I f stone shows how profound were the differences between democratic athens and the philosopher whose martyrdom has made himthanks to platos genius, a secular saint of western civilization. Socrates is the issueoriented person in the trial of socrates, and stone is wise enough to notice that getting into an argument is not the same as winning the case in a proceeding of this nature. Stones the trial of socrates nyr, march 31 contains a small but not insignificant error which has often been made before. Stone was one of my heros as he had been for many college students of my generation. The trial and execution of of socrates in athens in 399 b.
He has ranged over topics from socrates to military. Stone about two decades ago, when i was a young instructor at the american university in washington, d. Even here, socrates could have used a defense that would have surely cleared him, but desired not to. Apr 08, 1979 i f stone, in selfinterview, sheds new light on trial of socrates in 399 bc and reveals some athenian political realities that plato attempted to hide. Important support for stones conclusion comes from the earliest surviving reference to the trial of socrates that does not come from one of his disciples. It attempts to unravel some of the mysteries behind the case in which socrates, aged. Socrates was a great philosopher of the greek world. Stone, the trial of socrates 1989 stones quandary but the more i fell in love with the greeks, the more agonizing grew the spectacle of socrates before his judges. The trial and execution of socrates a philosophers. Stone ranges far and wide over roman as well as greek. The trial and execution of socrates a philosophers stone medium more than 2,400 years ago, in the birthplace of democracy, there was no such thing as freedom of speech, but one man believed.
The trial of socrates was that of paranoia that eventually cropped up in athens greece. He taught himself classical greek with considerable success and acquired a broad if erratic knowledge of the classical literature. Buy a cheap copy of the trial of socrates book by i. I found him a kindly man, rather grandfatherly, with a quick, penetrating intellect. The trial and execution of the aged philosopher socrates in 399 bc for impiety and corruption of the youth of athens was the second most famous miscarriage of justice in western history.
I could not defend the verdict when i started and i cannot defend it now. This book is his attempt to answer those questions and to mitigate the citys crime and thereby remove some of the stigma the trial left on democracy and athens. Last year, on his 70 th birthday, in an interview with himself for this magazine, retired journalist i. Stone, 1989, anchor books edition, in english 1st anchor books ed.
Stone said that socrates wanted to be sentenced to death, to justify his philosophic opposition to the athenian democracy of that time, and because, as a man, he saw that old age would be an unpleasant time for him. The new york times called this national bestseller an intellectual thriller. Buy the trial of socrates first edition by stone, i. University of toronto press, 2008, 19 socrates acquitted in ancient trial rerun. I f stone, in selfinterview, sheds new light on trial of socrates in 399 bc and reveals some athenian political realities that plato attempted to. This book provides an interesting look at the trial of socrates. Our cheap used books come with free delivery in the us. Stone ranges far and wide over roman as well as greek history to present an engaging and rewarding introduction to classical antiquity and its relevance to society today. Philosophically, democracy has a tendency to adopt itself as an ideology, claimed by whatever faction is most adept at schmittian politics, the. The project wasnt just a hobby to keep himself occupied in retirement. Stone, the leftwing journalist and castigator of what he considers the repressive nature of modern american democracy, has for many years been fascinated by the ancient greeks. Stone tells us that the trial of socrates is only one fragment of an unwritten history of freedom of thought that he sat down to write when heart trouble forced him to give up i. Stone had lived to write this 1988 bestseller in 2019 instead, he might have expressed its thesis this way.
By purchasing books through this website, you support our nonprofit organization. The puzzle is all the greater because socrates had taughtwithout molestationall of his adult. Stone said that socrates wanted to be sentenced to death, to justify his philosophic opposition to the athenian democracy of. We renewed our acquaintance this year, since he has published the trial of socrates 1988. The trial of socrates the official website of if stone. Apology platos account apology of socrates xenophons account criminal procedure in ancient greece and the trial of socrates. Stone has dug through the available material most of it on the two of them and presents all the evidence why we should be skeptical of those who say that socrates plato was the greatest philosopher of them all that according to bertrand russell all philosophy since has been just footnotes to these two. Moving away from but not rejecting the wellknown idea of socrates being some kind of secular god of philosophy who was tragically murdered by the ignorant masses, i. Stone spoke of his newfound joy in greek studies and his hope of finding in them one last scoop that would help clear up some of the mystery which still surrounds the trial of socrates, that cause celebre which has tantalized scholars and historians for centuries. The trial and execution of the aged philosopher socrates in 399 bc for. Stone, 9780385260329, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. I could not defend the verdict when i started and i. He examines what plato does not tell us the athenian side of the story to see whether he can mitigate the citys crime and thereby remove some of the stigma the trial left on democracy and on athens. In unraveling the longhidden issues of the most famous free speech case of all time, noted author i.
