that OK to you?

M y reasoning will be simple

and limited to being the
illustration of my preamble.

l f new doctrines existed,
capable of corrupting youngsters,

could you , the holders of Athenian
wisdom be unaware of them?

No. M uch before our accusers

you would have known these
doctrines and refused them forcibly.

And as for the charge that
S ocrates can corrupt youngsters

do you know what this means?

That at the most this
concerns a few kids too weak

to play our games,

consoling their weakness,

by interesting themselves in the
originality of an old man. l C ontinue.

Now, for the normal
digression ,

l will develop the main
point of my oration.

What a wonderful paradox to
see just an old man in S ocrates

who we can laugh at
and forget his past,

that past, which you are
the living memory of.

Shall l remind you of it? S ocrates
was a soldier full of courage,

ready to give his life
to defend our Gods

he was an athlete hardened
to all the rigours of winter,

he was a judge, respectful
to the point of obsession

of the laws you
yourselves enact.

And who can criticise the
devotion of simple minds.

Then , in my defence, l will
request your reprieve.

No, no, Athenians, do not accuse
S ocrates of an offence to you.

Since you have known him you have always
been very indulgent of his strangeness.

Respect the old age of one
of your life's companions.

D on't tarnish the last
years of a man whose death

will alas tear him from us
in any event. Absolve him!

What kind of good do you think you'll
do to the Judges with that speech?

But it's your good that l want
S ocrates, not your Judges'.

You are therefore ready
to harm them for my good?

C ertainly.

And how can you good for me
if you do harm to them?

D o you believe that without a doubt,
the most precious good is life?

Yes.

Life in a lie, or
life in the truth?

Life in the truth.

But if you reply to the lies of
my accusers, with other lies,

if you persuade them by pleasing
them , wouldn't the life coming to me

from your eloquence be
tarnished by this cunning?

No Lisia, life only deserves
to be conserved in joy,

and the only joy for man is the search
for the truth without deviations.

Life is worth something if you
hope to find the truth one day

And the truth , like the stars,
is very difficult to reach.

From the plain and on mountain
tops we look at the

stars without the sensation of
having gone near them.

l t's the same with the truth. You
don't have to go close to see it.

D o you want to get yourself
condemned then?

l f democracy wants my death ,
it must have its reasons.

You're mad. We shouldn't fear
M eleto who is a poor thing.

Think instead of Anito, who is a demagogue,
or of Licone who is a rhetorician.

You shouldn't forget
that above all ,

Athenians are sensitive
to eloquence.

l 'll tell the truth in my way
and we'll see if they understand.

At my age l 've got no
use for fair words.

As you think fit.
l hope you're right.

Lisia.

l 'll defend myself alone.

M ore madness.
You'll end up losing.

You've ruined our life, but think
at least about our children.

l t's for them and for
you that l 'll talk in my way.

They'll condemn you ,
l know, they hate you.

D on't leave me alone S ocrates.

D on't leave us.

993, 99 4, 995, . . .

. . . 996, 997, 998, . . .

. . . 999, 1 000.

Oh Erbete, what're you
doing here at your age?

What're you saying? At my
age, l 'm already thirty

and with the approval of the
Gods l can very well participate

as a juror in court.
l 've already taken the oath.

Zeus. How time flies.
l thought you much younger.

Black bean.

Antimaco.

Black bean.

Pittaco.

White bean.

Have you seen the batons?

This time our people
bears the colour red.

l t's the colour
that brings me luck.

D o you know anything about
the trial we'll be jurors in?

Absolutely nothing.

l n any event, we'll only know
the moment we take our places.

Today, the Gods seem to be
AGAl NST us. How many excluded.

l f it's like this also
in the other peoples

we'll never reach the number
of five hundred and one judges.

D on't worry, it's never
happened in the past.

We'll perhaps take
longer than usual.

But the legal number
is always reached.

White bean.

Hey, you're forgetting the badge,

without that, you won't get the three
obols due to you at the end of the trial.

Oh Athens, daughter of Zeus,
mother of wisdom , war and the arts.

You who gave us the olive
and the use of the rudder,

remember the sacrifices
we have offered to you.

M ay your sentence inspire us and
may your shield protect us.

Oh you Athens the valorous, oh you
Athena, the indomitable goddess.

