Janelle Perez Exploratory essay Week 6 Why did Athens wait so long to put Socrates on trial?. Socrates was teaching students for some time before he was put on trial in 399 B.C.E. I think the people of Athens waited to put Socrates on trial because they just lost a war to Sparta and were afraid their democracy was going to be taken away from them. This question interests me because history repeats itself. There have been many democratic countries that were slowly taken away by rising leaders who were against democracy such as when Hitler took control of Germany and made the country a dictatorship. Athens may have felt the same way when they saw Sparta becoming more powerful. The issue with Germany and Athens was that they saw someone who was having control over the youth and other vulnerable people, but did not take action until it was too late. My first thinking process for why Athens waited so long to put Socrates on trial was there had to be a breaking point were the people of Athens could not let Socrates teachings effect any …show more content…
Meletus accused Socrates of "refusing to acknowledge the gods recognized by the State and of introducing new and different gods." How can you accuse someone of being an atheist but at the same time saying they believe in other gods? Meletus also accused Socrates of corrupting the youth. Meletus claims that the information Socrates was teaching was harming the youth, and that the law makes the youth better. Socrates asks who is responsible for knowing the law, Meletus suggests that jurymen, assembly members and councillors are responsible for knowing the law. The assembly is open to all adult males which means that the population is good except Socrates. Socrates showed the people of Athens didn't have a lot of wisdom and people like Socrates were needed in