Socrates : The Drama

SOCRATES: The wise philosopher of athene
ANYTUS: The most wealthiest man of Greece who was the predominantal figure in the indictment of Socrates.
GORIAS : A sophorist intellectual who imparts knowledge to the Athenians for a fee.
PLATO: The most faithful student of Socrates.
CRITO: The most faithful friend of Socrates
KING ARCHON: The judicial authority of Athene.
ARISTOTLES: The student of Plato
JAILOR

Scene 1

There was a huge crowd in the court. Antylus and Gorgias was standing adjacent to the chair of the King.They Looked quite disturbed.

Antylus: Gorgias, The name Socrates should not exist in Athene any more.
Gorias: Oh wealthiest of the wealthiest Antylus, only you could do that….Socrates has not only threatened my existence in the society but has blemished all of us who serve the state.
Antylus: That old man, who does he think he is? Misguiding the youth and turning them against us, questioning, free thinking he says….All these are against us . He is manipulating them against us.
Gorias: It is not the state he is after , he is after individuals particularly you Antylus.
Antylus: I wont let this happen..Today he will bear the fruit for the seeds he has sown…

A background yelling followed by arrival of king Archon. Goria moves nearer to Antylus. King Archon enters the court and wishes them and sits down.Gorias gets seated but antylus doesnot…

King Archon: Antylus, u look disturbed? take your seat.
Antylus: No lord, I will not sit, nor rest until I have my justice.
King Archon: Soldier , bring Socrates in.

The soldier brings Socrates with tied hands , unfolds the ties. Socrates turns towards Antylus who looks at him harshly and when he looks at Gorias , gorias slowly stands up.

Socrates: Yes My lord.
King Archon: Socrates, you know why have you been arrested and brought here for a trial?
Socrates: No My Lord, I do not know.
King Archon: Antylus, you can begin.
Antylus: Oh my Lord, This person has been instigating the youth against the state with notorius ideas.
King Archon: Socrates is this true?
Socrates: No my Lord. I have always obeyed and respected the state.I have never misguided the youth. I adviced them to believe in their knowledge. I had always told them a kind of wisdom that each of them lacks is an open awareness of his own ignorance. My aim is not to convey new information but rather to elicit awareness of something that an individual already knows implicitly.
Gorias: My Lord, He has been imparting knowledge by alleviating from our contemporary system. He has been doing this free of charge which is against the law?
King Archon: What do you have to say about this Socrates?
Socrates: My Lord, Knowledge should not have any barriers nor the style we adopt to attain it.is what I believe. So I decided to share my ideas with my students without accepting anything in return.This only would propel them to seek and learn more.
Gorias: What is learning more , My lord? They have started pursuing the idea that the world is no more a square but round in shape( in a saracastic manner) .We all know that there is a point in the world the farther we try to move would trip over and fall off. This knowledge has been passed over through generations by our ancestors and by contradicting it he is trying to degrade our teachings and also belittling our ancestors. Do you call this knowledge , My lord?
King Archon: Socrates, How dare you preach something which is against our tradition and Knowledge?
Socrates: My Lord, How can we ever learn what we do not know. Either we already know what we are looking for, in which case we don't need to look, or we don't know what we're looking for, in which case we wouldn't recognize it even if we found it.Iam inviting you all to the shores of the Aegean Sea from where we could see the ships coming in.
King Archon: How does it prove that?
Socrates: Yes my Lord. Just observe the ships . At first you will see the smoke followed by the pipe and then the body of the ship. Only in a round surface the objects could move around like that.
Antylus: My Lord, The old man Has gone Blind and is totally out of senses.He is imagining things and giving it a different outlook.My Lord, this man,s existence in this society is a shame to all of us. He has also started giving new definitons to judiciary?
King Archon: This is the limit Socrates…
Socrates: No My Lord, Let me ask you Antylus what is Judiciary?
Antylus: Nothing more than telling the truth and repaying ones debts.
Socrates: But in certain cases these simple rules without exception could bring disastrous results.For example Returning a borrowed weapon to an insane friend would be an instance of following the rule but would not seem to be an instance of just action.
Antylus: My Lord, He is redifining our pillars.
Kjing Archon: I cannot tolerate this anymore Socrates. Warden Take him and put him behind the bars till I give a further order on this.
Soldier comes in pushes him down ,ties Socrates. Socrates without saying a word Obeys…..Lights off