You who have been chosen by fortune
with the goodwill of the gods,

know that you must pass sentence
on the occasion of this

trial brought by M eleto, supported by
Anito and Licone, against S ocrates.

M eleto, son of M eleto, accuses
S ocrates son of S ofronico

Of the following crimes.

First, S ocrates does not
believe in Gods of Athens;

second, S ocrates
proposed new beliefs;

third, S ocrates
corrupts the young.

The accuser demands
the death penalty.

The accuser speaks first,
M eleto may speak.

l am not driven by
personal interest,

by coming before this
court to accuse

our co-citizen S ocrates
of the crime of impiety.

l t is because of love for Athens.

S ocrates wants to replace the
worship of our old Gods with

the worship of new demons,
taking care not to indicate

their nature, because he is
always more inclined

to destroy, rather
than to construct.

This crime, now that we've
found peace again ,

threatens to spark off the
just anger of the gods

against our country,
against Athens.

With a truly distressed soul ,
l feel it my duty

to request the death
penalty for S ocrates.

The existence of Athens
itself is in your hands.

And he says that he is not
acting out of personal interest

Anito may speak.

Athenians, you've known
me for a long time

and you know how much
l love our city,

it's S ocrates' fault that we have
already suffered a great disaster

the Gods didn't save us from that
terrible punishment we suffered. . .

l 've come from the agora.
M eleto made a bad speech.

People didn't take
him seriously. .

And this is why l 'm
telling you Athenians,

no one here must
dictate your conduct.

Now you know what
the accusations are.

l know your wisdom ,

and am certain that you will know

how to make the right decision
according to conscience.

We have heard the accusers.

The accused may now speak.
S ocrates may speak.

Athenians, they have told
you that l was an orator.

l tell you that at my age
- l 'm seventy -

that it wouldn't be any good
for me to practice eloquence.

This is the first time l appear
before you on the platform

of a court of justice, but
many who have heard me talk

in the streets, in the public squares
can tell you that l speak here

as elsewhere, in my way, in
other words, l only seek the truth

without any formal devices.

The law demands me to
speak to defend myself

And l will do that.

However, before replying
to my accusers,

who l listened to with
the greatest attention ,

l must contest the gossips
that for twenty years now

have insisted in confusing
me with a certain S ocrates

Who is busy analysing
The mysteries of the earth ,

or, even worse,
of venerating clouds.

Such a person is just
in the spirit of those

who have maliciously
put me on stage

An atheist and Aristofane

or those who imitate
him , do not at all hide

the severity of the their
accusations behind their prank.

The figure they present to
you , who walks in the air

or does a thousand silly things,
more or less scientific, of which

l know nothing of, doesn't
remotely resemble me.

l appeal to the witness
of those who know me.

When it is said that l concern myself
with the education of many young people

so as to be paid and
to teach them to make

an incorrect cause correct,
a lie is being told.

l n fact, l myself content myself
with searching for the truth.

l f l had the fortune to be
wise like l ppia or Giorgia,

whom you all certainly know
l would not hesitate to be paid.

Unfortunately,
l am ignorant and

the only thing l know, is
that l don't know anything.

This kind of knowledge
cannot be sold.

Now, one of you
could exclaim:

''But tell me S ocrates, if, there is
nothing extraordinary about you

why this defamation and
why this trial?''

and l would reply:
''because l possess wisdom''.

l beg you , Vi prego. M y
witness is the God of D elfi.

D o you all know Clerofonte.

He was a childhood friend of mine
and his death upset me greatly,

to you he was a democrat

a man who was exiled

under Spartan domination.

His brother is here and will
testif y for me in his place.

At D elfi my brother
Clerofonte asked Pizia

if there was anyone in the
world wiser than S ocrates.

Pizia replied that no one in
the world was wiser than him.

This reply from the oracle
surprised me because l didn't know

that l was wise.

Nevertheless as the
oracle couldn't lie

l started looking for all those
passing themselves off as wise,

in the hope of discovering the
meaning of the divine word.

After questioning a large
number of the most eminent men

l suddenly understood what
the oracle wanted to say.

l was the wisest, because
those politicians, those poets

had the presumption of knowing
while not knowing anything

whilst l , S ocrates, had always
been aware of my ignorance.

l have made many, many
enemies because often

it is the most powerful figures
that have the greatest defects,

but l have remained at the service of God
who obliges me to search for the truth,

even if this search has revealed
to me, that many who pretend

to be wise, are not
at all in reality.

l now turn to M eleto.

