Socrates' Human Wisdom: an Interpretation of Xenophon's Apology of Socrates to the Jury

• In Event: The Socratics: Plato, Xenophon, Isocrates, and Aristotle

Abstract

Socrates’ defense before the jury of Athens was surely the most public deed of his entire life. It is therefore somewhat surprising that Xenophon, in his account of this action, chooses to use it as an opportunity to reflect upon Socrates’ private thoughts. For, according to Xenophon, what is especially “worth recalling” about Socrates’ trial is “how” he “deliberated about his defense and the end of his life.” The theme of deliberation is the primary theme, while the themes of defense and death are subordinate. Thus, Xenophon offers to teach—by means of reflection upon a contingent event in Socrates’ life—how Socrates deliberated in general. Xenophon’s Apology of Socrates to the Jury is the only Socratic work wherein he explicitly praises Socrates for his wisdom. It is also the work, I wish to suggest, where he comes closest to revealing the specific character of that wisdom. This paper is an attempt to articulate the specific character of Socrates’ wisdom. It suggests that, according to Xenophon, the wisdom of Socrates is no more and no less than “human wisdom.” Ultimately, Socrates is distinguished, not by his having any access to superhuman sources of knowledge, but by his resolute determination to live his life by the natural light of human reason alone.

Author

• Mason Rattee, Boston College