Scene 2

[ Socrates was in a deep thought when Plato came to see him}

Plato: Oh my Master…( in a very sad tone)
Socrates: My dearest student Plato..i was waiting for you ….i knew that you would be here before the sunset..
Plato: How can I not? How will I stay happy when my lord is inflicted to such a cruel state? How can I eat …How can I sleep…
Socartes: I am Quite happy here Plato…
Plato: No my master, Do not hide ur tears for that would flood Athene ..do not hide ur emotions for that would deafen the people here..
Socrates: Ur mistaken Plato….my emotions have dried up…I have served the state and I have served the people of athene humbly to my level best which is the final verdict for me…
Plato: How can you say that My Master when your task remains unaccomplished…you taught me that the only opinion that counts is not that of the majority of the people, but rather that of the individual who truly knows. You taught me about human virtues and emotions which still has not reached the masses that you intended to.
Socartes: No Plato ,virtue can never be taught….
Plato: My master, Your work is not over…Athene needs you..the people here wants you moreover I want you…I will not be able to carry your work all alone …don’t desert me in this situation ,my master
Socrates: Loneliness can occur even if you have a partner.There are many people who have many friends but are still lonely inside. So never feel lonely. I am always there with you An unexamined life is not worth living Plato…..
Plato: Master now I have come with a plan..please, do not reject that..
Socrates: What is that?
Plato: An escape from here
Socrates: I don’t understand
Plato: Yes My master, I have crafted a plan for ur escape. U could safely come out of this prison and stay secretly with us .The wealthy Ceyleus , ur follower has pledged his support to us.From there we could pursue the ill effects of this downtrodden society and free the Athenians from the clutches of these conspirators.
Socartes:Plato one never ought to do wrong.And it is always wrong to disobey the state . Hence one never ought to disobey the state. The state is to us as a parent is to a child. and since it is always wrong for a child to disobey a parent, it follows that it is always wrong to disobey the state.So obeying the state is a requirement right up until we die even if they are pushing me into a dungeon of tigers.
Plato: But My master…
Socrates: No plato, it is always wrong to break an agreement .And this is ultimate

Scene 3

[King Archon was seated kept his head low. Antylus and Gorgias stood on his either side.}

King Archon: So what is your opinion , Antylus?
Antylus: Lord, u saw his performance yesterday in the court, He has gone out of his snses and still u remain confused? Do you wish the youth of athene to laugh at us , disrespect us and hatch conspiracies against the state?
Gorgias: Do u want him to rewrite the existing judicial system and thereby even pose a threat to your throne?
King Archon: Gorgias, No Athenian is bigger than the state.
Antylus: Yes that is true but not in the case of Socrates. He is persuading the youth to question and search answers which if left out of control would pose a big threat to our state and the judiciary.
King Archon: So what do u suggest?
Gorias: Cut him down Publicly as we do to the all who defy the state.
King Archon: No, that’s not possible
Antylus: Yes Gorias , we should consider his age. And that would only intensify his symptahsiser’s frustration towards the state.
King Archon: So?
Antylus: Sentence him to die by drinking hemlock, the poisonous plant.
King Archon: But who would do that?
Gorgias: Critus will.
King Archon: Critus, you mean a close aide of Socrates.
Antylus: Yes he should. This should be an order from the state which should weigh more than his friendship with Socrates.
King Archon: Warden
( Warden comes inside)
King Archon: Ask critus to come inside.
Critus: Yes ur Lord.
King Archon: Critus, I hereby sentence Socrates to death by drinking hemlock. U are appointed to give him the poison.
Critus cries in disbelief ..