This exemplary citizen , this
M eleto l tell you is guilty

because he has
dragged me into court

pretending to interest himself in things
he doesn't know anything about.

Reply to my question ,
M eleto.

Do you not perhaps give great importance
to the education of the young?

Yes, certainly.

Given that you hold that it is l ,
S ocrates who corrupts the young ,

you will certainly know who
improves them , answer then ,

your silence may lead
the court to believe

that you don't know anything ,
tell me who can improve the young?

There are the laws.

And who knows the
laws the best?

Look around you S ocrates,
your Judges.

All of them , or
someone among them?

All.

By Zeus this is good news.
And those down there listening to us,

do they too have a good
influence on the young?

Without a doubt.

And the members of the council?

The members of
the council too.

l n short, do all Athenians have
a good influence on the young?

All except S ocrates who corrupts
them. l s that what you want to say?

Yes, And as forcibly as l can.

Ah , what a poor chap this S ocrates
is, what a horrible destiny,

and what happiness there would be, if
it were true that everyone in the city

had a good influence
on the young

and that just one man , this
S ocrates corrupts them.

Meleto, you have demonstrated that you
do not have the slightest knowledge

of the problems for which you
have dragged me into court for.

But tell me again , is it not true
that bad people always do bad things

to those who approach them, whilst
good people always do them some good.

l agree.

And do you know
anyone, by chance,

who prefers bad ways
to good ones?

Ah , no, certainly not.

Accusing me of
corrupting the young ,

means accusing me of
making them bad,

do you think l corrupt them
voluntarily or involuntarily?

Voluntarily,
this is more than certain.

How is that M eleto?

You know that bad people do bad
things to those who approach them

and expect me at my age
not to know that.

You therefore believe by
making those around me bad

l don't know that l 'm exposing
myself to being maltreated by them?

No, or l do not corrupt the youth or
if l do so, it is without wanting to,

and in this case,
my involuntary fault

is not the jurisdiction
of this court.

Well said S ocrates,
you're right!

And, even imagining that l
corrupt the young as you explain ,

these young persons, now grown up,
are not here to criticise me of it?

They themselves, or at least
their fathers or their brothers.

l see Critone father of Pritoculo,
Adimante father of Plato,

Pausania father
Anfistene, and others still.

Why don't they assail me,

why didn't you call them
to support your accusation.

You say that l corrupt the young ,
by inciting them not to believe

in the city Gods to
follow other beliefs.

D o you claim that my Gods
are not the city Gods

or do you mean that l
don't believe in any God?

l affirm that you do not
believe in any God.

Unlike other men , l
wouldn't therefore believe

that the moon
and sun are Gods.

By Zeus, citizens, he doesn't
believe, he affirms that the sun

is a rock and that the moon
is similar to the earth.

M y poor boy, unfortunately,
you confuse me with Anassagora,

and this confusion
cannot please the court

which is much better
informed than you.

Everyone knows that it is the
books of Anassagora that abandon

these propositions and
wouldn't l be ridiculous

to appropriate ideas
that are not my own?

But to return to the
question l asked you ,

is it perhaps true that
l don't believe in any God?

Absolutely true.

Tell me, M eleto, is it possible
to believe in the reality of

Human actions, without believing
in the reality of men?

l s it possible for example,
to believe in riding

Without believing in the
existence of horses?

No.

And again, can you believe in the
manifestations of a supernatural power

Without believing
in the same power?

Can you believe in the acts of the
Gods without believing in the Gods?

No, it's impossible.

Ah , finally
You reply correctly.

And so you admit that if l believe in the
manifestations of a supernatural power,

l implicitly believe in the
existence of this power.

Citizens. . .

M eleto's accusation is
based only on defamation ,

this defamation can bring
my death , but before you

l will not behave
like a coward.

When at war our generals
assigned me a post

l remained firm, and if God gives me
the task of reasoning, l will not desert.

M en fear death as if they are

certain that it is the worst
of ills, on the contrary,

it is the greatest of
goods and wisdom is

recognising our ignorance
as far as it is concerned.

l love you Athenians, but more
than you , it is my God l will obey

and because it is he who commands
me, l shall not cease to reason

Until my last breath.