The trial and execution of socrates a philosophers stone. Stone set out to discover how a socalled free society, such as existed in athens, could try and condemn to death its most renowned philosopher. This paper examines the way in which stone in his essay appears to be acting as a kind of prosecuting attorney across the ages, asking socrates why and. Stone 1988, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. Ancient history encyclopedia foundation is a nonprofit organization registered in canada. Xenophon was a young boy during the trial, and was away fighting in a persian war during the execution. The trial of socrates by stone 9781784970956 fast for. Stone the trial of socrates book club edition ebay. Stone on the trial of socrates for others, notably i.
Trial of socrates project gutenberg selfpublishing. Men of athens, you executed socrates, the sophist, because he was clearly responsible for the education of critias, one of the thirty. In his introduction, stone takes socrates seriously, even if it is in no. An old muckraker sheds fresh light on the 2,500yearold mystery and reveals some athenian political realities that plato did his best to hide. We examine the trial of socrates to ascertain whether freedom of speech or an oligarchic conspiracy was at issue.
The previous rebels being socrates former students. Stone and i had several very pleasant and, for me, incisive discussions. Two recent governmental take overs occurred with the threat of a third. The trial of socrates book ancient history encyclopedia. Why, in a society enjoying more freedom and democracy than any the world had ever seen, would a seventyyearold philosopher be put to death for what he was teaching. Stone has dug through the available material most of it on the two of them and presents all the evidence why we should be skeptical of those who say that socratesplato was the greatest philosopher of them all that according to bertrand russell all philosophy since has been just footnotes to these two. It attempts to unravel some of the mysteries behind the case in which socrates, aged 70, was brought to trial by the supposedly democratic athenian authorities and executed for his nonconformist teaching. Being different from all the other philosophers of the land, socrates was teaching his students ideas totally out of the ordinary from what the. What passes for primary sources about the history of the trial and execution of socrates are. Primarysource accounts of the trial and execution of socrates are the apology of socrates by plato and the apology of socrates to the jury by xenophon of athens, who had been his student. F stone looks at the political and social circumstances that lead to the trial and to the death of socrates. I f stone, in selfinterview, sheds new light on trial of socrates in 399 bc and reveals some athenian political realities that plato attempted to hide.
Yet stones admiration for the openness and freedom which flowered in athens in ancient times was marred by that crucial event in the citystates historythe trial and execution of socrates. Now izzy stone sits onstage in san franciscos soldout herbst theater, finishing up a talk scheduled to promote the trial of socrates. At the time, socrates was a controversial figure in the city and not particularly liked. Now, he believes he has found new evidence that sheds light not only on the trial itself but on the complex politics of. Antique little leather library book the trial of socrates by plato. Stone in his book the trial of socrates, the athenians action was a justifiable defense of their recently reestablished democracy. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Socrates was an altright troll redpilling young men with corrosive irony and antidemocratic sentiment. The trial of socrates 1988 the war years, 19391945 1988 158648463xtext. Stone breaks the socrates story the new york times.
An investigation into the trial of the greek philosopher socrates 469399 bc. Ancient history encyclopedia limited is a nonprofit company registered in the united kingdom. We conclude that it is time to consider whether socrates was engaged in sedition of behalf of the oligarchs. Stone, originally published in the new york times magazine, april 8, 1979.
How could athens, that progressive center of freedom and democracy, have been so untrue to itself. Stones weekly in 1971 for health reasons, stone set out to research a comprehensive study of freedom of thought and speechand found the trial of socrates in 399 b. Antique little leather library book the trial of socrates by. Stone, in his the trial of socrates, describes critias a cousin of platos as the first robespierre, a cruel and inhumane man determined to remake the city to his own antidemocratic mold whatever the human cost. The trial of socrates reconsidered which challenges some of the longstanding assumptions about socrates. The oligarchy confiscated the estates of athenian aristocrats, banished 5,000 women, children, and slaves, and summarily.
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