Socrates lived a unique existence compared to the Athenians with whom Socrates shared the city. Socrates had seemingly different goals than his contemporaries and led a life that many simply did not and could not understand. At his core Socrates believed one ought to live virtuously above all else. Socrates explains this himself, saying, “…that the most important thing is not life, but the good life” (Crito, 48b). As this quote shows, an important byproduct of this belief is that the preservation of life cannot be viewed as the single most important thing. The only way that Socrates could show truly that one should not fear death, and that he believed this idea wholeheartedly was to face death himself and do so without fear. This is why Socrates told the jurors after he had been sentenced to death, "This perhaps had to happen, and I think it is as it should be" (Apology, 39b). Socrates’ death “had to happen” because he was following the will of the gods and because it was a vital component in convincing others that they ought not to fear death. Socrates death was “as it should be” because it was the only way to ultimately prove to others that it was not necessary to fear death and this Socrates believed was a …show more content…
During his trial, Socrates assured those in attendance that “You cannot avoid executing me, for if I should be acquitted, your sons would practice the teachings of Socrates and all be thoroughly corrupted” (Apology 29c). By being sentenced to death, Socrates was able to help prove that one truly shouldn’t fear death, which would allow those who came after Socrates to undertake the task of acquiring knowledge from a place of pure ignorance, which is the only way to begin to obtain wisdom without being clouded by