Listen to me.

As far as my personal life goes,
l have always been negligent

in a different way to
that of the common man

and if l talk to you like
a father or an elder brother

it is because the God
living in me commands this.

None of my accusers have been
able to say that my promptness

has ever given
me any profit,

my poverty would
talk to disprove them.

Now it may seem strange that l keep
giving suggestions to everybody,

but l do not dare give suggestions
to the whole town in a meeting.

This is due to an
extraordinary effect,

a voice inside me,
which prevents me from

from playing politics
every time l would like to.

This voice on the other hand
has saved my life because

l f l 'd been involved in politics
l would have been dead long ago.

And now Athenian citizens,
l have finished my speech.

l will not attempt to instil
pity in you , or even

to wrench absolution from you ,

simply remember that my
God has placed me here

to keep the truth on the alert.

l f you let my accusers
convince you , you will kill me

and after my death the God
will not send you anyone else

who defends the truth.

An endless torpor will
swallow you up, think on it.

And now l place myself in your hands, so that
you may judge according to the laws l respect

and your decision will
be the best for all of us.

We shall now proceed to vote.

l'm certain they will absolve him, it's
not possible for them to condemn him.

l on the other hand am worried.

Unfortunately, those people
are almost all his enemies.

l n any case, if he is condemned,
S ocrates can always propose

commutation of the penalty.
That's the law.

What could he propose?

Who knows. He is
always unpredictable.

Let's hear the
result of the ballot.

Following the ballot
of the votes

S ocrates is declared guilty by
a majority of sixty votes.

What do you propose to mitigate
your penalty? You may speak again.

Athenians, l am not
shocked by this result,

l am rather surprised to be
condemned by such a slight majority.

As for the punishment,
M eleto proposes death.

l n turn what penalty can l propose to
you , what penalty to inflict on a man

who has always sacrificed
his personal ambition

in the interests of
his fellow citizens.

To be just, he shouldn't be
punished, on the contrary,

grant him some reward
and do it now

as if we were dealing with
anyone and not me, S ocrates.

On the one side there is the poor man
who must anyway continue his work

and where do they put the
deserving citizens

so that they may grow old, sheltered
from need, where do they put

the benefactors of the
city? l n the Pritaneo.

You should therefore
put me in the Pritaneo.

Try to reflect , S ocrates,
do not provoke the court.

This man debases
the court's dignity.

What else could l propose. A fine?
l n other words life in prison ,

seeing l have no money to
pay it. E xile? At my age?

To go off to a foreign land?

l f my fellow citizens
can't stand me,

how could foreigners.

No. l f we have to talk according
to justice, l claim what is right:

that l stay and feed
myself at the Pritaneo.

The accused proposal has been
voted on according to the law.

Your proposal has
been rejected.

The assembly asks for the death
penalty with a majority of 1 40 votes.

l n normal circumstances, execution
should take place within 24 hours

but as the city entered its annual
purification period yesterday,

we order the execution
to be stayed,

until the Holy Ship commemorating the
victory of Theseus over the Minotaur

with its voyage returns from D elo.

S ocrates, if you like, you
may express your last desires.

Citizens of Athens, if you
had waited a little more time

death would have arrived
alone to free you of S ocrates.

We shall leave this assembly,
l condemned to death and you ,

my judges condemned
by the truth.

And your lives will be
marked by the in justice

that you have now committed.

Neither this morning , when l
presented myself before this court,

nor, before, when l got
onto this platform ,

nor at any moment of
this trial , did the

divine voice criticise
my behaviour or my words.

This is because all the events of
this day were desired by the Gods.

As for death , either it
is truly eternal sleep,

or the soul remains
in an eternal house.

Whatever it is,
l have no fear.

B efore dying , l simply
make this prayer.

When my sons become men ,

if they should ever demonstrate
the presumption , torment them ,

as l have tormented you , if
they prefer money to virtue

scold them , as l have
scolded you , if you do this,

you will have given me, at the end
of the day, what is justly due to me.

But now the time to
separate has arrived.

l to die, and you to live.

Which is the better destiny?

