Socrates 'Death In St. 57A-59a'

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In the scene in St 57A-59A, Phaedo explains Socrates’ death and last hours to Echecrates. He starts by confirming that he was with Socrates on the day that he died. Echecrates asks him why Socrates’ death was postponed to a long time after his trial. Phaedo explains that the postponing of Socrates’ death was purely coincidental. Socrates’ trial happened at a culturally significant time of the year for the Athenians. The Athenians have a tradition of sending the boat, that Theseus sailed to Crete (where he killed the minotaur) in, on an annual mission to Delos. From the time when the is gone from Athens until it returns, there is a law to keep the city pure (i.e. no execution). The ship was being prepared for the mission trip when Socrates’