In case of strategists it was brightly showed the characteristic features of behavior of Socrates — convinced defender of the legality even in the conditions of general deviation from it, and in spite of Athenian people inclined to hasty and unreasoned actions and their strong feeling of revenge and wishes to punishments. They were subjected to passions and the emotions often resorted to court fast, but in illegality. Socrates knew these qualities and the Athenian people were once again in their intense collision which had been shown tragically in another Socrates' case soon.
Socrates in one of conversations has noticed that it seems strange if the person, undertaken to be the shepherd of herd of cows and diminishing and worsening them, will not confess that it is the bad shepherd; but that even more for it is strange, if the person, undertaken to be the chief in the state and diminishing and worsening citizens, is not ashamed of it and does not understand that it is the bad chief.
So I think that on arena of a public life, as well as in a private circle, Socrates was not the iron adherent of dogma, but remained the person of firm belief. Change of parties at a wheel of the Athenian policy gave to all new surprises, but it was true to himself, the internal estimation of external events in all cases of protection — for strategists at democracy, for Leont etc. — Socrates protected the law and justice against injustice. However, as a matter of fact, not this or that incidental skirmish with the authorities in an external occasion, but his philosophy, which has led finally to litigation over him, it was Socrates' basic public business, certainly.
So in the end I would like to note that Socrates was a great antique wise man, «a philosophy embodiment», he was at the beginning of rationalistic and educational traditions of the European thoughts. He possesses an outstanding place in the history of moral philosophy and ethics, logic, dialectics, political and legal doctrines. The influence rendered by Socrates on progress of human knowledge is felt up to now. He has entered into spiritual culture of mankind forever.
Rode K. Geschichte der europaischen Rechtsphilosophie. Dusseldorf, 1974, S. 29.
Rode K. Geschichte der europaischen Rechtsphilosophie. Dusseldorf, 1974, S. 28.