Only the Gods can answer.
l say goodbye.

l can't wait any longer.

l t's useless foreseeing
the minimum details,

we must execute our plan.

Everything is ready now.
The guides have been paid.

And the guards suffer the
influence of S ocrates greatly.

Listening to them , he is
a gentle, model prisoner,

the most courteous
they have ever known.

As for the authorities, it seems
they are willing to close an eye.

S ocrates' escape would be
received well by public opinion.

You can't say that if
they execute the sentence.

But the Gods protect us.
l t's been more than a month that

adverse winds prevent the Holy
Ship from returning from D elo.

And visiting S ocrates in
his prison this month

has let me see freedom.

When l think he is sad,
not because the assembly

condemned him to death

but because it committed an
in justice in condemning him.

l nstead of mumbling ,
now his escape is ready,

someone should go
and tell him.

The winds have changed and the
Holy Ship can return to port

From one minute to the next.

And if he refuses?

That's impossible.

No, with S ocrates,
nothing is impossible.

Efigene is right, Plato
should explain things to him.

But Plato is ill.

Critone then. Yes, Critone.

You'll go to find
S ocrates tomorrow at dawn ,

to talk to him and
to get his approval.

You must go Critone.

OK , l 'll try.

You've come much earlier
than usual. What's going on?

l just want to be alone with S ocrates
and during the day it's impossible,

this prison is
always crowded.

C ome in.

What're you doing here,
it's still very early.

Yes, l know, it's dawn.

l 'm surprised the
guards let you in.

We're good friends.

Have you been here a long time?

Quite a while.

l watched you sleeping and was
surprised to find you so calm.

And why shouldn't l be, l think
that sleep and death are alike

they both give you peace.

l have to tell you S ocrates,
that the ship returning from D elo

is off Cape Suneo and
will enter port today.

No, it won't come
in for two days.

How do you know?

l n a dream , l saw a woman
veiled in white who told me:

''Socrates, you will return to the
fertile land of the dead in three days''.

And l shouldn't perhaps drink hemlock
on the day after the arrival of the ship?

You S ocrates, accept death , but
we have prepared your escape,

you must escape, the prison
guards won't oppose us.

And where will l go?

To Tessaglia, l have friends
down there expecting you.

But in Tessaglia, my dear Critone,
like here, like all of us,

l would be put to death.

And what will the people say, when
they know that we, your friends,

let you die, without
giving you any help.

Ah , don't worry Critone,

people worthy of respect
will know how things stand,

as for the others, it's not worthwhile
paying any attention to them.

You were wrong to
disregard them ,

they are the most numerous and
capable of the biggest crimes.

We know well why
they condemned you.

You're wrong. l f they were capable
of committing the biggest crimes,

they would be equally capable
of doing the most good.

But you S ocrates must live.

Why? Have l not
performed my task?

And wouldn't escaping be
to commit an in justice?

Think of what would happen
if when l leave this prison

The laws of Athens came
before me and asked me:

''Where are you going Socrates?'' - They
would Tell me: ''Do you want to destroy us?''

And is it possible for a state
to survive, if the resolutions

it makes remain without force?

Until today we were enough
for you and you loved us

Were you not born here?
Have you not procreated here?

Haven't you always lived respecting us,
even against the opinion of everyone?

D on't you think it is un just
to rebel against us today?

l know you're right.

And where will Critone go, to
another city, to Thebes, to M egara,

you would be welcomed as an enemy,
a rebel, and of me they would say

that the judges of Athens did
a good thing to condemn me.

And at my age, with only
a short time to live,

l think it would be ridiculous
to persist in remaining alive.

D on't you think it a madness and
that everyone would poke fun at me?

And my sons, would l have to take
them with me into a foreign land?

l f you leave them here,
we will bring them up.

But don't you think it the
same if l drink hemlock?

No, Critone. l f l die, it's not the
fault of the law, but only that

of men , and if l reply to
in justice with in justice,

to bad with bad, l am certain
that l would commit sacrilege

l know that arriving in the land of the
dead, l will be able to repeat my defence

and that the laws on the other
side, will welcome me tenderly.

All the words l 'm saying to you
now are coming out spontaneously,

and l cannot speak any others.
l hear them sing like the sound

of a flute and l am like the
''conipanti'' in their delirium ,

possessed by heavenly music.