Critus: No my lord. Please don’t do that. A man of his age and knowledge should not meet such a terrible fate. Please consider this my lord( with tears in his eyes) . That man is respected and honored by thousands of athenians. By doing such an atrocity ur putting into the fire the beliefs and viewpoints of them all.
Gogias: Yes and that is what we want.
Critus: My lord I know him for the past 60 years.a man who has never committed a crime neither a robbery, one has never stood against the state How can the state be so cruel to him?
King Archon: Critus yes I have decided to weigh your opinion.But Socrates has been accused of corrupting the youth, disbelieving the laws and many more. So either he should drink the poison or I present him an opportunity to leave Athens in exile therby he should not be seen anywhere in the Athenian province.

Antylus and Gorgias looks at each other…..

Critus: My Lord there is no Socrates without athene for this is his blood his food , his air. Athene has given him his name , his knowledge.
King Archon: Let him decide his destiny. And I don’t want any further talk on this. You can GO…

Scene 4

Socrates was sleeping when Crito came inside..

Socrates: Why have you come at this hour crito? It must be quite early…
Crito: Yes certainly, The dawn is breaking.
Socrates: And u just came now?
Crito: No I came some time ago
Socrates: Then why did u sit and say nothing, instead of awakening me at once.
Crito: I have been wondering at your peaceful slumbers and that was the reason why I did not awaken you.I wanted you to be out of pain. I have always thought you happy but I do not want to see the cheerful way in which you bear this calamity.
Socrates: My dear friend Crito, when a man has reached my age he ought not to be repining at the prospect of death.
Crito: Yet a few older men than you are…misfortunes.
Socrates: That may be. But you have not told me why you come at this early hour.
Crito: I have come to bring you a message which is sad and painful.
Socrates: What! I suppose u have come with the news of my death.
Criot: ( starts weeping) Yes my dear Socrates , This will be the last day of your life.You have to drink the hemlock as ordered by the state.
Socrates: I had a vision, a dream on this Crito.
Crito: What was the nature of the vision?
Socrates: A Fair and scantily clothed woman called to me and said Socrates ur time has come.
Crito looked very sad and confused.
Crito: Tell me Socrates how should I bury you
Socrates: When I have drunk the poison I shall leave you and go to the joys of the blessed I want you to make sure that that I should not remain , go away and depart for the comfort of the judges.
Crito: Let the cup be brought , if the poison is prepared.
The jailor brings the cup..Whwn he places the cup he kneels in front of Socrates.
Jailor: I am sure that you would not be angry with me , for others are the guilty cause. I bid them all to drink poison .You are the noblest and gentlest of all who ever had been to this place.
With tears he walks out…..
Socrates: How charming the man is….Let me ask you my dear friend crito. Didnot the state give me a second chance other than to have this poison?
Crito: Yes , Leave Athens forever.
Socrates: What is ur opinion Crito?
Crito: I never gave you that option.
Crito: (looking outside) The sun is now only on the hill top.
Socrates: I don’t want a delay cause I don’t gain anything by drinking a lil later.
Socrates took the cup. Crito started weeping.
Socrates: Crito should I honour any god before I drink this?
Crito : Socrates….
Holding the cup to his lips quite readily and cheerfully drank the poison.
Crito: Ay last wish
Socrates:You are my good friend who is experienced in these matters .How much will this effect last..
Crito:You have to walk about until your legs are heavy and then to lie down and then the poison will act. Socrates…Socrates….
Socrates fell back and was dead.. Crot comes closer and closes his eyes
Crito: The end of justest , wisest and best of all men who lived in athens…….

Scene 5

Plato is addressing a group of students

Plato: The dramatic picture of a man willing to face death rather than abandoning his committmnet to philosophical inquiry offers up Socrates as a model for all future philosophers. The truth alone deserves to be the basis for decisions about human action, so the only proper apporoach is to engage in the sort of careful moral reasoning by means of which one may hope to reveal it.It was the dream of Socrates for an effective social life. It requires guardian of two external sorts. there must be both soldiers whose function is to defend the state against external enemies and to enforce its laws, and rulers who resolve disagreements among citizens and make decisions about public policy . Arsistotles Tell me what do u call such a society?

Aristotles( gets up): Yes Master we call it Republic.
Plato: Yes a Republic.

Shereen Vijayan Kottikkal