Speak if you have something to say.

l 've nothing to tell
you my dear S ocrates.

Then go in peace. Our
friends our waiting for you.

As for me, let me follow the
path God indicated to me.

The eleven have come to
free him from the chains

and have told him
to prepare to die.

The ship has entered port.
Santippe is already inside, go, go.

l t hurt me and now l feel
pleasure, how strange it is.

Pleasure and pain are
so close to each other

that when a man wishes one,
he must suffer the other

and if we think that
God, not being able to convince

his enemies to make peace,
bound them finally

to one another, this means
that when one of them is inside us,

the other one accompanies him. . . .
what a nice story. . . . .

S ocrates. . .

S ocrates.

You're frightening
the children Santippe.

C ome on , calm down.

C ome on Santippe, calm down.

Go my children ,
go in peace.

You've written some verses in
prison S ocrates, Edenos told me.

l don't want to
compete with you.

Tomorrow, you will have to cut
them up, as a sign of grief.

How can you be so
calm S ocrates,

knowing that the time
of death is so near.

l t's because l reason and the idea
of separating myself from my body

does not frighten me, on the
contrary, it makes me happy.

A wise man should therefore
hurry the hour of his death.

No, because he should
respect the will of the Gods.

Why are you speaking
in a low voice?

Why don't you speak aloud
what's troubling you?

Now that the misfortune
is upon you S ocrates,

we don't dare to talk
to you of our worries.

l t's difficult to convince
you of this truth ,

for me, death is not a
disaster, so talk any way.

l fear, S ocrates, that once
the soul leaves the body,

it too looses its life.

But tell me C ebete, what
gives life to the body?

The soul.

And this is always the case?

C ertainly.

The soul that gives life to
the body always brings life?

Yes.

And does life have an opposite, or
is the opposite of life nothing?

Life does have an
opposite which is death.

The soul cannot therefore
receive death ,

and the opposite of this life
of which it is the source.

And how do you class
those who escape death?

They are classed as immortals.

As the soul cannot receive
death , it is therefore immortal ,

and therefore it is not foolish to
sustain that this soul is immortal ,

and if it is, it should be
looked after throughout all life.

Another idea, if death were
the end of everything ,

it would be a great
thing for all bad people

because their badness
would disappear with them.

When faced with sadness, in justices
and the wickedness of life,

remember that passage of the
Odyssey when Homer says that

Ulysses, beating his chest to
encourage his heart in these terms :

''Put up with it, heart of mine, you've
put up with much more revolting things''

D on't talk too much S ocrates, you
may get heated up and that could

make the poison's action
slower, making you suffer more.

D on't take it into consideration.

Let the executioner
prepare everything necessary.

l 'm going to wash myself now,
so that Santippe and the women

Will be spared from
washing my corpse.

And how should we bury you?

As you like, if you succeed in catching
me, and lf l don't escape you.

D on't cry.

Your father's not crying.

Think of the lesson he's giving you.

Of his courage.

When you are men ,
all the people

will have their eyes fixed
on you because you are

the sons of S ocrates, the
most valorous man of Athens.

When he walks on the streets it is not
a warriors' noise that precedes him ,

such noise comes before
simulating the fear

of those who shake
laces and shields.

His courage is still

and you have to have
the heart to recognise it.

He never lowered himself
to please anyone

and clearly says
what he thinks

and because he does nor speak for his
own good, but for the good of everyone.

D on't cry, You are
the children of a hero.

How wise you are Santippe.

Call Santippe and the boys,

and you give them a
good example, be serene.

C ome, come here.
l 've something to tell you.

Oh no! You're dying un justly.

Would you prefer
me to die justly?

Well my friend. You're the expert
in poison. What must l do?

After drinking it, walk
until your legs feel heavy,

then lie down and
let the hemlock act.

l drink to the Gods so
they may protect my journey.

But why are you crying?

D o you not know
that nature condemned

me to death since
the day l was born?

l f we have moved
Santippe away, it's only

to avoid her cries,
be strong then

Can you feel anything?

No.

When the poison arrives,
the body will depart.

M en slander swans
at the time of death.

S wans do not sing of desperation ,
because they are happy to

go to the Gods
to serve them.

Here we are, my legs
are becoming heavy.

Good Critone, we owe a cock
to Esculapio, don't forget.